There's David Attenborough: A Life on Air, lengthy coverage of VE Day 80 in London, more Secrets of Supermarket Buyers with Denise Van Outen, and George Clooney v Julia Roberts in Ticket to Paradise . . .
Pick of the Day
David Attenborough: A Life on Air, 8.00pm, BBC Four
There’s no hiding the fact that this is a pretty dire day in terms of telly-watching. But this repeat from 2002 is well worth a look.
In 1952, David Attenborough was turned down for a job with BBC radio, only to end up working for the corporation's fledgling TV service - eventually becoming director of programmes.
Since then he has become one of the most respected wildlife filmmakers in the business, fronting classic series such as Life on Earth, The Blue Planet and Planet Earth.
Here, he talks to Michael Palin about his half-century at the corporation
That’s followed at 9pm by Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur, originally broadcast in 2016.
It tells the story of dinosaur bones found in the Argentinean desert that came from a previously undiscovered species - the largest land-dwelling animal known to have existed.
David Attenborough visits the archaeological dig and a laboratory where the remains are being cleaned and analysed with lead scientist Dr Diego Pol and evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod.
He also meets animators, model-makers, paleontologists and anatomy experts who are working to reconstruct what the 37 metre-long creature would have looked like.
New or Returning Shows
VE Day 80, 10.00am, BBC One
If you’re into WWII and pageantry, this will fill in three-and-a-half hours of your day.
Across the Irish Sea, the first day of the VE Day 80 celebrations starts with live coverage of a special military procession taking place in London.
Britain honours and pays tribute to the bravery and achievements of their veterans and recognises the invaluable work of those on the home front, who celebrated Victory in Europe Day 80 years ago.
The morning’s events culminate in a spectacular flypast to mark this historic anniversary.
Jonathan Dimbleby: My Father and Belsen, 10pm
Broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby tells the story of his father Richard's return trips, in 1959 and 1965, to the Belsen concentration camp.
The BBC's first war correspondent, Richard Dimbleby, found himself with British troops in Germany and witnessed the discovery of the notorious Nazi death camp.
Jonathan explains the impact that Belsen had on his father and the rest of his career
That’s followed by Richard Dimbleby at Belsen, the Panorama film about Richard Dimbleby’s return to Belsen 20 years after his first radio account of the liberation of the concentration camp.
Then at 10.30pm there’s After the Battle, a broadcast from 1959 by Richard Dimbleby, where he returns to the site of Belsen concentration camp for the first time.
Don’t Miss
Secrets of Supermarket Buyers, 8.00pm, Channel 4
Denise van Outen continues her series about discovering savvy shopping secrets from the people who really control the weekly shop: the supermarket buyers.
In this episode, Denise delves into some amazing truths behind the scenes at Tesco, from meal deals and Clubcard prices to world foods and personal care.
Belsen: What They Found, 11.00pm, BBC Four
This is grim but essential viewing. The stuff of nightmares.
It’s a documentary directed by Sam Mendes telling the story of two soldier-cameramen, Sgt Mike Lewis and Sgt Bill Lawrie, who witnessed the liberation of Bergen-Belsen during the closing days of the Second World War.
It’s terrifying what people can do to others when they regard them as inferior or alien.
999: The Critical List, 9.00pm, Channel 4
A heavy smoker has been bumped to the top of the list with his leg at risk of turning septic.
But can a 22-year-old in pain from appendicitis wait to go into theatre?
Care worker Julie is confronted with a life-altering diagnosis, and another case in the emergency department threatens to upset the whole list entirely
Bank Holiday Movies
Ticket to Paradise, 9.30pm, RTÉ One
Director Ol Parker's romantic comedy, starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Kaitlyn Dever, isn’t great – but Clooney and Roberts do their best to keep viewers entertained.
They play divorced couple David and Georgia, who fake civility for the sake of their daughter, Lily.
During a post-graduation trip to Bali, Lily falls in love with a handsome local called Gede, and the young couple hastily decide to marry.
With four days until the nuptials, David and Georgia secretly agree a truce to carry out an underhand plan to break up the couple so Lily doesn't make the same mistake as her parents.
Four Weddings and a Funeral, 9.30pm, TG4
'I feel it in my fingers . . . I feel it in my toes'
This is more like it - well, except for the fact that anyone over the age of 30 will have seen it a dozen times already.
Richard Curtis's now classic rom com, with Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, John Hannah, Charlotte Coleman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow and James Fleet.
A now outrageously young-looking Grant plays a London man whose misfortunes in love look set to change when he meets an American beauty, played by MacDowell.
But the prospect of a transatlantic relationship succeeding seems slim, so the pair go their separate ways - only for him to realise he is unable to get her out of his mind.
Darkest Hour, 8.00pm, BBC One
Timely WWII double Oscar and Bafta-winning period drama, starring Gary Oldman (below), Lily James and Kristin Scott Thomas.
It’s May 1940. As the Nazis advance against Britain's European allies, newly elected UK prime minister Winston Churchill must decide whether to leave neighbouring countries to their fate, by striking a peace deal with Hitler, or fight on against terrifying odds for the greater good.
Sport
2025 Final: Fourth Session, 7.00pm, BBC Two
Hazel Irvine presents coverage of the fourth and concluding session of the final on day 17 from the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, where the first player to reach 18 frames will be crowned champion.
Crucible qualifier Zhao Xintong took a commanding 11-6 lead over Mark Williams on day one of the final, getting the best of the three-time champion on the biggest stage of his career.
With commentary and analysis from Steve Davis, Ken Doherty (above), Stephen Hendry, Shaun Murphy, John Parrott, Dennis Taylor and John Virgo.
