Attenborough, By Royal Appointment: TV picks for the week ahead

The vast majority of viewers probably can’t remember a time when they were unaware of David Attenborough. Now 94, he began his TV career in the 1950s with the three-part programme Animal Patterns before Zoo Quest made his name. Projects such as the epic Life series helped turn him into an icon around the world; his work has also taken him to every continent on the globe, documenting the living world in all its glory. In this feature-length production, Attenborough is taking a look back at the defining moments in his career as a naturalist. He also discusses the often devastating ecological changes he’s witnessed before offering a powerful message of hope for future generations.

On Demand: The Right Stuff (Disney+, from Fri)

In 1979, Tom Wolfe published The Right Stuff, a bestselling book about the early days of the US space program. It was turned into a film four years later, and now it’s back on the screen in the form of a new, eight-part series – the first two episodes are being made available this week. The story begins in 1959 at the height of the Cold War, as the US decides to invest heavily in the space race in an effort to catch up with the ground broken by the USSR. Jake McDorman and Patrick J Adams play Alan Shepard and John Glenn, the most famous of the military test pilots plucked from obscurity to take part in the newly formed Nasa’s efforts to get a man into space – a task that will either kill them or turn them into major celebrities.

Britain’s Got Talent (ITV, Saturday 8pm)

We already know that magician Magical Bones, comic juggler Steve Royle and dance duo Aaron & Jasmine will be competing in the grand final – but who will be joining them after the concluding semi-final tonight? As usual, Ant and Dec are the hosts, while Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams will be joined by Ashley Banjo at the judging desk. Eight more contestants will perform and the judges will then choose one act to go through. But it isn’t the end of the road for those who aren’t chosen by the quartet – one more finalist from each semi is chosen via a public vote. That will eventually make a total of 10 acts, all vying to be named BGT Champion 2020.

Bone Detectives: Britain’s Buried Secrets (C4, Saturday 8pm)

Natural History Museum palaeontologist Dr Tori Herridge and a team of archaeologists and scientists continue their quest piecing together the lives behind discovered bones and finding out what happened to these people and how they died. In this week’s edition, more than 1400 bodies are unearthed in a long-forgotten cemetery in Ipswich. The remains possibly go back as far as Anglo Saxon times and feature evidence of hard manual labour, disease, murder, and what might be the first post-mortem dissection in England.

The Wall (BBC1, Saturday 9.15pm)

If you’d have said to Danny Dyer 10 years ago that he would now be hosting a Saturday night prime-time game show on BBC One, he might have accused you of “having a giraffe”, or something similar. But that was before EastEnders and Who Do You Think You Are?, and Dyer, 43, is now a national treasure. Much like its host, The Wall also became an unexpected success in 2019, and returns for its second series tonight, with sisters Nichola and Paula from Antrim taking part. The show revolves around a giant four-storey Japanese pachinko board, and sees participants split up, with one answering knowledge-based questions and another dropping balls down the 40ft wall in the hope of winning a cash prize. The (fairly) simple rules and rapid question rate make it perfect fun for Saturday nights. And with one of TV’s most popular geezers at the helm, it’s sure to keep hitting the target with viewers.

Top Gear (BBC1, Sunday 8pm)

Had all been well with the world, we’d already have seen the latest series of the Beeb’s motoring juggernaut – its 29th, no less. However, production ground to a halt during lockdown, although Chris Harris, Paddy McGuinness and Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff were able to return to filming to finish off the run. Those who enjoy their jaunts to foreign climes may, however, be disappointed – the trio had shot a few overseas escapades, but when Covid-19 forced them to stay in the UK, many planned stunts had to be rejigged so they could be done at home instead. Thankfully the regular banter, news and all-round nonsense we’ve grown accustomed to is still in place. Something else to note about the new season – it’s on BBC One rather than Two, proof positive that Top Gear is TV’s equivalent of a sparkling sports car rather than an old banger.

25 Siblings & Me (BBC2, Sunday 9pm)

Imagine waking up one day to discover you have 25 siblings on the other side of the world. That was the scenario faced by Oli, a 21-year-old Londoner with Asperger’s, who was conceived using an anonymous Californian sperm donor. After becoming intrigued by his genetic make-up, Oli registered with a website that helps children of sperm donors find each other, leading him to his half-brothers and sisters and their biological father, Daley. Oli’s condition makes it difficult for him to form relationships, but as this moving documentary reveals, he’s determined to get to know his new extended family.

Ghosts (BBC1, Monday, regions vary)

Alison and Mike are hoping their next event booking is just around the corner, and securing it could be very important to their future. Unfortunately, their efforts to get as organised as possible threaten to expose disturbing facts about the Captain’s past – and he makes it very clear he would rather they put a stop to their plans immediately. Thomas and Julian are also unsympathetic to their hosts’ plight – they’re more concerned about how they and the rest of the ghosts will be spending their evening. Pat, however, tries to be useful – although knowing him, he’ll probably fail too.

Prince William: A Planet for Us All (ITV, Monday 9pm)

Prince Charles has long been an advocate for environmental issues; he recently called for “swift and immediate action” and said that Covid-19 provided us with a “window of opportunity” to reset the economy for a “sustainable and inclusive future”. Clearly some of his thinking has rubbed off on his eldest son, Prince William, who will join a star-studded line-up giving a TED talk about climate change this month, and has spent the past two years making this eye-opening documentary. William now has three children; he says becoming a father changed his outlook on the world and has inspired him to get more involved in conservation. Among the highlights to look out for is the Prince and his wife Catherine’s meeting with David Attenborough, during which it’s revealed that their children are already huge fans of the naturalist.

Alison Hammond: Back to School (ITV, Tuesday 9pm)

No matter how long it is since you were in a classroom, if you went to school in Britain, your history lessons probably at least touched on the Romans, Tudors, Victorians or the First World War. But it’s less likely that you were taught about the role that black figures played during those eras. Now though, This Morning’s Alison Hammond is going on a school trip with a difference as she uncovers some untold stories from the time periods and brings a new perspective to Britain’s past. It’s a journey that brings her into contact with historians and finds her digging through the archives and visiting some of Britain’s best-known historical sites, unearthing some remarkable achievements along the way.

Life (BBC1, Tuesday 9pm)

For us it’s only been seven days, but for the characters in writer Mike Bartlett’s drama it’s been three weeks since the events of the first episode – and they are all facing a choice about whether to carry on as normal or take a step into the unknown. Belle seems to be going for the latter as she arranges a night in with Dominic, but her niece Maya looks set to spoil her plans. David questions how well he really knows Rachel after meeting some of her old friends, Gail’s loyalty is tested, and Andy wonders if he can really stand by his commitment to Hannah.

Urban Myths: Les Dawson’s Parisienne Adventure (Sky Arts, Wednesday 9pm)

The comedy anthology returns with an instalment written by and starring Steve Pemberton, with Mark Addy and John Bradley playing older and young versions of Les Dawson. Inspired by his heroes, the writers Jean Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, Les leaves his home in 1960s Manchester to go live in Paris and pursue his dream of becoming a serious novelist. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite work out as he planned for the stand-up comedian, and he ended up becoming a pianist in a brothel. Pam Ferris and Samuel Barnett also star, with Djinda Kane playing a prostitute Dawson has a fling with.

Agatha and the Midnight Murders (C5, Wednesday 9pm)

The next major Agatha Christie adaptation is likely to be the BBC’s version of historical whodunit Death Comes as the End in 2021. But before that, Christie fans are being treated to another fictional chapter of the author’s own life, courtesy of writer Tom Dalton. Helen Baxendale takes over from Ruth Bradley and Lyndsey Marshal to play Christie in a tale set during the Blitz in 1940s London. Considering the success of her novels, Agatha should be a rich woman, but instead, she is struggling to make ends meet. So, after 12 Poirot novels in six years, she is selling the novel of the Belgian detective’s death to a private buyer. Agatha needs help to broker the deal, and enlists Travis Pickford (Blake Harrison), the charming grifter from the Truth of Murder, to arrange a late-night exchange at an infamous London hotel.

Live International Football (ITV, Thursday 7.30pm)

After underwhelming performances against Iceland and Denmark last month in the Nations League, Gareth Southgate’s England return to Wembley Stadium for the first time in 2020. Their opponents are Wales, who have seen a resurgence of late under manager Ryan Giggs. The former Manchester United star is set to lead his nation to their third major tournament at Euro 2021 following appearances at the 1958 World Cup and Euro 2016, where they made history by reaching the semi-finals. And the last time the sides met was at that very tournament, with England securing a dramatic 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge after Gareth Bale had given the Welsh the lead.

The Apprentice Best Bits (BBC1, Thursday 9pm)

This week’s episode looks back at the show’s charity celebrity specials when famous faces, including Jack Dee, Jonathan Ross, Omid Djalili and Rylan Clark-Neal swapped showbusiness for big business and raised over £2million for Comic Relief and Sport Relief. Viewers will get another chance to see Lord Sugar’s lieutenant Karren – before she was Baroness Brady – leading the girls to victory over Alastair Campbell’s boys team in 2007. That was the same year that Piers Morgan had a boardroom meltdown and the lifelong Arsenal supporter was eventually fired by former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Sugar, who said he was fed up with his “demeanour”.

Between the Covers (BBC2, Friday 7.30pm)

Lockdown and the subsequent rule of six may have made some hobbies more difficult, but reading is one pastime that hasn’t been affected. Earlier this year, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan brought us their Channel 4 series Keep Reading & Carry On, and now the BBC are launching their own TV book club, hosted by Sara Cox. In each episode, she’ll be joined by four famous faces, who will bring in their favourite book of all time to discuss with their fellow guests, while one of the panellists will also talk about their own writing. Future episodes will feature celebs-turned-writers Richard Osman, Graham Norton and Will Young, but first up is comedian Sara Pascoe, who opens up about her tome Sex Power Money.

TOTP2: John Lennon Special (BBC4, 9pm)

December will mark the 40th anniversary of John Lennon’s death, an event that shocked the world. But tonight, the BBC is marking another significant date – what would have been the Beatle’s 80th birthday. The evening begins with a chance to see him at just 23, larking about in the classic Beatles movie A Hard Day’s Night, before this Top of the Pops 2 special, which was originally shown in 2000 to mark his 60th birthday and features the tracks Imagine, Jealous Guy and Instant Karma, as well as an interview with Yoko Ono. Speaking of Yoko, she also features in Lennon: The New York Years, which follows the couple’s move to the city in 1971. There’s a look at the other city he’s most associated with in The Beatles: Made on Merseyside, and the night concludes with Sings the Beatles.