Celebrity Masterchef (Friday 8.30pm, BBC1)
After last night’s somewhat foul-mouthed (and utterly brilliant) penultimate heat of this year’s contest, it’s all to play for in the toughest kitchen on the box. This really has been a fantastic series, certainly the best of the celebrity variant, and it just whets my appetite for more.
The Kevin Bishop Show (Friday 10.35pm, C4)
While I’m all for new comedy, I’m afraid that the attraction of Kevin Bishop eludes me. Star Stories is bizarrely overrated, and why anybody would think that giving star Bishop his own show (especially after the awful, awful, awful pilot) was a good idea is beyond me. But then, somebody keeps recommissioning Tittybangbang, so in the world of comedy, there’s no accounting for taste.
Comedy Connections (Friday 10.35pm, BBC1)
Comedy Connections has been running long enough for it to be a surprise that the show has never turned its attentions to arguably the finest sitcom of the 1980s. Yes, Minister, and subsequently Yes, Prime Minister, are, even now, sublimely, satirical wonderful, and this is a lovely exercise in nostalgia. Of course, the talking heads are tragically bereft of the much-missed Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne, but those that are still with us speak with affection and awe at their talents. Lovely.
BBC Proms 2008 (Saturday 6.45pm, BBC2)
My word, but it’s a barren wasteland on the box on a Saturday night now. It’s enough to make you watch Big Brother. Or catch up with Bonekickers on the iPlayer. But let’s not be too hasty - there’s always The Proms, which, even if you’re not a fan of classical music, you can always kid yourself that you’re being cultured. The Proms is one of those undertakings that makes you glad we still have a BBC - it’s a fantastic celebration, and this year sees Nigel Kennedy return after an absence of two decades. Enjoy.
The Flipside of Dominic Hyde (Saturday 7pm, BBC4)
A seminal and fondly-remembered entry from the Play for Today strand, starring a fresh-faced Peter Firth as Dominic Hyde, who travels from the future to the 20th century to track down his ancestors. I’m almost embarrassed to be relying on a repeat from a couple of decades ago on a Saturday night, but this holds together really well, thanks to an engaging script and good performances from Firth and Caroline Langrishe.
Comics Brittania (Saturday 10pm, BBC2)
BBC2 really is a lifesaver this evening, with the second part of this charming trip down memory lane that examines some of the great heroes from British comics from the 50s to 70s. Dan Dare, Roy of the Rovers and The Four Marys - yes, they were from Bunty and don’t ask me how I know that - are all here. This is a documentary that transports me back to Saturday afternoons at my gran’s, when Granddad would turn up with the latest comics from the newsagent. Glorious stuff, and with Armando Iannucci’s narration, this has a nicely affectionate tone.
Top Gear (Sunday 8pm, BBC2)
The current series of Top Gear *comes to an end this evening, and sees the boys meet their counterparts from the German equivalent of the show for the ultimate extreme race challenge - *The Bill’s German crossover seems to have started a trend! Fun stuff as always, and with Richard Hammond and James May having agreed new contract terms with Auntie, the boys will be back together for a new series in the Autumn.
Midsomer Murders (Sunday 8pm, ITV1)
Oh yes, this is classic Midsomer Murders, one of those tales that takes an eccentric group of villagers and throws Barnaby and Jones into the middle of things. Tonight it’s the turn of the close-knit Midsomer Magic Circle, who our duo of dour detectives are called in to investigate following the death of a magician’s assistant on stage. It’s all typical fare, and the usual quality guest cast add a sheen of gravitas. This week it’s Ronald Pickup and Brigit Forsythe chewing up the scenery.
August?
I think you've jumped a month there, Mark!
Hey, I want to do a heads up for Scottish viewers for a programme called High Times.
It's a really well done funny drama. The first series aired 2004, won Baftas, nominated Rose D'Or, and lots of other prestigious awards. However the second series sat on the STV shelves, waiting for ITV1 to give up room in their network schedules, which they never did. So, to give it a chance to be seen at all, it's now airing just in Scotland. It's like a Scottish Shameless if you will. So if Scotland gets the Manchester based Shameless, I don't see why England, Wales and N.Ireland can't, or shouldn't, see Glasgow based High Times on network ITV1.
The second series just started this week, so episode 2 is this Thursday coming, 31st July, 10.40pm, before Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
Series 1 is viewable on www.stv.tv.