Happy Valley still dominating the TV awards
BANK Holiday Monday, the Invictus Games anniversary, Eurovision returns and Sally Wainwright’s Calderdale-set Happy Valley is still in the spotlight. We take a look at the week ahead.
BANK HOLIDAY
This week of course begins with the first Bank Holiday of the month.
Plenty of events will be on around the region as schools and many workplaces remain closed. The Duncombe Park Country Fair in Helmsley is one such event, putting on trade stands, a craft fair marquee, farmers’ market and displaying static engines, vintage cars, tractors and motorcycles.
INVICTUS ANNIVERSARY
The Duke of Sussex is due to attend a service of thanksgiving marking the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games on Wednesday at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Harry will provide a reading and actor Damian Lewis will recite the Invictus poem, whose author, William Henley, has a memorial bust within the Crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral.
Representatives from across the Invictus Games participating nations, including members of the wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veteran community, will attend.
ON SONG
It’s that time of year again – and this time the Swedish city of Malmö has the hosting duties.
The Eurovision Song Contest grand final will take place on Saturday, after Liverpool hosted last year’s event on behalf of Ukraine.
Years and Years lead singer Olly Alexander will represent the United Kingdom with the song Dizzy at the Malmö Arena.
Before the event, Doctor Who fans will be able to see the first two episodes of the new series starring Ncuti Gatwa.
The double bill will land on BBC iPlayer at midnight on Saturday before it airs on BBC One later in the day.
HAPPY SALLY
It’s more than a year since the finale of Sally Wainwright’s Happy Valley became one of the biggest British TV moments of the decade.
Nonetheless, the Calderdale-set show will feature heavily at the television Baftas on Sunday.
After its third outing aired from January 1 last year – it was not eligible in the 2023 ceremony because that was for shows in 2022 – it is now up for best drama series, while Sarah Lancashire is nominated for best leading actress, and Amit Shah and Siobhan Finneran for best supporting actor and actress respectively.
Catherine Cawood and Tommy Lee Royce's final kitchen showdown at the end of the third series is also nominated for the Memorable Moment, a category voted for by the public. Leeds-based Emmerdale, meanwhile, goes up against EastEnders and Casualty in the soap category.
Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett will return as hosts at the Royal Festival Hall in London.