Innholdsfortegnelse for 2-Aug-25 i TV Times

A summer full of brilliant TV continues as we head into August. Don’t miss BBC1’s new natural-history series Parenthood (Sun, 7.20pm), about the parenting skills of creatures from orangutans to orcas. And it seems they aren’t so different from humans! Dame Joanna Lumley is joining the second season of Netflix fantasy drama Wednesday (from Wednesday – naturally!), starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams. Joanna plays Grandmama Hester Frump. Check out our feature on page 22. And Prime Video continues its run of great films with the action comedy The Pickup, featuring the likes of Eddie Murphy and Eva Longoria. Watch it from Wednesday. DRAMA Annika NEW SAT BBC1 Series 2 of Nicola Walker’s hit crime drama finally comes to BBC1, and it will also be available as a box set…

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO NEW SATURDAY, 9PM, U&DRAMA DRAMA (BOX SET, U) A cruel betrayal, a wrongful arrest and an all-consuming thirst for vengeance are the heady mix for U&Drama’s new literary adaptation, The Count of Monte Cristo. Inspired by the 1846 novel of the same name by French author Alexandre Dumas, the eight-episode epic stars Peaky Blinders actor Sam Claflin as Edmond Dantès, a sailor whose prosperous future is ruined when his rivals Danglars (Blake Ritson, The Gilded Age) and Fernand (Harry Taurasi, Bookish) frame him for treason. While Edmond serves a lengthy jail sentence, his fellow prisoner Abbé Faria (Jeremy Irons, The Borgias) tells him of a vast treasure trove that exists on a desert island. Sensing an opportunity, Edmond escapes, finds the stash and uses his…

PARENTHOOD NEW SUNDAY, 7.20PM, BBC1 WILDLIFE (BOX SET, iPLAYER) Raising offspring in the animal kingdom can be a high-stakes game of skill and strategy. Now, new BBC1 docuseries Parenthood, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, explores the ingenious tricks that creatures great and small across the globe are employing to secure the survival of the next generation. ‘Parenthood is a journey like no other. The responsibility of providing constant food and safety for offspring can be extremely challenging,’ shares David, 99. ‘For most, it begins with a good home. Success for all parents has perhaps the greatest of consequences. It ensures the future of life on our planet.’ Here, series producer and director Jeff Wilson reveals what to expect from the five-parter, which was filmed over three years across six continents…

In the wake of that nasty business on the Tube when Joel ‘touched up’ a female passenger, Ross is no doubt hoping that his son has seen the error of his ways. But Joel is far from reformed, as his dad discovers when he spots something truly chilling on the teenager’s laptop. As the week kicks off, Ross is persuaded by Vicki to get his son grafting over the summer, and he takes Joel and pal Tommy to the timber yard with him. The language coming from his fellow builders that passes as ‘banter’ soon leaves Ross thinking that it’s not the healthiest environment for two impressionable young men. He has more on his mind when his ex – Joel’s mum – then calls to reveal that she is getting…

HOLLYOAKS Well, if it isn’t Emmerdale’s Ashley Thomas, back from the dead! Actor John Middleton, who played the legendary village vicar, arrives in Chester as Fraser Black Sr, AKA ‘Froggy’, the grandfather of Rex, Clare and Grace and the local prison’s top dog. Froggy makes his debut as Rex changes his statement regarding the trafficking operation and names Clare and DI Banks as joint leaders, and Grace as being involved in grooming and manipulation. Undercover police watch the sisters’ flat and, despite a few hiccups, the pair are eventually arrested. Over at the big house, Tom informs Froggy of the development, and Mr Black’s quick to make a phone call. Will Froggy try to save his granddaughters’ skin? Meanwhile, Sienna is blindsided to learn that DNA from Dilly – who…

When April finds Dylan at the cricket pavilion, shivering with a gashed leg, she urges her friend to see a doctor. The lad refuses, so the pair sneak into the vet surgery to find some medication. Paddy then catches them and patches Dylan up. But Paddy, Marlon and Rhona are stunned to later discover that Dylan was the ‘thug’ who Kyle stabbed at Butlers, and the men urge Rhona to say nothing to Moira. No one is aware that Dylan was working for drug dealer Ray. It’s not what he wants, and he later turns down a job. But will Ray take ‘no’ for an answer?…

THIS WEEK’S PICKS NEW 21st Century Folk Celebrates Railway 200 Sunday, BBC Radio 2, 8.00pm To help celebrate the 200th anniversary of UK rail travel, Mark Radcliffe challenges folk songwriters, including Kate Rusby (above), to compose songs about ordinary people whose lives have been influenced by trains. NEW What Happened to Counter Culture? Thursday, BBC Radio 4, 9.00am Comedian Stewart Lee begins a five-part insight into the evolution of counter-culture, from its origins with the Beat Generation of the 1950s through to its height on both sides of the Atlantic during the 1960s and 70s. THIS WEEK ON… THE ARCHERS Events spiral out of control at Home Farm as Brian remains determined to teach Justin a lesson – but will his vendetta backfire? Over at the Grundy’s, Will and Emma…

1 THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO U&DRAMA DRAMA An eight-episode reimagining of Alexandre Dumas’ swashbuckling yarn stars Sam Claflin as sailor Edmond Dantès, who seeks revenge on those responsible for his false imprisonment. See page 8 2 COOKING WITH THE STARS ITV1 COOKERY Spatulas at the ready! Hosts Emma Willis and Tom Allen are back as a new helping of celebs join forces with top chefs to create restaurant-worthy meals. See page 21 3 PARENTHOOD BBC1 WILDLIFE Majestic cheetahs are among the stars of this five-part docuseries that explores the extraordinary strategies animals are using to protect their young. Sir David Attenborough narrates. See page 14 4 MRS BROWN’S BOYS BBC1 COMEDY This week sees most of the Finglas residents prepping for a talent show in Brendan O’Carroll’s sitcom, while…

KENSUKE’S KINGDOM NEW SUNDAY, 3.35PM, BBC1 ANIMATION A mysterious island, a fight for survival and an unlikely friendship are at the heart of Kensuke’s Kingdom, an animated version of the celebrated 1999 tale by beloved children’s author Sir Michael Morpurgo. Adapted by current Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the feature-length film, which arrives on BBC1 this week, begins when Mum (voiced by Wonka’s Sally Hawkins) and Dad (Peaky Blinders actor Cillian Murphy) lose their jobs and decide to set off on an epic voyage across the world with their children, Becky (Mr Selfridge’s Raffey Cassidy) and Michael (rising star Aaron MacGregor). However, disaster befalls the English family when their boat, Peggy Sue, is caught up in a storm and Michael and his beloved dog, Stella, are washed overboard by a giant…

EPISODE ONE THE GREATEST ADVENTURE In the opener, a Western lowland gorilla in Gabon educates her baby about forest life. Meanwhile, a lion in Botswana teaches her cubs (right) how to hunt Cape buffalo, a burrowing-owl couple in the USA work together to keep their chicks safe, a boxer crab in Indonesia utilises anemones to feed herself as she protects her eggs, and an endangered Iberian lynx in Spain raises her kittens in a barn. EPISODE TWO OCEANS Marine-animal parents are resourceful, and a Banggai cardinal fish in Indonesia rears his babies in his mouth, while an octopus in Australia houses her eggs in a plastic pipe. Also, dolphins in the Red Sea show their calves the reef’s healing benefits, and killer whales in Australia (right) teach their young how to catch…

COOKING WITH THE STARS NEW SUNDAY, 7PM, ITV1 COOKERY Having waved goodbye to her EastEnders character Sonia Fowler earlier this year, actor Natalie Cassidy is now preparing for kitchen-sink drama of a different variety after signing up for the fifth helping of ITV1’s popular contest Cooking with the Stars. Hosted again by Emma Willis and Tom Allen, the new six-parter will welcome a fresh batch of eight celebrities, who will each team up with a renowned chef in a bid to sharpen their culinary skills. Here, Natalie, 42, spills the beans on why she is taking part… What appealed to you about this show, Natalie? I absolutely love cooking at home, but I make the same dishes over and over again, so I wanted to be with a chef all…

Having recently done the deed with Kevin’s half-brother Carl, Abi goes back for more this week – because it’s hard to get excited about a plate of cold mince when you’ve got fillet steak being wafted under your nose. It’s risky business, but Abi’s all in, especially when she discovers that Kev’s been even shadier than she thought. Meeting Carl at a hotel (not the Chariot Square, surely?), Abi sees a message on his phone from Fiona, his partner in crime. Caught out, Carl is forced to come clean about the car scams he’s committed while working at Kev’s garage. Unsurprisingly, this is a bit of a passion killer for Abs, but she’s soon given food for thought. Returning home (where Kev springs a holiday to Majorca on her –…

It’s time for Avani’s 12-week scan, but Ravi and Priya still have no idea that their daughter is in the family way, let alone that Suki is on a mission to convince the teenager to continue with the pregnancy and give the child to her and Eve to raise. Eve, however, is unconvinced by her wife’s plans for a second stab at motherhood, and steals a moment to talk to Avani alone. At the hospital, Avani feels the weight of the decision she faces when she sees her son or daughter for the first time. Will she agree to Suki’s request or stick to her original plan of a termination? And can Avani cover up her secret when Priya later finds a receipt from the hospital in her jacket pocket?…

The universe has had it in for Sarah Sugden, thwarting her attempt to become a mum at every turn. She thought she was pregnant with Jacob’s baby, only for it to be a false alarm. Then she embarked on IVF treatment, but discovered she had cervical cancer in the process – surgery for which didn’t go to plan and left her infertile. And, of course, there’s always her life-limiting Fanconi anaemia lurking about in the background. Thanks to having a family who’d go to hell and back for her, finally there’s a light at the end of the tunnel – grandma Charity has agreed to act as Sarah’s surrogate. But that light might be snuffed out, too, when Charity suffers a fall. Technically speaking, there’s a strong chance that Charity…

THE FORTUNE HOTEL NEW WED & THU, 9PM, ITV1 REALITY The opportunity to return to the sun-soaked Caribbean to helm a second series of hit reality show The Fortune Hotel was a no-brainer for Stephen Mangan. ‘Spending another month in Grenada, I did not need to be asked twice!’ smiles the actor, comedian and presenter, 57, when TV Times catches up with him ahead of the much-anticipated new run’s launch on ITV1 this week. The eight-parter invites more teams of two to enter a game of strategy, suspicion and briefcase-swapping in a quest to bag the jackpot of £250,000 – but there are fresh challenges and unprecedented twists afoot! Here, Stephen tells us why we should check back in… How have you raised the stakes for this series? We kick…

7 WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD NEW SATURDAY, 6.30PM, 5 FACTUAL Originally a destination bucket list for Greeks travelling through Babylon and Egypt, the Seven Wonders of the World were amazing examples of the ingenuity of these Mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilisations. Now, historian Bettany Hughes is bringing them vividly to life in a new 5 docuseries that follows her to Greece, Egypt and Turkey on an itinerary that includes the sites of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and Colossus of Rhodes. With the Great Pyramid of Giza the only traditional Wonder still standing, the three-parter also uses ‘augmented reality’ technology to give viewers an immersive experience of what the spectacular structures would have looked like, by scanning on-screen QR codes. ‘You can see them come to life virtually on…

WEDNESDAY NEW FROM WED 6 AUG, NETFLIX FANTASY DRAMA (EPISODES 1-4 FROM WED 6 AUG; EPISODES 5-8 FROM WED 3 SEPT) Everyone’s favourite terror-loving teen sharpens her wit – and a few knives – to darken the gothic halls of Nevermore Academy once again, as Netflix’s hit Addams Family spin-off Wednesday returns for a sinister second season. Click, click! From director Tim Burton, the new eight-part run catches up with part-time Addams (played by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star Jenna Ortega) after a productive summer spent with creepy dolls and a serial killer. But following her monster-slaying heroics in Season 1, Wednesday is now somewhat of a celebrity. She despises the attention, of course, especially when her psychic visions reveal a grisly future for her room-mate Enid Sinclair (A Good Girl’s Guide…

We were rooting for closeted Theo when he first got together with Todd. Not any more. This week, it becomes clear the scaffolder has a sinister side. He has a tantrum when his tipsy partner does some pole dancing at Dev’s stag do, and gets a cob on when Todd later shuns a night out with him in order to spend time with Summer. Todd’s bemused, and he has more to stew on when, ahead of their meeting with a social worker about Theo having access to his kids, his partner ends up getting arrested over an incident at the precinct. When the social worker arrives, he tells Todd the meeting must be postponed while he checks whether Theo’s crime is of a violent nature, ‘like the last time’. What is…

Oscar Branning has already turned the lives of his family upside down, but the wayward teen sinks to a new low this week when he’s responsible for putting Patrick Trueman in hospital. In case you need reminding, Lauren’s younger brother is being targeted by former pal Mike, who wants payback for Oscar grassing him up to the police for their joyriding shenanigans. Upping the pressure, Mike appears and demands £5K in return for the Branning family’s safety… ‘Oscar should be going for option A and asking Jack for help,’ says Pierre Moullier, who plays him. ‘But instead, he thinks he can make option B work, and find the money himself.’ Knowing that Ian isn’t short of a bob or two, Oscar tries to lure his sister’s future father-in-law into a…

Nicholas Bailey is to reprise his role as Patrick Trueman’s son Anthony. The GP will come back to Walford for Patrick’s wedding to Yolande, although he will stick around for a while after making a discovery. ‘Anthony’s plan for a brief return ends up with him staying longer than he expected when he uncovers what’s been going on in the Trueman household,’ teases show boss Ben Wadey. Actor Nicholas, 54, who was last in EastEnders back in 2014, adds, ‘I’m excited to see what the passage of time has done to Anthony and explore his relationship with Patrick at this stage in their lives.’…

Vinny is a bumbling wreck as his wedding to Gabby draws near. The issue isn’t whether or not she’s the right woman; rather whether he wants to be with a woman at all. His recent attempt to kiss pal Kammy would suggest that planet hetero isn’t his natural home. Feeling lost and confused, he goes online this week to try to get some answers. But when, in soapland, did going on t’internet do anyone any good? Gabby, of course, has no idea that fiancé No 2 is likely on the same bus as fiancé No 1, and she fails to clock Vinny’s unease as she dashes about being bridezilla. Vin forces a smile as he learns of her ‘wedmin’ – wedding admin – from Mandy, and when Kammy gifts him…

HOME AND AWAY Theo is delighted when he sells his car for cash, which gives him enough money to settle his debts plus another $5,000 to play with. But his happiness is short-lived when he’s attacked by a mystery man, who punches him and steals his backpack containing the funds. As Theo receives hospital treatment, Lacey is determined to get justice, and joins forces with Cash to set a trap for the culprit – will the pair’s sleuthing pay off? Plus, Kirby is offered an opportunity to go on tour with a band in Europe, Irene leaves baby Archie home alone, and will Remi cheat on Bree with Avalon? NEIGHBOURS Holly struggles with her feelings for Andrew, and can’t bring herself to get excited when boyfriend Max suggests they move…

WIN £100 CROSSWORD YOU CAN WIN £100! SOLVE THE CLUES AND REARRANGE THE LETTERS IN THE YELLOW SQUARES TO SPELL OUT THE NAME OF A DUTCH EXTREME ATHLETE (3,3) ACROSS 1 & 4 Across Bet a quarrel’s broken out in Walford (6,6) 4 See 1 Across 9 One may be struck by Tom Ellis’ Netflix series (7) 10 Is a bill meant for Moon Knight actor Oscar? (5) 11 Jason is going out with Ms Morgan, a Real Housewife of New York City (5) 12 Trainee jumping course seen on ITV Racing (7) 13 Dressing preferred by radio presenter Simon (4) 15 Renown for drama series set in an acting school (4) 18 Set down rule for Lorna, who starred as Aggie Bailey in ITV1 soap Coronation Street (7) 21…