Innholdsfortegnelse for 24-May-25 i TV Times

This week, Springwatch (Hol Mon-Thu, BBC2) celebrates 20 years of being one of our favourite natural-history series. It began back in 2005 and was hosted by Bill Oddie, Kate Humble and Simon King. Today, Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan are the presenters with Iolo Williams as the show’s roving reporter. So, whether it’s hedgehogs, badgers or owls, the British public are always rooting for the cubs and chicks to make it! Just released on ITVX is the 2015 series River, starring Stellan Skarsgård and Nicola Walker. Our Highlights Editor Jill Pelton and I chatted about what a fab series it is and I watched it again. And even if you still remember the ending, it is a cracking drama! FACTUAL Walking with Dinosaurs NEW SUNDAY BBC1 I can’t believe the…

THE LAST ANNIVERSARY NEW SAT, 9PM & 9.50PM, BBC1 DRAMA (BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER) Oscar-winning actor Nicole Kidman’s TV collaborations with bestselling author and fellow Australian Liane Moriarty have proved a perfect partnership. Glossy US psychological drama Big Little Lies became a global hit and won a raft of awards, while thriller Nine Perfect Strangers returns for a second series on Prime Video from Thursday 22 May. Now, they have teamed up for a third suspense-laced tale: an adaptation of Liane’s 2005 novel The Last Anniversary. But, this time, Nicole is only involved from behind the camera in her role as an executive producer on the six-parter, which arrives on BBC1 this week following its premiere in Oz earlier this year. ‘It’s an Australian project with Australian accents for the…

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS NEW SUNDAY, 6.25PM, BBC1 FACTUAL (BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER) Another ext-roar-dinary journey into the prehistoric past awaits as some of the most fearsome creatures to have ever stalked Earth thud into our living rooms in a much-anticipated reinvention of Walking with Dinosaurs. The original, award-winning 1999 show blended science with CGI to re-create the worlds of long-extinct dinosaurs. Now, over 25 years on, the new BBC1 series, narrated by Dalgliesh star Bertie Carvel, uses the latest technology and cutting-edge discoveries to delve further into the lives of these legendary giants. This time, the six-parter follows palaeontologists on digs across the globe as they unearth bones and fossils that have lain untouched for millions of years. The findings then inspire the imagined stories of six different species –…

While Jussi Adler-Olsen’s Department Q novels were set in the Danish city of Copenhagen, the TV series relocates the action to Edinburgh. And lead writer and director Scott Frank was determined to capture the true spirit of the Scottish capital during filming, with the majority of scenes being shot there. ‘Edinburgh’s quite a small city, so we got to lock off locations for a few hours to film particular scenes,’ says leading man Matthew. The show’s locations manager, Hugh Gourlay, enjoyed scouring the city to find the perfect settings. ‘Edinburgh has a wide range of architectural styles,’ says Hugh. ‘It’s classically known for its Georgian buildings, but it ranges from the medieval right up to the much more modern. ‘What was nice was that we did the whole project in…

Desperate for a happy ever after with Eileen, George opts for the ultimate grand gesture and asks her to marry him. The timing is off, and so is the location – her sister Julie’s wake, of all places. What’s he lined up for the honeymoon - a trip to a coffin convention?! The reality is that being proposed to at the top of the Eiffel Tower wouldn’t be enough to rock Eileen’s world right now. Not only is she grieving, but George is also getting right on her wick, and Julie’s observation that he’s not ‘the one’ is proving hard to shake off. As the week begins, there’s a short ceasefire of sorts, as it’s Brian, rather than her partner, who rubs Eileen up the wrong way. When she reports…

Barney Mitchell doesn’t have the gift of the gab when it comes to the ladies – in fact, there’s more chance of Phil taking up Pilates than there is of the bumbling teen conjuring up a killer chat-up line. But as we’ve seen with Ross’ lad Joel, what looks shiny on the surface may be rotten to the core underneath. And for Avani, it looks like she’s starting to realise that her pal may be one of Walford’s true gents. Barney, of course, has been smitten with Avani from the off. Having accepted that she doesn’t see him ‘that way’, he’s happy to have her in his life as a friend, and has supported her during tough times. He’s there for her again when she’s sent abusive messages about sleeping…

There are wedding jitters and then there’s knowing that, as you’re about to say ‘I do’ to the man of your dreams, you might be exposed as a raving psychopath who’s killed your neighbour and made other people ill on purpose so you can wade in and play the hero. Welcome to John’s world – the paramedic is more than a tad nervous ahead of his nuptials to Aaron this week. ‘There’s so much jeopardy, and I think that if John didn’t love Aaron so much, he’d be out of there,’ explains Oliver Farnworth, who plays the village villain. In a shake-up from the norm, the wedding is played out across Monday to Friday, and in each episode, John has a nightmare ‘vision’ of what could go wrong. Monday’s episode,…

HOME AND AWAY The day before they’re due to get hitched, pregnant Harper finds the courage to ask Tane whether he truly loves her. Her fiancé gives her the answer she has long suspected – ‘no’ – but while he’s willing to still go ahead with the nuptials, she cancels the wedding, refusing to bring up their son in a loveless marriage. She then drops another bombshell on Tane when they later meet up – she wants to raise Archie on her own. Meanwhile, Mackenzie and Levi step up their baby-making plans, Roo and Marilyn clash over Eliza, and Gage discovers girlfriend Lacey is cheating on him with Theo. Darcy continues to take advantage of Eirini Rising resident Amanda’s muddled mental state, hoping to get his hands on more of…

SPRINGWATCH NEW HOLIDAY MONDAY–THURSDAY, 8PM, BBC2 NATURE Back in 2005, audiences were captivated when Springwatch burst on to our screens with a bird’s-eye view of the triumphs and tragedies faced by British wildlife. Originally presented by Bill Oddie, Kate Humble and Simon King, the show has gone from strength to strength. And as TV Times joins current hosts Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan for an exclusive chat about its 20th anniversary, as well as the new BBC2 run airing live from the Peak District over the next three weeks, their unwavering enthusiasm for the series is infectious. ‘It’s incredible celebrating a show that’s been on for two decades and still has a loyal audience,’ beams Michaela, 59. ‘Presenting something we love is joyous.’ ‘Yes, the energy of everyone who makes…

BAKE OFF: THE PROFESSIONALS NEW TUESDAY, 8PM, C4 COOKERY Ellie Taylor can’t wait to spill the beans about the milestone 10th series of Bake Off: The Professionals when she joins TV Times for an exclusive interview. E ‘There’s always a celebratory vibe when the four of us get together,’ the actor, comedian and mum of two, 41, says of co-host Liam Charles and judges Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden. ‘This year, my sweet tooth was a nightmare! I lost control midway through and had to go on a total ban. But it’d be miserable to work on a show like ours and not be like, “I’ll have another of those!”’ Indeed! The new serving of C4’s sugar-filled contest will see a fresh batch of 12 teams, each comprising two professional…

Mick’s demonic behaviour last week has landed him in prison, but Kit still has a whole heap of trouble to deal with in young Brody, and he’s left in quite the pickle when the troubled teen lashes out. Being the scumbag that he is, Mick earlier contacts Brody from the big house and lies that his arrest was a police stitch-up – he’s gunning for Kit after discovering the copper is Brody’s biological father. When Kit returns home, he finds vengeful Brody smashing up his flat. He tries to point out Mick’s true colours, but Brody charges at him, sending Kit crashing into a wall. ‘In Brody’s eyes, Kit is the reason why his family is falling apart,’ reveals Ryan Mulvey, who plays him. Kit takes the difficult decision to…

Ryan Thomas admits he was anxious about reprising his role as Jason Grimshaw, having not played the character for nine years. ‘It was a bit of a shock to the system at first,’ says Ryan, 40, who quit Corrie in 2016 and has recently turned his hand to presenting, on ITV1 game show 99 to Beat with actor brother Adam. ‘I even went on YouTube to rewatch old scenes and got nervous. ‘But it became the norm again very quickly. Everything about the script made it easy for me. ‘There are the little golden nuggets of mother and son, his flirty banter with the ladies, and his friendship with Steve McDonald. And, of course, he and his brother Todd are winding each other up!’ WHATTOWATCH.COM/CORONATION-STREET…

Sarah Sugden is no stranger to ill health – diagnosed with Fanconi anaemia as a child, she’s endured treatment for leukaemia and throat cancer and, eight years ago, underwent a heart transplant. This week, the vulnerable teenager has another hurdle to overcome as it’s confirmed she has cervical cancer. No one knows of the anguish Sarah is going through – she was unaware anything was untoward until she embarked on a secret quest to become a mum through IVF treatment. Going alone to get her biopsy results, she’s rocked by what she’s told, but buoyed to hear the illness is in its early stages and shouldn’t affect her chances of getting pregnant. She’s shown cancer the door before and intends on doing the same again so she can get back…

CROSSWORD YOU CAN WIN £100! SOLVE THE CLUES AND REARRANGE THE LETTERS IN THE YELLOW SQUARES TO SPELL OUT THE NAME OF AN ENGLISH ACTOR (7,4) ACROSS 1 Cashews, say, in May for Mike Leigh TV play that starred Alison Steadman (4) 3 Elisabeth Moss’ subjugated woman is manually crafted, we hear (8) 9 & 24 Across Sent a practical revision for puppet created by Gerry Anderson (7,7) 10 Like that woman – Aussie actor Ms Keddie (5) 11 Part of dossier on US actor Mr Davis (5) 12 Why The Osmonds wanted you to love me in About a Boy (6) 14 Presenter Michael cast a magic charm, almost (5) 16 Nadia’s taken out by Poldark star Mr Turner (5) 17 Gavin & Stacey fave Bryn accepted work as Would I…

LEST WE FORGET As I watched VE Day 80: The Nation Remembers on BBC1, I thought the coverage of the service at London’s Westminster Abbey, which marked 80 years since the end of World War Two in Europe, was excellent. It was respectful and very moving. Linda Keen, Sheffield STAGE LEGEND I was in seventh heaven watching Elaine Paige: 60 Years on Stage on BBC4 because I am a big fan of the West End star. It was lovely to hear her sharing stories of her life and career. My only complaint is that it wasn’t long enough! Joanne Butler, London COMEDY CLASSIC I really enjoyed Dad’s Army at the BBC on BBC2 – it was great to see clips featuring stars from the much-loved sitcom in other BBC programmes.…

DEATH VALLEY NEW SUN, 8.15PM, BBC1 COMEDY DRAMA (BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER) On the August day last year that we step inside a TV studio in Cardiff where new BBC1 comedy drama Death Valley is being filmed, TV Times is delighted to find that our tour guide is the show’s leading man: Timothy Spall! The Wales-set six-parter sees the acclaimed star play retired actor John Chapel, one-time headliner of fictional whodunnit Caesar, and as he walks us through the set of his character’s home, we spot mocked-up magazine covers on the wall and even a fake BAFTA trophy on the shelf. ‘When I got the script, it mentioned John had a BAFTA and, at the time, I didn’t!’ chuckles Timothy, who scooped the Leading Actor accolade in 2024 for his…

THE POWER OF PARKER NEW FRIDAY, 9.30PM, BBC1 COMEDY (BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER) Dig out your shell suits and grab a can of hairspray: we’re heading back to the 1990s for a new outing of BBC1’s Stockport-set sitcom The Power of Parker! The first run, which aired in 2023, saw electrical-goods salesman Martin Parker (played by Conleth Hill) frantically trying to cover his mounting debts, while his wife Diane (Rosie Cavaliero) discovered he’d been having an affair with her sister, Kath (the show’s co-creator Sian Gibson). The siblings teamed up to take Martin down and gained control of his business in the series finale – only for Martin to burn it down for the insurance money. Now, two years on, Martin is determined to become a retail kingpin once again.…

LIAM CHARLES ‘I’ve been here for eight of the 10 seasons – that feels pretty good!’ smiles Liam, who shot to fame as a contestant on Series 8 of The Great British Bake Off in 2017 and now also co-judges Junior Bake Off. ‘The show captures viewers’ imaginations because it’s like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the challenges have got harder over the years with the chefs using new, cool techniques.’ CHERISH FINDEN ‘Hitting our 10th anniversary is like pulling a perfectly risen soufflé out of the oven – pure joy and satisfaction,’ says Cherish, former executive pastry chef at hotel Pan Pacific London. ‘Every series brings fresh talent and surprises, and they get more innovative and daring with their designs and flavour combinations. Chefs today are engineers, architects…

‘I KNEW I WANTED TO PLAY HIM STRAIGHT AWAY’ Matthew Goode’s eyes light up when we ask him about the troubled detective at the heart of Netflix’s new crime drama Dept. Q. The Downton Abbey and A Discovery of Witches actor stars as skilled but cantankerous DCI Carl Morck, who is tasked with cracking cold cases in Edinburgh – and it’s a role he felt made for. ‘I knew I wanted to play him straight away,’ says Matthew, 47, during an exclusive interview with TV Times. ‘He’s aggressive, and pretty rude to most of his colleagues, but I loved his sense of humour. I think he’s going to be a bit divisive to viewers at first, but, hopefully, they’ll learn to love him!’ Created by American director and screenwriter Scott…

Ronnie meets up with an old flame, Fiona, this week – much to the upset of Debbie, who refuses to believe they’re ‘just good friends’. Fiona, it turns out, really is just a mate and asks Ronnie to sell a stolen car for her. It doesn’t sound like Ron’s line of work and, although he initially agrees to do the job, he does a swift U-turn when he discovers the bloke set to be conned has recently lost his wife. As Ronnie calls up Fiona, lying that the potential customer simply changed his mind, he’s busted by Carl, who spies an opportunity. Soon, he’s at Kev’s garage – where his brother has conveniently offered him a job – arranging to take delivery of a dodgy motor. He and Fiona have…

HOLLYOAKS Darren and Nancy are determined to track down missing Frankie, who they now know is in serious danger. But they trust the wrong police officer, giving DI Banks – who has targeted the village’s vulnerable teens as part of his trafficking operation – the opportunity to plot his escape and destroy any evidence against him. Little does Banks realise that suspicious lover Diane is on his tail. As Dazzle arrives at Mansion Fernmere with Kat, he frees Frankie from an upstairs room, and the other teens, plus Robbie, start to make their escape from the basement… only for Banks and his cronies to arrive. A fight breaks out and Darren and Robbie attack the gang members, but which of the villagers – if any – will make it out…

Emmerdale bosses are lining up a big new storyline for Paddy’s dad Bear Wolf, played by Joshua Richards, which will be something of a mystery… Producer Laura Shaw teases, ‘He’s going to go off-screen for a little while, he’s going to go missing. And when he comes back, what you’ll see is a very different Bear in a really different situation. ‘We’re all going to be watching and going, “What has happened here?!” And that’s going to be really exciting.’ WHATTOWATCH.COM/EMMERDALE…