What to watch on TV this week
Reunited for fun and games Down Under, the four lads get up to some enjoyable, albeit predictable, high jinks on the backpacker trail.
Documentary on the Pink Floyd guitarist that coincides with his release of a solo album and world tour. He talks about his early influences, as well as his success with the seminal British band and his intermittent solo career.
One reviewer of Cristiano Ronaldo’s current documentary on himself described him as the type of person who probably calls out his own name when he’s having sex. You can make your own mind up on the Real Madrid star tonight as he brings both his ego and charm to the studio for a chat with Ross. Also on the show tonight are actress/singer Agyness Deyn and actor David Tennant.
This really has become a family-viewing staple in many households around the country. In this third episode, they’ve moved from Dun Laoghaire to the west coast, and the four coaches go up against each other for the first time, with three families going through to the semi-final.
The latest episode of the enjoyable series on the revival of country music around Ireland focuses on Nathan Carter, the Liverpool-born star who has a huge following throughout this country. It follows the 25-year-old in the build-up to his gig at the Marquee in Cork earlier this year, along the way also meeting his grandmother Anne, and some of his dedicated fans making the journey for the concert.
It’s a big week of drama in Carrigstown as Flynn has gone ballistic and is threatening to kill the people he’s holding in the Station Bar.
The first of five visits to the new batch of celebrities that have entered the jungle on the east coast of Australia. We already know that ex-footballer Kieron Dyer will be there, and from there we can get ready to tick the boxes on the soap actors and former pop stars who’ll fill some of the other bunks.
The final episode of the series has silver linings for some of the people the show has been following over the past few weeks as opportunities open up through emigration, job offers and work placements.
The series on Irish photographic collections continues with a look at the ‘Gap Girls’, a number of stereo photographs taken between 1860 -1880 consisting of seven full-length portraits of women who sold poitín to tourists in the Gap of Dunloe near Killarney.
A look at how car manufacturer Volkswagen deliberately fooled checks on emissions from their diesel engines, thereby ensuring increased pollution by gases that are hazardous to human health.
Cork camogie star Briege Corkery features on tonight’s show as she shows Ella McSweeney around her farm in Cloughduv. There’s also a look at a day in the life of a community policewoman based in Co Clare, and a segment on whether solar farms could be viable in this country.
Angela Scanlon’s Close Encounters
RTÉ2, 10pm
The final episode of the series has the presenter hanging out with Rory O’Neill, aka Panti Bliss, in London.
As George Best famously uttered, ‘Where did it all go wrong?’ Amal Fashanu (daughter of former player John Fashanu) looks at the impact of huge money and legions of willing women on young soccer stars in Britain. Among the interesting contributions are from girlfriends of players, who reflect on the difficulties of maintaining a relationship when their partners are the subject of so much attention from other females.
The presenter continues her trip up the west coast with a visit to Killary Fjord in Connemara where she sees how creatures such as mussels, abalones and even sea cucumbers are being farmed.
After already taking us through the developmental stages of many four-year-olds, the documentary series takes us a year further on as the 12 featured children are expanding their vocabulary, learning to make friends and becoming aware of concepts like morality and identity.
Episode two of the crime drama has a bruised Naomi back on the heels of the jewel thieves.
It’s impossible to escape Adele at the moment, and this hour-long simulcast with the BBC has the star performing songs from her new album, as well as chatting to Graham Norton.
Brian Ormond and former Rose Of Tralee Maria Walsh are on presentation duties for the ‘other’ toy show.
It’s always been an impossible prize to predict, but you’d imagine that Jamie xx and Florence + the Machine are among the favourites. There’s a decent Irish involvement this year with Roisin Murphy and SOAK.
Tom Hanks is one of the most entertaining chatshow guests on the circuit and his visits to Norton’s couch are usually essential viewing. David Walliams and Peter Capaldi are also on the show, while Duran Duran provide the music.
