In “Red Eye”, a riveting six-part suspense series airing on UTV at 9pm on Sunday, Stephen Armitage portrays a man who vehemently denies the accusations of committing a murder in China. The tale unravels on a gruelling long-haul journey where Dr Matthew Nolan (played by Armitage) becomes embroiled in a hit-and-run incident during a convention in Beijing. Once back on British soil, he is quickly summoned back on a flight to Beijing to answer to murder claims. Yet, as mysterious deaths start unfolding onboard, DC Hana Li (played by Jing Lusi), who’s accompanying Nolan, senses a significant conspiracy entangled in a nuclear deal.
On Sunday, RTÉ1 at 6.30pm features “Ireland’s Hidden Treasures”. Curious about the secretive masterpieces housed in the National Museum and National Library of Ireland? This show takes you on an exclusive tour behind the unseen corners to witness various artefacts and relics. The highlight among these is the Brasky Mass – a meteorite from beyond our planet, calculated to be approximately 4.5 billion years old that descended near Limerick in the early 1800s. An introduction to the diligent and passionate people involved in preserving these gemstones, like Dr Patrick Roycroft, the National Museum’s curator of geology, is included in this episode.
Jordan Conroy, the Irish rugby sevens icon, emerges as the presenter and mentor in the sports documentary series “Man Up?” aired on RTÉ2 at 5.30pm on Monday. The show features Conroy mentoring ten adolescent boys, aged 12-14 years, from diverse circumstances, teaching them anti-toxic masculinity behaviour and counter-misogynistic attitudes. The second episode sees the boys delving into rowing, a serious non-contact sport, and being surprisingly pleased with it. The shock, though, comes from Conroy’s unfamiliarity with the sport.
Lastly, RTÉ1 on Monday night at 8pm presents “Pass It On: Sacar na mBan”.
Narrated by Peter Coonan, this four-parter documents the journey of Ireland’s premier female footballers throughout the 2023 season, all vying for the ultimate championship. The third episode sees Galway’s goalkeeper, Abbiegayle Ronayne, aiming to recover her goalkeeping position after losing her spot in the starting team. Elsewhere, Jessie Stapleton from Shelbourne is preparing her bags for a trip to London and a professional contract with West Ham. In the meantime, Peamount’s Tara O’Hanlon grapples with an injury threatening to cut her career short.
Super Garden: A popular garden design competition is returning for its 15th instalment on Tuesday, on RTÉ1 at 7.30pm. A highlight this season is the addition of a new judge, landscape architect Kerrie Gardiner whose name aptly suits her role. She joins fellow judges Monica Alvarez and Brian Burke to evaluate fresh entrants of garden designers, all competing for a place at the yearly Bloom festival held at Phoenix Park. The competitors will have a €15,000 budget to craft a garden to impress both the judges and the anticipated 100,000 Bloom attendees. The competition kicks off with Derry local, Gary Hegarty, who plans to design a Love Island-themed sensory garden for his five-year-old autistic son, Fury.
Tune in to ‘Glitter: The Popstar Paedophile’ airing on Tuesday, on UTV at 9pm.
Viewing repeats of Top of the Pops might prove unnerving given both Jimmy Savile and Gary Glitter’s appearances on the programme. Glitter, who goes by the real name, Paul Gadd, was a constant on the show during the 1970s, garnishing increasing fame with numerous chart-topping hits including Remember Me This Way. However, present day sees him characterised as one of Britain’s most infamous paedophiles, with his musical contributions largely erased from pop history. This fresh documentary explores Glitter’s offences, his protracted evasion of the law in Southeast Asia, along with his continual mistreatment of children. He was the initial arrestee in 2012’s Operation Yewtree and remains incarcerated, having been denied release due to the continued threat he poses to children.
The Red King
Airing Wednesday on Alibi at 9pm
Police sergeant Grace Narayan (performed by Anjli Mohindra) is assigned to the secluded island of St Jory, a place characterised by peculiar pagan traditions. Her duty involves delving into the unsolved disappearance of a local young person, which inadvertently places her in a fraught situation as historic ideologies meet contemporary shift. The resemblance this bears to the Wicker Man is intentional, and evidences creator Toby Whitehouse’s tribute to the 1973 classic horror movie. Formerly, St Jory’s population worshipped the pagan god known as the Red King, and even today there remains a contingency determined to revive him.
Growing Up Jewish
Airing Wednesday on BBC1 at 10.40pm
In Judaism, the ceremony marking the handover from childhood to adulthood is of great significance. This is when young Jewish individuals accept the responsibility of navigating their own spiritual path. This series tracks the preparations of four distinct pre-teens, aged 12 to 13, as they anticipate their respective bar and bat mitzvahs. Each selects a distinct ceremony, epitomising the varied nature of Jewish tradition. The ceremony is a pivotal moment for each youngster, and its magnitude is underscored during their extensive preparations.
Joe and Katherine’s Bargain Holidays
Airing Thursday on Channel 4 at 10pm
Comedy figures Joe Wilkinson and Katherine Ryan hold contrasting preferences when it comes to holidays. Joe finds joy and tranquillity in economical vacations, even if it implies letting go of the extravagant cuisine and ostentatious accommodation. Katherine, conversely, yearns for indulgent holiday experiences, inclusive of everything extravagant, from luxury suites to exquisite bubbly, but wouldn’t be displeased if she got it for a lesser price. They combine their vacation plans aiming to enjoy a spectacular holiday without draining their modest funds and intend to bestow budget vacation tips onto their audience. They begin their journey in Norfolk, touring lavender fields, lodging in a church and partaking in a unique therapy where they smash things.
This week on Home Rescue: The Big Fix, airing on Thursday at 9.35pm on RTÉ1, the Home Rescue team faces a challenging project: reconfiguring a home swamped with an excessive amount of trinkets and worthless items that have piled over time. This hasn’t allowed the proprietor, Monica Brady, to host family dinners as there’s barely any space to sit amongst their keepsakes. The loss of her husband, Dick, and her son Richie to cancer over the last ten years is taking its toll on Monica. It manifests in the disarray in her home in Swords and she struggles to part with her possessions – and her sorrow despite her daughter Michelle and granddaughter Gemma’s best efforts. Monica is yet to even sleep comfortably in her own bedroom. Can designer Dee, builder Pete and their crew restore Monica’s house into a family gathering point?
Ending the week with Tracks and Trails, on Friday at 7.30pm on RTÉ1.
In this week’s Track and Trails, former Wexford camogie athlete, Ursula Jacob, ventures on two riveting coastal trails in County Kerry. Currently, Jacob has a career as an analyst and commentator for sports programmes on RTÉ radio and TV. Despite her hectic family life, she aims to take a breather and reenergise during these walks. Her first excursion leads her from Tralee to Fenit, following an old ship’s canal, in which she’s accompanied by Kieran Donaghy, an iconic Kerry football personality. Her subsequent expedition takes her down one of Ireland’s ancient butter thoroughfares and along the Kerry Way, pausing at Daniel O’Connell’s domicile, the Derrynane House, to meet poet Dr Paddy Bushe.
The series “The Shelter: Animal SOS” resumes on RTÉ1 at 8 pm on Friday. The joy of seeing adorable animals recuperate under the careful ministrations of dedicated veterinarians seems to be never-ending. Set in the DSPCA, Ireland’s most extensive and oldest animal welfare charity, the fourth season showcases the relentless work of staff, vets, and volunteers in attending to ailing and wounded animals. A five-year-old Jack Russell in a dire state requiring loads of tender loving care to regain his health is welcomed to the shelter this week. Veterinarian Elise also attends to a six-week-old kitten plagued with cat flu, requiring eye surgery.