Little Britain Down Under (Friday 9pm, BBC1)
This nice little documentary follows Matt Lucas and David Walliams as they take their menagerie of comic creations on tour Down Under. Along the way, they record a cameo in Neighbours and draft in Kath and Kim’s Gina Riley and Jane Turner to craft the show into something Aussie friendly. I’m assuming that doesn’t go as far as changing the catchphrase to: “I’m a Sheila!”
Star Stories (Friday 9.30pm, C4)
The British Comedy Award-winning series returns with the story of Take That from the group’s early beginnings to the comeback story of the decade. It’s all very derivative of what Walliams and Lucas were doing years ago, but good fun nonetheless.
The Friday Night Project (Friday 10.30pm, C4)
Shy and reclusive actor John Barrowman is this week’s guest host, alongside Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins.
The Day of the Triffids (Saturday 7pm, BBC4)
The first three episodes of the BBC’s classic adaptation of John Wyndham’s creepy sci-fi thriller. Even though back then the triffids managed to look a bit plasticy and rubbish, the conviction behind this brilliant piece of TV drama still makes them scary as hell.
Jekyll (Saturday 9.05pm, BBC1)
It’s been a labyrinthine journey to get to this final episode. There have been flashes of brilliance, as you’d expect from the pen of Steven Moffat, one of our best writers. Sadly the cleverness has been let down by some ham-fisted direction and acting and the overall concept being a bit too out there and difficult to categorise. This final episode is no exception, veering wildly all over the place but having something brilliant hiding just under the surface.
British Film Forever (Saturday 9.05pm, BBC2)
It’s fair to warn you that the plots to some of the British film industry’s greatest thrillers are mercilessly spoiled in this opening salvo of BBC2’s Summer of British Film season, so beware. That aside, there’s some good stuff in here, boding well for the rest of this seven-part documentary series. Films under discussion include Get Carter, The Ipcress File, The Long Good Friday and The Third Man. Earlier at 6.05pm on BBC2, you can catch a celebration of classic British film music courtesy of the BBC Proms, and tomorrow night at 9pm, also on Beeb 2, the best Bond film ever, From Russia With Love, is given an airing.
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (Saturday 10.10pm, Five)
A new series of the Law and Order variant, and it manages to be just as good as ever.
The Great British Village Show (Sunday 6.35pm, BBC1)
All good things come to an end, and so it is that The Great British Village Show ends up at the grand final at Highgrove and the royal presence of Prince Charles and his good lady wife. It’s been a comforting journey, with Alan Titchmarsh and James Martin making genial hosts (and clearly they’re very popular with the ladies), and the battle of the giant vegetables and Victoria sandwich cakes has been utterly compelling (look, I don’t get out much, okay?). Hopefully we’ll see this nice little show back next year, unless it’s revealed somebody used steroids in growing a tomato and it’ll be a victim of the current vogue for deception in TV.
Mountain (Sunday 9pm, BBC1)
Griff Rhys Jones climbing up Britain’s mountains for five weeks. Ho hum. It’ll look lovely, so that’s something.
The South Bank Show (10.45pm, ITV1)
Very few people earn the distinction of being a national treasure, but June Whitfield definitely qualifies – so much so, she gets a South Bank Show devoted to her. Self-deprecating and modest, she talks through her 50-year long performing career, along with contributions from co-stars and writers who have worked with Whitfield over the years. Forget Ab Fab, I’m, here for the Terry and June clips!
