The Late Late Show
Friday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm
It was the longest running murder trial in Irish criminal history, gripping the nation for 13 weeks. Now Bobby Ryan's children, Michelle and Robert, join Ryan Tubridy to speak about their father and the sentencing of Patrick Quirke. Also: Chart-topping band Kodaline will be in studio for a chat ahead of their Dublin shows later this month, as well as a performance of their hit single Brother. Plus: Stefanie Preissner on her new book Can I Say No?, and why simply saying "no" is such a difficult thing to do; six students from who are gearing up for the Leaving on the stresses, pressures, and ups and downs facing Irish teenagers; the first Late Late Show birth as Tubridy meets a robot being used to teach medical students about the process of having a baby; and music from SYML.
The Graham Norton Show
Friday, BBC1, 10.35pm; Saturday, Virgin One, 9.15pm; Sunday, Virgin Two, 10pm
Will Smith and Naomi Scott (Aladdin), Kevin Hart (The Secret Life of Pets) and and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (Ma) are the latest famous faces to drop by for a chinwaog about their new projects. There's also live music and stories from the infamous red chair.
Adele: In Her Own Words
Friday, Channel 5, 9pm
It was recently announced that the singer-songwriter had split from her husband, Old Etonian entrepreneur Simon Konecki, after an eight-year relationship. No doubt this documentary comes too soon to include any personal quotes about that, but the rest of the life and career of Adele Laurie Blue Adkins is covered. Adele was born in north London in 1988 and her rise to stardom was meteoric: her debut album 19 became an eight-times platinum-seller and she’s won numerous awards, including an Oscar for her theme to the James Bond film Skyfall. Here, old school friends reminisce about Adele’s early years while blogger Perez Hilton, pop expert Paul Gambaccini and singer Rumer discuss what make her so special.
Queen Victoria: My Musical Britain
Saturday, BBC2, 9pm
May 24th will mark 200 years since Queen Victoria's birth, and here Dr Lucy Worsley explores the monarch's character and legacy through music. How did the queen use music to transform the monarchy from a political power into a cultural force that could unite the country during a time of great upheaval? The historian also explores the role music played in Victoria's own life, and there will be performances from Sir Willard White, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Black Dyke Brass Band.
Cardinal: By the Time You Read This
Saturday, BBC4, 9pm
As Billy Campbell’s Canadian detective returns for a third series, we find him struggling to truly accept that his wife succumbed to her battle with manic depression and took her own life. John Cardinal’s doubts are only reinforced when he starts to receive a series of anonymous greeting cards blaming him for her death. Colleague Lise Delorme (Karine Vanasse), meanwhile, steps in to take the lead at work, and the pair soon find themselves investigating a murder case in Algonquin Bay. The bodies are missing and a witness to the crime is being stalked by the killer.
The Zoo
Sunday, RTÉ One, 6.30pm
Okay, let's get straight to the cute animals. The series following the daily lives of the creatures and their carers in Dublin Zoo is back, and there's great excitement because Tundra the Amur tiger is about to give birth. When you see her two adorable tiger cubs, you could just eat them up. The Amur tiger is an endangered species, so it's a cause of great celebration to see its dwindling population increase by two. There's a bit of a baby boom going on in this series, so expect to meet three new sea lion pups, a new elephant calf and two giraffe calves. Amid all this newborn activity, the zookeepers also have to look after a new arrival (a male lowland gorilla who has to find his place in a troop ruled by a matriarchy) and tend to two meerkats who are feeling a little under the weather.
Gotham
Sunday, E4, 9pm
I used to watch the old Batman TV series as a child, not realising it was a camp send-up. To me, it was gritty, violent realism, and Adam West and Burt Ward were totally believable superheros. But I always thought, wouldn’t it be great if someone made a series telling the backstory of Commissioner Gordon? He’s such an interesting fellow. I’ve had to wait a few decades, but my wish finally came true with the arrival of Bruno Heller’s series about young, idealistic cop James Gordon, who has to battle a bunch of nascent villains – with some help from a young Bruce Wayne. The fifth and final series sees our heroes trying to save Gotham City from complete deterioration. What? it’s not a camp piss-take?
The Road to Chelsea
Sunday, BBC1, 6pm
With the Chelsea Flower Show less than a fortnight away, Sandi Toksvig and Adam Frost kick off the season with an hour-long show that teases and tantalises with a glimpse of what goes into making the Royal Horticultural Society annual extravaganza the most eagerly awaited event in the gardening calendar. Sandi, Adam and Gardeners' World presenter Arit Anderson also meet passionate growers, florists and show-garden designers preparing for this year's event, which is centred around the themes of children's play areas, natural woodland habitats and the feelgood benefits of gardening.
The British Academy Television Awards
Sunday, BBC1, 8pm
The Bafta craft awards took place a couple of weeks ago and may be an indicator of where the big prizes will go tonight. A Very English Scandal won three prizes, while Killing Eve bagged two. No surprises there, you might think, but the fact that Phoebe Waller-Bridge didn’t nab the Best Writer (Drama) category for the latter did come as a shock. Does that mean the show’s other nominees are going to miss out at the main ceremony? It could be that Killing Eve stars Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh split the vote after being nominated in the same Leading Actress category. If Hugh Grant doesn’t win Leading Actor for A Very English Scandal, then there’s something very wrong indeed. Graham Norton hosts at the Royal Festival Hall.
Louis Theroux: Mothers on the Edge
Sunday, BBC2, 9pm
According to research, around one in five new UK mothers experience a mental health problem before their baby turns a year old, many for the first time. That astonishing figure goes against the image we're often sold of motherhood – that it's the happiest time in a woman's life. Instead, it can be one of extreme stress. Theroux learns about the issue by spending time at two specialist psychiatric units, which treat mums with mental illness while allowing them to live alongside their babies. He also speaks to the women once they have returned home to find out how they're progressing, and hears from family members who reveal what it's like to care for two people in the most vulnerable state of their lives.
Contributing: PA
