Best of the week ahead on TV

SATURDAY

Take Me Out

UTV, 8.20pm

Paddy McGuinness and co bring the current season to a close.

Sport

The National Hurling League features the clashes of Cork v Tipperary (Setanta Sports 1, throw-in 7pm) and Dublin v Offaly (Setanta Sports, throw-in 7pm). There’s more GAA action in the Sigerson Cup Final (TG4, throw-in 3pm).

Soccer action includes Fulham v Stoke City (Sky Sports 2, ko 12.45pm) and QPR V Man Utd (Setanta Sports 1, ko 3pm). In rugby, it’s

Leinster v Scarlets (TG4, ko 7.45pm) in the RaboDirect PRO12, and also the Six Nations clashes of Italy v Wales (RTÉ Two, 2.30pm) and England v France (RTÉ Two, ko 5pm).

SUNDAY

Fair City

RTÉ One, 8pm

In an emotional episode, the stress finally gets too much for Dermot.

Sport

Scotland v Ireland (RTÉ Two, ko 2pm) has Declan Kidney’s men hoping to improve on their performance against England, while there’s more rugby action with Treviso v Munster (TG4, ko 5.15pm). In soccer, it’s the league clash of Man City v Chelsea (Sky Sports 1, ko 1.30pm), followed by the Capital One (League) Cup final encounter of Bradford v Swansea (Sky Sports 1, ko 4pm). Live National League hurling features Galway v Kilkenny (TG4, throw-in 2pm), followed by a delayed broadcast of Clare v Waterford.

MONDAY

The 85th Academy Awards

RTÉ Two, 9pm

Seth MacFarlane is on presentation duties for this highlights show from last night’s ceremony from Dolby Theatre in Hollywood (the venue had been the Kodak Theatre until the photographic company’s collapse last year when Dolby picked up the naming rights). It’ll be a big surprise if Daniel Day-Lewis doesn’t get best actor, while Django Unchained and Argo should also feature among the prizes.

Life On The Inside

RTÉ One, 9.35pm

Concluding episode of the excellent documentary on life in Irish prisons. Tonight’s show hears about the violence that goes on in the facilities, and the knock-on effects for families.

TUESDAY

Shameless

Channel 4, 10pm

For quite a few years, Shameless has been a parody of its top class early series, even if it can still produce a few laughs. Thankfully, the show is being put out of its misery, and tonight is the first episode of the final 11th season. Tonight we see the Maguires’ toast their expanding empire, while Frank Gallagher finds employment as a janitor and gets involved with a prostitute double act.

CrimeCall

RTÉ One, 10.15pm

Philip Boucher Hayes and Grainne Seoige are back for their monthly look at some serious crimes in an attempt to prompt help from the public.

WEDNESDAY

Neven Maguire: Home Chef

RTÉ One, 7.30pm

Neven Maguire meets up with Irish chef Clare Smyth — the head chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London — and receives a masterclass in how to cook the perfect tTarte tTatin, that classic fruity French dessert. Maguire also demonstrates how do a prawn cocktail, and he prepares beef satay with pickled cucumber.

Operation Transformation

RTÉ One, 8.30pm

Last night saw the participants take part in 5km run, and go to Kathryn Thomas’s house for a final meal. In tonight’s final episode, the fantastic five face a final weigh-in, and then take part in the now-traditional catwalk parade to show off the results of their eight-week effort.

THURSDAY

Dermot’s Secret Garden

RTÉ One, 7pm

An episode filmed last summer shows some of the effects of the heavy rain that prevailed. There has been an influx of weeds, but the potatoes seem to be doing ok so far. O’Neill also installs a bee-hive.

Ear to the Ground

RTÉ One, 8.30pm

The rural show reaches the end of another excellent series with a candid interview with jockey Johnny Murtagh. The Meath man tells Ella McSweeney about how he came from a non-horsey family to become one of the best in the business, along the way battling the demon drink and issues with weight. There’s also a feature on the current fodder crisis.

FRIDAY

The Graham Norton Show

BBC One, 11.05pm

A plethora of actor guests tonight include James Franco, Mila Kunis, Jude Law and Judi Dench. Music is provide by Olly Murs.

Sport

Máire Treasa Ní Dhubhghaill presents live coverage of Connacht v Zebre (TG4, ko 7.45pm) from the Sportsground in the 17th round of the RaboDirect PRO12. Meanwhile, Jerry Kiernan may not be winning many fans in GAA circles for his comments on their games, but he’s on solid ground here as a pundit for highlights from the first full day of action in the European Indoor Athletics Championships (RTÉ Two, 8pm) in Gothenburg.