Innholdsfortegnelse for 10-May-25 i TV Times

Elaine Paige celebrates 60 years in show business this week. Best known for playing Eva Perón in the musical Evita, her other high-profile roles in Cats and Chess have led the singer to be dubbed the ‘First Lady of British Musical Theatre’. This Sunday in BBC4’s Elaine Paige: 60 Years on Stage, Zoe Ball chats to Elaine about her career. And catch Radio 2’s Elaine Paige: 60 Years in Showbusiness, an exclusive concert recorded at The London Palladium, on BBC Sounds. Our fabulous cover this week is a celebration of 25 years of the property show Location, Location, Location. Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp have done a grand job of educating us all in the art of buying a home. FACTUAL Alison Hammond’s Big Weekend NEW FRIDAY BBC1 In her…

THE GAME NEW MONDAY–THURSDAY, 9PM, 5 DRAMA Robson Green and Jason Watkins are no strangers to playing adversaries. ‘We worked together on the third series of BBC3’s [supernatural comedy drama] Being Human in 2011, in which I played werewolf Anthony McNair and Jason was vampire leader William Herrick,’ recalls Grantchester favourite Robson. ‘I actually found one of my vampire teeth yesterday,’ chimes in McDonald & Dodds star Jason. ‘I had two but I don’t know what happened to the other one!’ This previous collaboration – as well as crossing paths as Army officers on the same side in a 1991 episode of Robson’s hit ITV drama Soldier Soldier – means the acclaimed actors are perfectly at ease squaring up to each other again in 5’s latest psychological drama, The Game.…

TUESDAY ESTONIA ACT: TOMMY CASH SONG: ESPRESSO MACCHIATO Well-known in Estonia as a rapper, visual artist and prankster, Tommy – real name Tomas Tammemets – won his country’s national final by a landslide with this tongue-in-cheek track in deliberately broken English, poking fun at Italian stereotypes. With oddly hypnotic dance moves thrown into the mix, could Estonia secure a second win? NETHERLANDS ACT: CLAUDE SONG: C’EST LA VIE After a controversial backstage incident saw last year’s Dutch entrant Joost Klein disqualified from the grand final, the Netherlands is back with Congo-born Dutch singer Claude’s heartfelt tribute to his mother. He topped the Dutch charts in 2022 with his debut single Ladada (Mon Dernier Mot). Can he give the Netherlands its sixth win? SWEDEN ACT: KAJ SONG: BARA BADA BASTU This…

ELAINE PAIGE: 60 YEARS ON STAGE NEW SUNDAY, 7.50PM, BBC4 FACTUAL With barnstorming performances in Evita, Cats, Chess and Sunset Boulevard on her CV, Elaine Paige has more than earned her title of the ‘First Lady of British Musical Theatre’. However, she can’t quite believe that she is celebrating her 60th year in show business! ‘It’s gone by in the blink of an eye. But I knew from my schooldays what I wanted to do and it has never felt like work,’ reveals the star, with her trademark chuckle, as TV Times chats to her about BBC4’s Elaine Paige: 60 Years on Stage. In the special, she joins Zoe Ball to share memories of her career, which began with 1964’s touring production of The Roar of the Greasepaint – The…

Corrie goes back in time this week, although sadly not to 1964 when Rita first appeared as a belly dancer. Instead, we’re rewinding to 2007 when copper Kit was bezzie mates with villainous Mick and got up to all sorts – including having nookie with Mick’s girlfriend Lou. It was clear from Kit’s oddly genteel questioning of Mick at the cop shop last week that the pair have history, and their relationship is explored after Kit once again covers for Mick; this time after a hoo-ha at the builders’ yard. New owner Gary has given Mick a job there, and also given some casual work to stepson Liam. Having been covered in cement by Mick as a prank, Liam sets out to be ‘one of the lads’ by lacing Mick’s…

HOLLYOAKS Transgender teen Ro has found a light amid the darkness during his bullying ordeal at Arlo’s hands: an online friend known as Nina. This week, he finally meets Nina in person and brings along his plans for them to run away together. Nina, however, has had a change of heart and urges Ro to join her at a support group instead. Believing Ro is at the group, mum Diane turns up to surprise him, and alarm bells ring for both her and Nina when he’s a no-show. Rejected Ro, meanwhile, slips into the flat above The Dog, where his thoughts turn to suicide. Can a call with an LGBTQ+ helpline give him some hope for the future? Elsewhere, Frankie and Dillon make plans to fly out to Egypt and…

They may have postponed their wedding, but this week dashing doc Liam moves in with Chas. An incident at Tenant House is the catalyst – Liam walks in on housemate Mandy in what our sources say is ‘an unguarded moment’. The mind boggles… But while Liam’s personal life is tickety-boo, his professional life is somewhat rocky, as he discovered last week that Manpreet was manipulated by Joe into doing covert blood tests on Caleb to see if he was a kidney donor. The GP struggles to move past his colleague’s immoral actions. Will he show her the door?…

WIN £100 CROSSWORD YOU CAN WIN £100! SOLVE THE CLUES AND REARRANGE THE LETTERS IN THE YELLOW SQUARES TO SPELL OUT THE NAME OF AN IRISH SINGER (3,5) ACROSS 7 The Muppets’ drummer is a beast! (6) 8 Vehicle’s working for butler in Downton Abbey (6) 9 Have to retain English Take That singer Mark (4) 10 About time for Garfield (3) 11 Detective played by Brenda Blethyn is a bit of a raver, admittedly (4) 12 One bringing bad luck to Mr Hill of Netflix’s Maniac (5) 14 One with forked tongue like jailbird in The Simpsons (5) 16 Cartoon mouse identifies late American chat-show host Mr Springer (5) 18 Fourteen pounds for US actor Sharon (5) 22 Ross, AKA EastEnders icon Grant Mitchell, is somewhat unkempt (4) 24…

1 BAFTA TELEVISION AWARDS BBC1 AWARDS Mr Bates Vs The Post Office sparked a national conversation last year, and, this Sunday, ITV will be honoured with the prestigious BAFTA Television Special Award for commissioning the drama, recognising the power of public-service television to drive change. The miniseries, starring Toby Jones, is also in the running for four more awards… See page 17 2 THE GAME 5 DRAMA Robson Green and Jason Watkins star in this four-part psychological thriller about a retired detective who’s determined to crack an old case that still haunts him. See p8 3 DOCTOR WHO BBC1 SCI-FI The Fifteenth Doctor’s feet have barely touched the ground in this current run of adventures. This week, the time traveller (Ncuti Gatwa) and companion Belinda (Varada Sethu) land in the…

ALISON HAMMOND’S BIG WEEKEND NEW FRI, 8.30PM, BBC1 FACTUAL (BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER) Rubbing shoulders with big stars is nothing new for Alison Hammond. But spending two days in their company? No wonder she’s full of excitement about her latest BBC1 series, Alison Hammond’s Big Weekend. ‘Forty-eight hours with the Hammond – what more do you want in life?’ laughs the presenter, 50, as she joins TV Times at a posh London hotel for an exclusive chat to explain how she gets to know different celebrities by visiting their homes and delving into their private lives. ‘I’ve had this idea for years,’ adds Alison, whose offbeat encounters with the likes of Hollywood actors Harrison Ford and Dwayne Johnson for ITV1’s This Morning are TV gold. ‘I’ve interviewed celebrities for years,…

Poor Debbie is not only hiding her diagnosis of vascular dementia, she’s also trying to cover up her heartbreak. The hotel manager is madly in love with Ronnie but has called off their engagement to ‘free’ him of the burden of being her carer. As Ronnie remains in the dark about the real reason she dumped him, Debs tries to keep up appearances. But when she suffers an injury at work, things get tricky. Debbie’s dashing around at the Chariot Square Hotel, which is hosting a wedding fair. She’s desperate to stay in control, but Leanne – who’s promoting Speed Daal’s catering service – soon proves a pain as she moans about the poor position of her stand. Debs flounders as she loses her clipboard, and when Leanne keeps banging…

Charlotte Jordan, who recently left the Street as fiery Daisy Midgeley, has announced her next role… and it’s in another soap! The 30-year-old actor is joining BBC Radio 4’s The Archers, which, if you didn’t know, follows the lives of residents in the fictional rural village of Ambridge and is even older than Corrie, having been running since 1951. It’s also where current Corrie stars Gareth Pierce and James Cartwright – AKA Todd and Theo – previously flexed their acting muscles. It hasn’t been officially revealed who Charlotte is playing, but she recently teased on ITV1’s This Morning that her character will ‘ruffle some feathers’. WHATTOWATCH.COM/CORONATION-STREET…

Harry continues to spiral following the discovery of Shireen’s body and the realisation that his parents have hidden some murky secrets from him. Concerned for her pal, Gina opens up to Nicola and Teddy when they accost her, and they then try – and fail – to reach out to him. Angry with Gina for blabbing, Harry soon forgives her, but as she continues to support him, he misreads the signals… Will he try to take their friendship further? Storming off, Harry offloads to Billy at The Vic – but could he end up telling him too much?…

Long-lost relatives crawling out of the woodwork are a staple ingredient of a soap, and this week, there’s a family-related shock in store for Ross Barton. The village bad boy, who grew up with brothers Pete and Finn (RIP), learns he has a half-brother called Lewis. The discovery comes after Moira sees a letter on the doormat addressed to ‘The family of Emma Barton’. Having memorably chucked her deranged sister-in-law off the Hotten viaduct in 2017, the farmer fears her deadly crime has come back to haunt her, and she puts it to one side and keeps shtum. The following day, however, she offloads on Ross, who reads the note and learns of his half-sibling’s existence. Knocked off-kilter, he decides not to contact Lewis, but Matty insists he’s got nothing…

Jay Kontzle understands why some fans are disappointed over his character Billy’s split from wife Dawn. ‘From the audience’s point of view, I think it’s nice to have a good family unit, and over the years there have been nice moments with them as a family, with Clemmie and Lucas,’ says Jay, 34. ‘Joe has come in as this nasty character and for Dawn to fall into that, that’s not what she was about, so it’s a shame that that is lost. But it’s part and parcel of a soap!’ WHATTOWATCH.COM/EMMERDALE…

UNBEATABLE FUN! I think ITV1’s 99 to Beat, hosted by brothers Adam and Ryan Thomas, is a fabulously fun Saturday-night game show. The tasks are daft and hilarious, allowing everyone of all ages and abilities to join the fun. I haven’t laughed so much for ages. Kim Dollimore, Swindon SUPER SEVENTIES As someone born and raised in the 1970s, I loved Sally Lindsay’s 70s Quiz Night on 5. It brought back lots of memories as host Sally quizzed two teams of celebrities about the decade. What a fun and entertaining trip down memory lane! Nadine Chryst, Sheffield THE RIGHT NOTES I really enjoyed BBC2’s Gareth Malone’s Messiah: The Concert, which featured the eight amateur vocalists he had helped to prepare for the performance of George Frideric Handel’s oratorio. I thought…

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION NEW WEDNESDAY, 8PM, C4 FACTUAL A large wooden table adorned with a delightful display of daffodils in a pretty pot and laden with delicious-looking treats takes centre stage as TV Times enters Kirstie Allsopp’s west London kitchen on an April afternoon. Greeted warmly by her adorable Border terrier Dandelion, we’ve been invited round for an exclusive chat with the presenter and her fellow property guru Phil Spencer – who is happily tucking into a colourful rice salad accompanied by a hearty slice of quiche – as they prepare to mark 25 years of C4’s ever-popular Location, Location, Location. ‘We did a photo shoot for the anniversary a couple of weeks ago here in the kitchen,’ smiles Kirstie, offering us a buttery cookie as she recalls posing for…

EUROVISION SEMI-FINALS LIVE TUESDAY & THURSDAY, 8PM, BBC1 ENTERTAINMENT Dust off the flag bunting and have your scorecards handy as the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 gets under way this week! After Nemo’s victory last year with genre-fusing song The Code gave Switzerland its third win, we’re heading to the cultural city of Basel for the 69th edition of the extravaganza. It’s a homecoming moment for Eurovision, as the very first competition was held in Switzerland in 1956, and this year’s event will pay homage to that groundbreaking broadcast. The semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday will see 31 countries compete for 20 available spots in the grand final on Saturday 17 May, where they’ll join the automatically qualifying ‘Big Five’ countries – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom –…

BAFTA TELEVISION AWARDS NEW SUN, 7PM, BBC1 AWARDS Alan Cumming is brimming with excitement, albeit a little nervous, about helming the BAFTA Television Awards for the first time. The Scottish actor and host of The Traitors US has even meticulously planned several outfit changes for the prestigious ceremony, which will again take place at London’s Royal Festival Hall and air on BBC1. Here, Alan, 60, tells us why he’s delighted to be helping honour the small screen’s finest… How are you feeling ahead of presenting the 71st BAFTA TV Awards? Initially, you think, ‘Oh, what an honour.’ Then you realise it’s in front of a crowd of your peers! But I’m thinking of it like throwing a party, and I like making people feel relaxed. I like celebrating people, too,…

HIDDEN TREASURES OF THE NATIONAL TRUST NEW FRIDAY, 9PM (TIMES VARY), BBC2 FACTUAL (BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER) Not a day goes by that Pete Tasker isn’t mistaken for farmer Mr McGregor, the rake-wielding foe of Peter Rabbit and his friends from author and illustrator Beatrix Potter’s beloved children’s books. But it’s no surprise. As head gardener at Hill Top, Beatrix’s beautiful Lake District retreat that inspired her stories, he has been known to shoo away real-life bunnies to stop them munching through his veg patch! ‘Just the other day, 13 visitors asked me if I was Mr McGregor,’ says Pete, 63, as he joins TV Times for an exclusive interview about showcasing his work at the 17th-century property in Hidden Treasures of the National Trust, which returns to BBC2 for…

Sixty grand down courtesy of Daisy’s shenanigans and with no hope of buying back the Rovers, sour-faced Jenny packs her bags and moves in with Reet Petite. The pub’s owner Carla, who has no intention of playing landlady, then promotes Glenda to manager. Ey, will she do a grand job or what? Glenda soon finds herself short-staffed, and it’s down to Carla to do some recruitment. At the same time, Lauren gets to take baby son Frankie home from hospital following his stem-cell transplant, and she tells Aadi that her next mission is to find a job, especially as she’s now renting her own place. Could the single mum soon be pulling pints?…

The Queen Vic has been the scene of many an exposé. Over 30 years after Sharon’s shenanigans with then brother-in-law Phil were revealed – earning the landlady a slap from betrayed Kaffy – it’s Kaff herself who has some explaining to do when her affair with Harvey becomes public knowledge. All’s well as the week kicks off, or at least it is as far as Harvey’s partner Jean is concerned. Although a faaarmily holiday arranged by Harvey ends up falling through, she’s grateful for his efforts. And when Stacey and Lily make amends, it’s the icing on the cake. Jean is in such high spirits, in fact, that she proposes to Harvey in the backyard, where her grandkids have set up a makeshift camp. Harv, who has just had a…

Shona McGarty, who played Whitney, is to feature in a new musical about 50s US pin-up and burlesque star Bettie Page. Shona will take on the title role in Bettie Page, Queen of Pin-Ups – The Musical, which will be staged at the Lyric Theatre in London’s West End on 9 June. Shona, 33, says, ‘Bettie’s era of the 1950s has always fascinated me. Burlesque is an art form and embodies the empowerment of women, and Bettie shone a light on that. ‘I’m excited to be given this opportunity to bring Bettie to life, and hope to do justice to her character and her story.’ WHATTOWATCH.COM/EASTENDERS…

HOME AND AWAY Over in Queensland, Dean and Levi are forced to put their differences aside and team up to try to save their other halves Ziggy and Mackenzie, who have been taken captive by two escaped convicts. Law-abiding doctor Levi is shocked when Dean steals a car so they can drive off in hot pursuit… During their ordeal, Mackenzie is startled to discover that Ziggy is pregnant. Can they use Ziggy’s situation to their advantage? Also this week, Rose leaves Summer Bay, Theo hooks up with Lacey, and Marilyn is spooked by Eliza’s threats. NEIGHBOURS Determined to dig up some dirt on Darcy, Karl meets with the devious doctor’s ex, Tess Bell. Karl is startled to hear that Tess was married to Darcy during her time away from Erinsborough,…

THIS WEEK’S PICKS NEW VE Day 80: A Swinging Celebration Sunday, BBC Radio 2, 8.00pm Vernon Kay presents this special concert from Alexandra Palace Theatre in London, where the BBC Big Band, the BBC Concert Orchestra and special guests commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. NEW Unspeakable Tueday, BBC Radio 4, 6.30pm Comedian Phil Wang and lexicographer Susie Dent return to host a second series, challenging more celebrity guests to invent new words and create the ultimate dictionary. Clive Anderson, Ed Gamble and Sindhu Vee make up tonight’s panel. THIS WEEK ON… THE ARCHERS Ambridge face a tense cricket match but the drama off pitch threatens to usurp the game when Lynda makes an unexpected discovery that leaves Lily with some explaining to do. Rex faces dilemmas this week as…