What's on? 10 top telly tips for Tuesday September 29

Alison Steadman stars in new BBC drama Life, Peaky Blinders and COSC return, Sandi Toksvig completes The Write Offs, while The Great British Bake Off and 9-1-1: Lone Star continue . . .

Pick of the Day

Life, 9.00pm, BBC One

A bit of a Doctor Foster spin-off, this, and it’s written by that show’s creator, Mike Bartlett.

In a house in Manchester divided into four flats, there are four people with interweaving stories about love, parenthood, loss and self-discovery.

Gail (Alison Steadman) bumps into an old friend who makes a startling observation about Gail’s marriage.

Then there’s Belle (Victoria Hamilton), whose ordered life is thrown into disarray by the hospitalisation of her sister and the subsequent arrival of wayward niece.

David (Adrian Lester) goes on holiday without his wife and has his head turned unexpectedly.

And heavily pregnant Hannah (Melissa Johns), recently coupled up, is surprised by her connection with the father of her unborn child, who has been away travelling for the duration of the pregnancy.

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Don't Miss

The Great British Bake Off, 8.00pm, Channel 4

For the remaining bakers it's crunch time with Biscuit Week, kicking off with a sophisticated combination of fruit, nut and chocolate in the Signature challenge.

They then must produce two takes on a tropical Technical and finally, their sculpting is put to the test in the Showstopper, as they create an elaborate table setting made entirely from biscuit.

9-1-1: Lone Star, 10.00pm, Sky Witness & NOW TV

Last week’s pilot was hugely enjoyable, with Rob Lowe’s Owen Strand assembling a motley crew of firefighters to rebuild a devastated Texas fire house. Now they’ve to get down to business.

The crew races to a disaster at a wave pool, and an outbreak of mercury poisoning that is leaving its victims in a a zombie- like state.

Meanwhile, Owen must come to terms with his illness and what the side-effects of treatment may do to his vanity. Also, Michelle follows a new lead on her missing sister while TK is unsure how to handle his budding relationship with Carlos.

The Third Day, 9.00pm, Sky Atlantic & NOW TV

We’re up to the third episode of this bonkers drama, and - unsure of who he can trust - Sam, (Jude Law) desperately tries to regain control and flee the island.

The comparisons with classic 1970s’ horror movie The Wicker Man continue, as it looks like Sam may be about to sacrificed by the locals.

Opry le Daniel, 9.30pm, TG4

Daniel O'Donnell returns to the Millennium Forum in Derry to present a show that features the next generation of Young Country singers.

The likes of Chantelle Padden, Simon Peters, David James, Gary Fitzpatrick and Shauna McStravock meet Daniel for some music and chat.

New or Returning Shows

Peaky Blinders, 10.10pm, RTÉ2

The violent period drama starring Cillian Murphy as Birmingham gangster-turned-politician Tommy Shelby returns for a fifth season.

The Shelbys deal with the impact of the Wall Street Crash, while ghosts from Tommy's past threaten to undermine his position.

COSC, 7.00pm, RTÉ One

This episode of COSC (Banned) looks back at the anti-jazz campaign of the 1930s in Ireland.

With the founding of the Irish free state, both the catholic church and political establishment sought to promote a traditional, conservative identity for the Irish people.

Jazz didn't fit this mould.

Rankin’s 2020, 8.00pm, Sky Arts & NOW TV

Acclaimed photographer Rankin sets out to find the best amateur and professional photographers in the UK through submissions on Instagram.

Each week Rankin will be joined by different celebrities to select the best photographs from the 10,000 plus that have been submitted, judging them within select categories.

Rankin will also take his own picture each week, giving a technical and artistic masterclass as he takes us through the process.

New to Download

Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia, Netflix

Michelle Buteau delivers her new comedy special, letting loose with a goblet of rosé in hand, she delivers an hour of comedy that delves into parenthood, cultural difference, and the overlooked value of short men.

Her honest approach reminds us to appreciate government workers named Otis and, most importantly, that character counts.

Ending Today

The Write Offs, 9.30pm, Channel 4

Sandi Toksvig concludes this new series that explores Britain's staggeringly low adult literacy rates, offering a diverse group of eight adults the opportunity to overcome the one thing that has always held them back.

After 12 weeks of intensive learning, she gathers the group in London for their next challenge: acting in a new pantomime - CinderSpeller.

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