This week’s round-up sees a very busy Friday, with the return of three popular shows hitting our screens tonight. BBC One sees the return of two of its favourites: Strictly Come Dancing and The Graham Norton Show. The former sees its first instalment of the weekend air at 9pm, with the latter airing at a later time of 10.35pm. Also returning is Channel 4’s Gogglebox and a new show from the makers of 24 hours in A&E. ITV also has a promising line up with coverage of the UEFA Champions League for sports fans that could see Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard face off against each other on the pitch.
Strictly Come Dancing: The popular dancing competition returns this evening for its first of two live shows. Now presented by Claudia Winkleman as well as Tess Daly, tonight’s show will see a total of six out of the 15 celebrities take to the floor in front of Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Darcey Bussell as the judges. This year’s contestants include Pixie Lott, Scott Mills and Caroline Flack, promising a light piece of entertainment for your weekends. Tune in this evening on BBC One at 9pm as well as tomorrow at 7pm.
Gogglebox: Returning for its fourth season, Gogglebox is a hilarious escapist programme by focusing on various members of the public belonging to different parts of the demographic sharing their opinion of this week’s TV, including The X Factor and Downton Abbey. Tonight’s first episode includes posh Steph and Dom and hairdressers, Christopher and Stephen, amongst other Gogglebox favourites. Watch it tonight at 9pm on Channel 4.
The Graham Norton Show: Most likely classed as the best UK talk show, The Graham Norton Show is back for its 16th season this evening. This week, Denzel Washington, Peter Capaldi and Gemma Arterton all join each other on the sofa, talking about The Equalizer, Doctor Who and the West End, respectively. The first episode will also see a performance of George Ezra with ‘Blame It On Me’ as well as some stories in the red chair. Watch it tonight at 10.35pm on BBC One.
24 Hours in Police Custody: A documentary from the makers of 24 Hours in A&E follows the work of Bedfordshire Police round-the-clock, from the cells at Luton to the operational heart of major investigations and interrogation rooms. The first edition opens with the arrest of man on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. Detectives believe the case arises from a potential love-triangle that has spiralled out of control and have just 24 hours to gather sufficient evidence to bring charges, or release the suspect. Perfect for an alternative to scripted reality TV shows. Tune in on Channel 4 this Tuesday at 9pm to see what our British police force really do.
UEFA Champions League: Manchester City v AS Roma. Adrian Chiles introduces coverage of the matchday two Group E fixture from the Etihad Stadium, as the reigning Premier League champions host last season’s Series A runners-up. City will be looking to amend for their opening 1-0 defeat away to Bayern Munich, while the visitors enjoyed their first match much more, as they hammered CSKA Moscow 5-1. The contest does feature an intriguing subplot, with former Chelsea teammates Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole possibly set to face each other on opposing sides, with Lampard on loan at City before making the move to New York City FC in 2015, and Cole having signed for AS Roma on a permanent deal in the summer. With commentary by Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend, and analysis by Paul Scholes and Lee Dixon, watch this Tuesday on ITV at 7:30pm with kick-off 7.45pm.
South Park: Back for its 18th season, this show focuses on four foul-mouthed boys who never seem to grow up. Tune in as Stan, Kyle, Eric (Cartman) and Kenny continue to take on politics, current affairs and issues of teenage growth with swearing, innuendos and perfectly dirty lyrics. This show is perfect for some mindless entertainment that doesn’t require a lot of engagement. Check it out this Wednesday at 10pm on Comedy Central.
Peaky Blinders: Cillian Murphy returns as Birmingham-based mobster Thomas Shelby in the second run of author Steven Knight’s period drama, which is set to reunite the Irish star with his Dark Knight Rises colleague Tom Hardy. The first series was a huge success for the BBC, winning plaudits not only for its plot and acting, but also for its amazing production design, which helped create an atmosphere of threat and foreboding in the Midlands immediately after the First World War. Now the action moves on to the Roaring Twenties, and Thomas is determined to expand the legal and illegal sides of the Shelby family business. This show is perfect for fans of Downton Abbey who are seeking more grit. Tune in this Thursday at 9pm on BBC Two.
