Lions face Argentina in Dublin before Australia tour begins
TV WEEK (Wednesday 18th to Tuesday 24th)
TOP SPECIALS
Prost (BBC 4, Thursday 19th, 8pm)
Alain Prost’s place in Formula 1 history as one of the sport’s greatest drivers is unmatched – he won four championships and made winning races look easy. While his bitter feud with Ayrton Senna brought out the best and worst in them both – it made Formula 1 a dazzling spectacle during their do-or-die era.
A New Life In The Sun: Where Are They Now? (CH4, Friday 20th, 6pm)
Catching up with expats chasing their dream lives and setting up new businesses abroad is always a ‘what if‘ story we all love to ponder. Love is in the air at a rural retreat in Andalucía as owners Michael and Shaun prepare to host their first wedding, while in France, expansion is on the cards for Colin and Christina who left behind office jobs to set up a glamping business.
Son Of A Critch (RTÉ 1, Friday 2th, 8.30pm)
A coming-of-age story set in St John’s, Newfoundland of 11 year-old Mark, wise beyond his years, who uses comedy to win friends and connect with people in his limited world. Mark’s first day of grade school goes awry when a family of bullies take a special interest in making his life miserable.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
The Eclipse (TG4, Wednesday 18th, 11.15pm)
Set in the small French village of Bouzoul, locals gather to celebrate the eclipse. But when 18-year-old Luca accidentally shoots his girlfriend, Nour, her body disappears and propels local police officers, Manue and Johanna, into a farming community brimming with secrets and lies.
BEST FILMS
Scent Of A Woman (Sky Cinema Drama, Wednesday 18th, 3.20pm)
Al Pacino gives an winning performance as a cranky and blind retired US army officer who hires clean-cut college senior Charlie as his guide and driver for a Thanksgiving weekend in New York. What starts out as a bad idea slowly changes both of them, and a few of the women they encounter. Pacino won the Oscar for this classic film.
The Wedding Singer (RTÉ 2, Thursday 19th, 9.35pm)
Wedding singer Adam Sandler has a broken heart after being abandoned at the altar by his fiancé. Then he meets Drew Barrymore, who enlists his help to plan her wedding. He falls in love with her and will have to win her over before she gets married. One of the great romcoms.
Joker: Folie à Deux (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Friday)
This sequel finds Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) institutionalised at Arkham asylum awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur stumbles upon true love, and finds the music that’s always been inside him. Also starring Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Steve Coogan.
CLASSIC MOVIE
The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert (BBC 2, Friday 20th, 11pm)
When drag queen Anthony (Hugo Weaving) agrees to take his act on the road, he invites fellow cross-dresser Adam (Guy Pearce) and transsexual Bernadette (Terence Stamp) to come along in their colourful bus, named Priscilla, travelling across the Australian desert performing for enthusiastic crowds and homophobic locals. An oldie but goodie that still delivers.
KIDS STUFF
Isle of Wight Festival 2025 (Sky Arts, Friday 20th, 7pm)
An access all areas backstage pass from the comfort of your own sofa as this year’s headliners – including the incomparable Sting, the immortal Stereophonics and Justin Timberlake take to the main stage – with other highlights from Faithless, The Corrs, The Script, Texas, Olly Murs, Clean Bandit, Supergrass and James.
Team America: World Police (CH4, Friday 20th, 11.05pm)
Trey Parker’s film switches from the computer animation of South Park to using marionette puppets who battle to save the world. Team America: World Police infiltrate a terrorist group, led by North Korean leader Kim Jong II. As bonkers as you’d expect from the South Park team.
ON DEMAND
The Waterfront (Netflix)
Inspired by true events, The Waterfront dives into the flawed Buckley family as their attempts to retain control of their crumbling North Carolina fishing empire drive them to increasingly dangerous lengths to keep the business afloat. Mired in secrets and succession, the eight-episode series follows family members struggling for control of the lucrative maritime empire.
Deep Cover (Amazon Prime)
This fast-paced action comedy stars Bryce Dallas Howard as Kat, an improv comedy teacher beginning to question if she’s missed her shot at success. When an undercover cop (Sean Bean) offers her the role of a lifetime, she recruits two of her students (Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed) to infiltrate London’s gangland by impersonating dangerous criminals.
Trainwreck: Mayor Of Mayhem (Netflix)
In the 2010 Toronto Mayoral election, political outsider Rob Ford is widely dismissed as a joke – but defies critics with a shocking landslide victory. However, his administration soon becomes a slow motion trainwreck, as an avalanche of scandals leads to an international media frenzy. Remind you of anyone?
The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles (Amazon Prime)
In 1994, a masked man shot a waiter in the only Indian restaurant in the Orkney Islands. The murder remained unsolved for years, until new evidence eventually emerged. The crime became one of Scotland’s most controversial cases, and was recently highlighted with powerful new testimony.
SPORTS CENTRE
The Lions v Argentina Test (TG4, Friday 20th, 7.30pm)
The iconic British and Irish Lions face Argentina in Dublin before setting their sights on the Wallabies as the tour to Australia begins later this summer. A history that stretches back to 1888 makes this occasion one of the special sporting events of the month.
Athletics: Diamond League Paris (BBC 3, Friday 20th, 8pm)
Live coverage as some of the biggest superstars in world athletics descend on the French capital for an evening of track and field. Among the superstar athletes will be Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, a year on from stupendously breaking the longstanding world record of 2.09m, and French record-holder Cyréna Samba-Mayela race on home soil for the first time since winning Olympic silver in Paris 2024.