Best of the week's TV (April 27 - May 3)

The Voice of Ireland final and The Big House with Bryan Murray are among the highlights.

SATURDAY

The Jonathan Ross Show

UTV, 9.20pm

Actor Russell Tovey and former pop star Peter Andre are among the guests, while drum’n’bass outfit Rudimental provide the music.

The Saturday Night Show

RTÉ One, 9.35pm

Guests joining Brendan O’Connor include new parents Brian Ormond and Pippa O’Connor, and Texan musician/author Kinky Freidman.

Sport

Clermont Auvergne v Munster (Sky Sports 1, ko 5pm; highlights TG4, 9.45pm) has the Irish team in a Heineken Cup semi-final against the best team in Europe. Other rugby today features Leinster v Biarritz (Sky Sports 1, ko 2.30pm) in the Amlin, and St Mary’s v Cork Constitution (RTÉ Two, ko 12.05pm) in the domestic cup final. In soccer, it’s Man City v West Ham (Sky Sports 2, ko 12.45pm), Wigan v Tottenham (Setanta Sports, ko 3pm) and Newcastle v Liverpool (ESPN, ko 5.30pm).

SUNDAY

The Voice Of Ireland

RTÉ One, 6.30pm

The four finalists include three contestants from Cork and one from Donegal: Keith Hanley from Charleville; Shannon Murphy from Mallow; Kelly Mongan from Fermoy; and Shane McLaughlin from Donegal.

Natural World

RTE Two, 6.30pm

Not too many people are going to get excited at the thought of this documentary on biologist Joe Hutto and his mothering of a flock of wild turkeys. Those who do give it a chance, however, will be rewarded by a highly original and hugely enjoyable film.

Sport

Soccer action features Reading v QPR (Sky Sports 1, ko 1.30pm) and Arsenal v Man Utd (Sky Sports 1, ko 4pm), while the second Heineken Cup semi-final is Saracens v Toulon (Sky Sports 2, ko 3pm). In football, coverage of the league finals includes Derry v Westmeath (TG4, throw-in 2pm) in Division 2 and Dublin v Tyrone (TG4, throw-in 4pm) in Division 1.

MONDAY

Aston Villa v Sunderland

Sky Sports 1, ko 8pm

This clash between two teams flirting with relegation also has plenty of Irish interest as both sides have several internationals in their squad.

The Big House

TV3, 9pm

Last year, Bryan Murray fronted the highly enjoyable series, The Tenements, and for this show he’s moving to Strokestown House to show life in the upper class homes of the early 20th century. Not that the four episodes of the docudrama will be all about the wealthy — we’ll be seeing lots about those ‘downstairs’, with 13 descendants of the original Strokestown staff taking on the roles of their ancestors.

Crowded House

RTE One, 9.35pm

The current economic situation has led to an increase in adults moving back in with their parents, often with young children in tow. This ‘boomerang generation’ come under the spotlight tonight in this documentary following four extended families. Among them is Finnbar Murray, a 28-year-old father of two from Cork who has moved back in with his mother. We also meet former priory hall resident Sinéad McCormack back with her parents in Howth; as well as Emma Hayes and Colin McGarr and their two children living with Emma’s parents in Co Kildare.

TUESDAY

The Consumer Show

RTE One, 8.30pm

You may want to look away as Kathriona Devereux finds out what goes into cheap burgers, while four burlesque dancers try out home waxing kits. Ouch.

The RTÉ Two New Comedy Awards

RTÉ Two, 10.40pm

Over the next five weeks, this new series will feature 25 emerging stand-up comedians at the Sugar Club in Dublin, with the eventual winner taking home a prize of 5,000. Jennifer Maguire and Bernard O’Shea are on presentation duties, and the opening line-up includes Edwin Sammon, Andréa Farrell, and Aidan Bishop, brother of Des.

Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund

RTÉ Two, ko 7.45pm

The first of this week’s Champions League semi-finals has Dortmund taking a 4-1 lead to Madrid. Jose Mourinho’s men will be anxious to get the early goal that may give them some hope.

WEDNESDAY

Neven Maguire: Home Chef

RTE One, 7.30pm

The final episode in the series has Maguire back in Restaurant Léa Linster in Luxembourg, where the Irish owner shows him how to make the perfect crème brulee. We also see the presenter making seared scallops with confit of pork cheek.

Barcelona v Bayern Munich

RTÉ Two, ko 7.45pm

At 4-0 down, surely this is a bridge too far for the home side. In front of a home crowd, however, there’s an awful lot of pride at stake for the Catalans, so this Champions League semi-final second leg still has the makings of a great game.

Other Voices — London Special

RTÉ Two, 11.25pm

The show we usually associate with Dingle has spread its wings, and this special was recorded recently in Wilton’s Music Hall in Whitechapel. There’s an Irish representation from Villagers and Imelda May, while other acts include Dexys and Laura Mvula.

THURSDAY

Super Garden

RTE One, 8.30pm

A Galway couple want to turn their garden into a pleasant space for their wedding, so Nathan Nokes makes use of its coastal location to develop a beach theme.

Masterchef

BBC One, 9pm

The final of the series has the remaining contestants trying to impress the judges with three more courses.

Bia Dúchais

TG4, 9.30pm

Cheese has long been a part of Irish culinary heritage and tonight’s episode, Cáis, looks at the use of the dairy product through the centuries. UCC historian Donnchadh Ó Corráin heads to a bog in North Cork to show how our ancestors used such places to create an early precursor to cheese, while Seamus Sheridan explains how reliance on controlled imports from the British empire hastened the decline of cheese-making traditions.

FRIDAY

The Graham Norton Show

BBC One, 10.35pm

Benedict Cumberbatch is on the show to talk about the third series of Sherlock and his role in the new Star Trek film, Kim Cattrall tells us about life after Sex and the City, while Eurovision entrant Bonnie Tyler talks up Britain’s chances of finishing outside the bottom 10 in Sweden next month.

Later Live

BBC Two, 11.05pm

The extended version of Tuesday’s show features New York bands Vampire Weekend and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, while Dido and Seasick Steve also perform. Eric Burdon of the Animals is tonight’s interviewee.

Sport

There are two games on offer in the Rabodirect Pro12: Connacht v Glasgow (RTE Two, ko 7.45pm) from the Sportsground in Galway; and Leinster v Ospreys (TG4, ko 7.45pm). This final round of games will decide who proceeds to the semi-finals of the competition.