Monday 20 January 2014

TV Picks: 20-26 January 2014 (The Following, Girls, Helix, The Jump, Mom, National Television Awards, Room 101, Ross Kemp: Extreme World, Stella, etc.)

Monday 20 January 2014

Below are my picks of the week's most notable shows, returning/premiering to UK screens...

MONDAY 20th
The Alan Tirchmarsh Show (ITV, 3pm) Series 10 of the genial chat show. Guests are Paul Hollywood & Mark Benton. (1/100)
The Great Interior Design Challenge (BBC2, 7pm) New series searching for fresh interior design talent. Hosted by Tom Dyckhoff, with judges Sophie Robinson & Daniel Hopwood. Continues tomorrow. (1/12)
Winterwatch (BBC2, 8.30pm) New series of the wildlife show, broadcast from the Cairngorms National Park. Presented by Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan & Martin Hughes-Games. Continues weeknights until Thursday. (1/4)
Mom (ITV2, 9pm) New US sitcom about a recovering alcoholic living with her estranged mother and teenage daughter. Starring Anna Faris & Allison Janney. (1 & 2/13)
Girls (Sky Atlantic) Season 3 of the US drama about three female friends living in Brooklyn, New York. Starring Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemma Kirke & Zosia Mamet. (1/12)
Russia on Two Wheels (BBC2, 9.30pm) Two-part series where Justin Rowlatt & Anita Rani go on separate road trips across Russia. (1/2)
My Baggy Body (Channel 4, 10pm) Documentary about the after-effects of dramatic weight loss through surgery.
PICK OF THE DAY Helix (Channel 5, 10pm) Season 1 of the US sci-fi drama about a group of scientists investigating a bizarre viral outbreak at a remote Arctic research base. Starring Billy Campbell, Jordan Hayes & Hiroyuki Sanada. (1 & 2/13)


TUESDAY 21st
Ross Kemp: Extreme World (Sky1, 9pm) Series 3 of the documentary show where Ross Kemp investigates extreme events around the globe, beginning with a look at sex trafficking in India. (1/6)
The Search for Alfred the Great (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary about the search for the remains of the 9th-century king. Presented by Neil Oliver.
PICK OF THE DAY The Following (Sky Atlantic, 10pm) Season 2 of the US horror crime drama. Starring Kevin Bacon & James Purefoy. (1/15)
The Naked Rambler (BBC1, 10.35pm) Documentary about Stephen Gough, who has been arrested numerous times for attempting to walk naked from Land's End to John O'Groats.


WEDNESDAY 22nd
PICK OF THE DAY The National Television Awards 2014 (ITV, 7.30pm) Annual awards ceremony. Hosted by Dermot O'Leary.
Children on the Frontline (Channel 4, 10pm) Documentary about Syria's ongoing civil war and its effects on children.

THURSDAY 23rd
PICK OF THE DAY Restoration Home: One Year On (BBC2, 8pm) Series 2 of the show catching up on past projects features on the show. (1/3)

FRIDAY 24th
PICK OF THE DAY Room 101 (BBC1, 8.30pm) Series 3 of the comedy panel show where celebrities suggest things that need to be consigned to oblivion. Hosted by Frank Skinner. Guests are Richard Osmon, Joan Bakewell & Roisin Conaty. (1/8)
Stella (Sky1, 9pm) Series 3 of the comedy-drama. Starring Ruth Jones, Patrick Baladi & Steve Spiers. (1/10)
My Kitchen Rules (Sky Living, 9pm) Australian cooking competition. Judges are Lorraine Pascale & Jason Atherton.

SATURDAY 25th
PICK OF THE DAY Pain, Pus & Poison: The Search for Modern Medicines (BBC4, 8pm) Documentary about how scientists have exploited the natural world to create medicines. (1/3)

SUNDAY 26th
PICK OF THE DAY The Jump (Channel 4, 8pm) New physical gameshow where 12 celebrities are challenged in a variety of winter sport disciplines. Hosted by Davina McCall & Alex Brooker. Contestants are Amy Williams, Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards, Steve Redgrave, Laura Hamilton, Darren Gough, Sinitta, Marcus Brigstocke, Amy Childs, Nicky Clarke, Kimberly Wyatt, Henry Conway, Anthea Turner, Ritchie Neville & Melinda Messenger. (1/8)
Dragons' Den (BBC2, 9pm) Series 11 of the business reality show continues after a mid-series break. (7/12)