Homing in on family

IN THAT traditional pre-Christmas lull on the TV front, most of the networks are holding their goodies for the holiday season, and only the reality show finals are causing a real stir.

There are still a few nuggets to be found before Santa arrives, however, even if it may involve a bit more rummaging than usual. For instance, Thursdays seems to be house night, with a double-twist on the traditional family history formats. In both Cé A Chónaigh I Mo Theachsa? (TG4, 8pm) with Manchán Magan and The House That Made Me (Channel 4, 9pm) an old family home acts as a springboard for a look at a particular person’s past.

In the British show, we are brought back to the featured celebrity’s teenage years, with the first episode focusing on Boy George as he returns to his parents’ old house in London. With parents from Thurles, the O’Dowd household was in many ways a typical ex-pat Irish home. But the only one of the family’s five sons not to follow their father into the building trade was a little bit different. Here, George recounts those formative years, his dad’s volatile temper and the tale of how he came out to his parents. At times, it all gets a bit emotional as this dip into his past brings up some painful memories.