Tony Connelly: A Hidden History looks at the Royal Irish Constabulary, Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen star in new drama Best Interests, there's Sarah Beeny vs Cancer and Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland continues . . .
Pick of the Day
Tony Connelly: A Hidden History, 9.35pm, RTÉ One
Streaming on RTÉ Player
Produced as part of RTÉ’s Decade of Centenaries collection, this documentary tackles the difficult and contentious subject of the Royal Irish Constabulary - the British police force in Ireland until its disbandment in 1922.
Taking a break from his usual role reporting on breaking news of the war in Ukraine or Brexit, Tony sets out to discover more about his paternal grandfather, Michael Connelly, who served as a constable in the RIC during the War of Independence and who died before he was born.
Initially armed with only a few faded photographs and a handful of family stories, Tony knows only the bare bones of his grandfather’s life.
He is all-too aware that the RIC - and the men who served in it - are still regarded with anger and suspicion by some. They were seen as spies for the British, siding with the enemy, and the opponents of those who would rid us of an occupying nation.
Over 500 RIC men lost their lives at the hands of Republican forces, and many feel little sympathy for them, even today.
Piecing together his grandfather’s life from records, journals newspaper articles and other historical documents, Tony enlists the help of a group of experts, archivists, historians and – in one memorable encounter – the son of a man who was an active member of the IRA’s Third Tipperary Brigade.
This man not only writes in incredible detail about his dealings with Tony’s grandfather, but also concedes that he possibly owed his life to him.
Don’t Miss
Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland, 9.00pm, BBC Two
As this superb documentary series about The Troubles continues, this week's episode takes a look at how the conflict became an intelligence war, as the police and British army made efforts to infiltrate paramilitary organisations and recruit informers.
Anne Marie reveals how a loyalist gun attack at a funeral in Milltown Cemetery (above) in West Belfast in 1988 prompted her to plant firebombs in city centre shops, primed to explode at night.
She then became caught up in an intelligence web of informers and interrogation.
Tigerland, 9.30pm, TG4
Fancy watching a movie tonight? Joel Schumacher's drama, with Colin Farrell, Matthew Davis and Clifton Collins Jr, is worth a look.
It's about a platoon of American rookie soldiers that undergo a gruelling test of physical and mental stamina in training for the Vietnam War in 1971.
The recruits all have different hopes and fears, but their fragile unity is rocked by the arrival of a rebellious recruit, whose only aim is to get out of the Army at any cost.
Panorama, 8.30pm, BBC One
The sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned in the UK in less than seven years.
We're all supposed to be going electric, but so far less than one in 30 vehicles on Britain's roads are battery powered. So why aren't more Brits going green?
Reporter Richard Bilton takes a trip to find out what the electric vehicle revolution feels like and whether the UK is ready.
New or Returning Shows
Best Interests, 9.00pm, BBC One
This looks heartbreaking. Especially if you're a parent.
It's a drama, starring Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen as a couple driven apart over the decision whether to stop medical care for their daughter's deteriorating health.
After a late-night emergency involving a chest infection, medical staff decided that the treatment was too invasive and actively causing pain and long-term damage.
Her parents resolve to fight for the right to keep her alive no matter the cost, but tension soon grows in the family as a result.
Marilyn Monroe: Auction of A Lifetime, 9pm, Virgin Media One
Here’s a documentary exploring Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe's life story, told through some of her most personal and glamorous possessions, and interviews with those who knew her well.
The programme focuses on an auction that took place in November 2016 in Los Angeles, where many of the Hollywood icon's most sought-after belongings were sold.
Sarah Beeny vs Cancer, 9.00pm, Channel 4
The TV presenter Sarah Beeny explores breast cancer treatment in the UK, with filming starting on her first day of treatment, just three weeks after her initial diagnosis.
The programme also captures the experiences of her husband and children, charting the impact a cancer treatment can have on a whole family, and also follows Sarah as she reflects on her mother's death from the same condition 40 years previously.
Unforgotten, 10.35pm, RTÉ One
Streaming on RTÉ Player
The return of the UK crime drama, starring Sanjeev Bhaskar, with Dubliner Sinead Keenan joining the show after the departure of Nicola Walker.
A severed leg is discovered inside a chimney and the team gets to work trying to identify the victim, while Cassie's replacement has a rocky start as she clashes with a grieving Sunny.
Ten Pound Poms: The Real Story, 8.00pm, BBC Four
Here’s a documentary exploring the true story behind the BBC One Sunday night period drama Ten Pund Poms.
In 1947, the Assisted Passage Scheme began, devised by the Australian government to bring in white British settlers.
For just £10, they could start a new life in a sun-drenched land of opportunity, and over the next 25 years, more than a million people took up the offer.
The scheme's pioneers tell their stories.
The Sky at Night, 10.00pm, BBC Four
The long-running astronomy series returns for its monthly look at the stars and all things related.
The team investigates the science and engineering helping the UK to blast into space. Meanwhile, Chris Lintott visits a rocket company near Glasgow to find out how rockets are built.
