Top class TV, from Peaky Blinders to story of Shergar and history of Moore Street
TV WEEK (Wednesday 18th to Tuesday 24th)
TOP SPECIALS
Housewife Of The Year (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 18th, 9.35pm)
For those who may be too young to remember, Housewife of the Year was a competition that took place between 1967 and 1995, and women from across Ireland competed on primetime television for the title, and the prize of a luxury gas cooker. It was the biggest show on TV, where thousands of women entered each year to reach a glitzy final on live television with Gay Byrne at the helm.
The Normans (BBC 4, Thursday 18th, 8pm)
Professor Robert Bartlett explores the impact of the Norman conquest of Britain and Ireland, charting how William the Conqueror imposed a new aristocracy, savagely cut down opposition and built scores of castles and cathedrals to intimidate and control. Ireland and England adapted to its new masters and both the language and culture in a blueprint for colonialism in the modern world.
Gardener’s World (BBC 2, Friday 19th, 9pm)
Spring is in full stride at Longmeadow, and Monty Don gets straight to work bringing new borders to life, reviving winter-worn houseplants, and priming his pelargoniums for a standout summer. At RHS Garden Rosemoor, Carol Klein reveals how fruit and veg can deliver both flavour and flair, no matter the size of your plot, while in Cornwall one man shares his passion for the camellia in a back garden packed full of them.
Ligas (Sky Atlantic, Tuesday 23rd, 9pm)
Charming, brilliant, but also cynical, unscrupulous, and allergic to rules. Lorenzo Ligas is a criminal lawyer with undisputed talent and a turbulent private life. Brilliant yet controversial, Ligas fights Milan’s most desperate cases alongside his idealistic intern Marta, seeking justice while confronting his own shortcomings.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
Welcome To Moore Street (RTÉ 1, Thursday 19th, 10.15pm)
A glimpse into life on one of Dublin’s most iconic streets, sharing the colourful stories of both the local traders who made the street famous, and the immigrants from many different nations who have made Ireland their home. From fifth generation family butchers to a Nigerian fashion boutique, from the fruit and veg stalls to the Brazilian bike shop, this series gives an insight into their hopes, aspirations and challenges as they navigate work, love, loss and an uncertain future in a tough environment where dreams can still be realised.
BEST FILMS
Beast (Film4, Wednesday 18th, 10.50pm)
Our Oscar lady Jessie Buckley stars in this drama set in a small island community, where a troubled young woman falls for a mysterious outsider who empowers her to escape her oppressive family. But when he comes under suspicion for a series of murders, she is forced to defend him at all costs.
On Swift Horses (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Saturday)
Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her husband Lee (Will Poulter) are beginning a bright new life in California when he returns from the Korean War. But their newfound stability is upended by the arrival of Lee’s charismatic brother, Julius (Jacob Elordi), a wayward gambler with a secret past. A dangerous love triangle quickly forms.
Man Finds Tape (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Sunday)
After receiving a cryptic call, documentarian Lynn Page returns to her small Texas hometown to investigate haunting footage of events no one can remember taking place. But her brother Lucas’s controversial past with a viral web series called ‘Man Finds Tape’ forces Lynn to question if he, or anyone in their town, can be trusted.
CLASSIC MOVIE
Love Affair (RTÉ 1, Friday 20th, 11.15pm)
Although they are each engaged to other people, former athlete Mike and singer Terry fall for each other on an international flight that gets diverted due to technical problems. After their trip, they agree to meet in New York City three months later, but tragedy strikes on the day of their reunion, resulting in Terry’s hospitalisation, unknown to Mike. Annette Benning and Warren Beatty star.
KIDS STUFF
Funny for Money (BBC 1, Friday 20th, 7pm)
Red Nose Day is back. The UK’s biggest night of comedy and entertainment, the epic, three-hour, fundraising favourite is set to entertain with hilarious sketches, live performances, big surprises and stunning music acts while raising cash for good causes at home and across the world. The star-studded presenting team includes Davina McCall, Joel Dommett, Catherine Tate as Nan, Nick Mohammed and Katherine Ryan.
Saturday Night Live UK (Sky 1, Saturday 20th, 10pm)
Live from London, it’s Saturday Night! Broadcast live each week, this new UK edition of the long-running US sketch comedy variety show brings the high-wire, anything-can-happen energy that makes SNL a cultural force, now reimagined through a distinctly British lens. A new guest host will take the helm each week, staged in front of a live studio audience and features an opening monologue, topical sketches and live music.
ON DEMAND
Furies (Netflix)
Seeking to avenge her father’s death, Lyna, a young woman yearning for a normal life, finds herself entangled in the intricate web of the Fury, peacekeeper of the Paris criminal underworld. Despite her determination to resist the unrelenting pull of destiny, she soon realises that escaping her fate will be far from simple.
Deadloch (Amazon Prime)
Australian detectives Collins and Eddie head to the country’s sweltering Top End, otherwise known as the Northern Territory, to investigate the death of Eddie’s former policing partner, only to find the discovery of a body part in the remote town of Barra Creek diverts their plans. As Northern Territory police focus on the large-scale investigation for two missing backpackers, Dulcie and the reluctant Eddie are tasked with identifying the John Doe.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (Netflix)
Birmingham, 1940. Amidst the chaos of WWII, Tommy Shelby is driven back from a self-imposed exile to face his most destructive reckoning yet. With the future of the family and the country at stake, the Godfather of them all faces his own demons, and has to choose whether to confront his legacy, or burn it to the ground. By order of the Peaky Blinders… Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan star in what promises to be an explosive final chapter to this hugely popular series.
SPORTS CENTRE
Champions League (RTÉ 2, Wednesday 19th, 7.30pm)
A crowded evening of top class action as Bayern take on Atalanta, Liverpool tussle with Galatasaray and Spurs try to find their mojo against Atletico Madrid. Darragh Moloney and Didi Hannam investigate the odds, and who’ll be the probable winners.
Shergar: The Racehorse and The IRA (Virgin Media 1, Wednesday 18th, 9pm)
In February 1983, Shergar, the most valuable racehorse in the world, was abducted in a daring late-night raid. Armed men stormed a stud farm in County Kildare, holding the groom and family at gunpoint before vanishing into the night with the legendary champion. A ransom demand quickly followed, but when it became clear no payment would be made, the telephone lines went silent – and Shergar was never seen again.