Period drama Bridgerton is back, as is Lee Mack’s Not Going Out, Kristen Stewart stars in yet another drama about Diana Spencer, and Lizzo stars in a new reality show called Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls . . .
Pick of the Day
Bridgerton, Netflix
Showrunner supreme Shonda Rhimes knows how to make a hit TV series and here’s why Netflix threw a pile of cash her way.
A massive lockdown hit, the first season of Bridgerton broke the streaming service’s viewing records and this second run can’t come soon enough for its fans.
Sure, Bridgerton is largely fluff and nonsense, but it looks amazing. The same could be said for HBO’s The Gilded Age, another lavish feast for the eyes.
The second season of Bridgerton follows Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest Bridgerton sibling and Viscount, as he sets out to find a suitable wife.
Driven by his duty to uphold the family name, Anthony’s search for a debutante who meets his impossible standards seems ill-fated until Kate (Simone Ashley) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sharma arrive from India.
When Anthony begins to court Edwina, Kate discovers the true nature of his intentions - a true love match is not high on his priority list - and decides to do everything in her power to stop the union.
But Kate and Anthony’s verbal sparring matches only bring them closer together, complicating matters on both sides.
Don’t Miss
Not Going Out, 9.30pm, BBC One
We’re now at season 12 with this remarkably resilient sitcom starring Lee Mack that’s undergone several changes but remains a must-watch.
It’s been over a year since Frank’s (Bobby Ball) passing and Wendy (Deborah Grant), rediscovering a long lost love for painting, decides to create a very unique tribute in oils.
How can Lee (Lee Mack) and Lucy (Sally Bretton) break the news that they don’t necessarily like the likeness?
The usually curmudgeonly Geoffrey (Geoffrey Whitehead) seems very keen on the painting, but is all as it seems and might there be an even more eye-popping piece to emerge from his wife’s creative awakening?
Could it get any more awkward?
Amazing Grace, 10.00pm, BBC Four
Here’s an essential slice of music history. If you’ve even the slightest interest in Aretha Franklin, this is a chance to see the Queen of Soul in her prime.
It’s a concert recording of Aretha as she produced her 1972 gospel album Amazing Grace at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
The film remained unreleased at the time due to technical problems and only saw the light of day after the singer's death in August 2018.
The Late Late Show, 9.35pm, RTÉ One
This week's line-up includes former Ireland captain and manager Mick McCarthy (below), master mentalist Keith Barry and hairstylist to the stars Andrew Fitzsimons.
McCarthy is promoting Daffodil Day and will speak about his parents and the long-lasting imprint they both left on his life.
Meanwhile, Ireland and Leinster rugby pro Andrew Porter, who lost his mother to cancer when he was just 12, will shave his head live to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.
Impressionist and comedian Conor Moore will also guest, while Ryan Tubridy will talk to Amy Dunne, who, when she was 17, went to court to demand the right to travel to the UK for a termination after her baby was diagnosed with a fatal foetal abnormality.
Plus, new folk band Ceol will be in studio for a special performance.
Unreported World: The Anti-Vaxx Preachers, 7.30pm, Channel 4
As rich nations celebrate the success of their Covid vaccination programmes, most people in Africa haven't even received one life-saving injection.
As variants of the virus emerge from unvaccinated populations, Seyi Rhodes visits South Sudan to investigate the reasons behind vaccine inequality.
Poor of non-existent distribution of the vaccine is only one problem as Rhodes meets many people convinced by claims that vaccines are deadly.
As anti-vaxx sentiment grows amid a stalling rollout, Rhodes meets a pro-vaxx preacher in a refugee camp with a David-versus-Goliath task.
New to Stream
Pachinko, Apple TV+
Here's a chunk of prestige TV in the shape of this highly anticipated international drama series.
The story will be told in three languages - Korean, Japanese and English - and debut with the first three episodes followed by new weekly episodes each Friday.
The series is based on The New York Times best-selling acclaimed novel of the same name.
The epic story begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell a tale of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.
Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, Amazon Prime Video
US singer singer/rapper Lizzo hosts this new reality competition whjere she seeks out backing singers for upcoming tour.
With this new show, Lizzo hopes to bring the needed representation to the girls that "look like her." The singer has previously been very honest about the effect of internet trolls.
Lizzo wants to empower her contestants rather than kill their hopes. That, of course, doesn’t mean it won’t have drama.
Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u, Disney+
Teenage Grammy nominee Olivia Rodrigo takes off with this road-trip documentary about her debut album, Sour.
It follows the singer-songwriter as she travels from Salt Lake City, where she started writing the album, and on to Los Angeles.
On the way, she’ll reflect on the process of making the hit album.
There’ll also be getting behind-the-scenes footage and hearing directly from Rodrigo about how she felt during this time.
"I just wanted to tell people what was going on in the back of my head in a way that was proud and not ashamed," she says.
Spencer, Amazon Prime Video
Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall and Sally Hawkins star in this drama, the latest look at the life of Diana Spencer.
The marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles has long since grown cold.
Though rumours of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate.
There's eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game. But this year, things will be a whole lot different.
Blacklight, Sky Cinema & NOW
Travis Block (Liam Neeson) lives and fights in the shadows in director Mark Williams' intense action thriller.
A freelance government fixer, Block is a dangerous man whose assignments have included extracting agents out of deep-cover situations.
Block discovers a shadowy program called Operation Unity is striking down ordinary citizens for reasons known only to Block's boss, FBI chief Robinson (Aidan Quinn).
He enlists the help of a journalist (Emmy Raver-Lampman), but his past and present collide when his daughter and granddaughter are threatened.
Now Block needs to rescue the people he loves and expose the truth for a shot at redemption. Nothing and no one is safe when secrets are hidden.
