Your top TV picks for the coming week

Here are some of the top TV picks for the coming week.

Saturday 05/08/17

Billy Connolly: Portrait of a Lifetime (BBC Two, 9pm)

You can't beat a bit of Billy Connolly.

If you're ever feeling a little down in the dumps, just check out one of his stand-up routines, and we guarantee your troubles will fade away as you giggle at another of his hilarious stories.

But had he not followed his dream of a showbusiness career, the man known as the Big Yin would probably now be a retired welder, putting his feet up somewhere in his home city of Glasgow.

Instead, he now lives in the US with his second wife, Pamela Stephenson, who had her own successful comedy career as a member of the Not the Nine O'Clock News team before retraining as a psychotherapist.

"She practices on me and psychoanalyses me all the time," he laughs. "She says I am obsessive, I have fixations and am anal retentive... What a load of junk!"

Despite their differing views on her profession, the couple have been blissfully married for 28 years and have three children; Connolly has another two from his first union. He also admits he'd rather be at home than anywhere else, perhaps because he's spent years on the road performing to sell-out crowds during numerous hugely popular world tours.

"I'm very, very happy doing the family bit," he confesses. "I go shopping, do the cooking and drive the children to school while my wife goes and shrinks people or whatever she does. We are probably happier now than ever."

Connolly does admit, however, that he does enjoy appearing at some of the world's greatest venues: "Playing the Sydney Opera House is a bit like playing the Taj Mahal, it's a real-life legend. Isn't it the best-looking place you've ever seen? I love it. I always want to touch it and applaud it."

But in this new documentary, he's rather closer to home than that in his native Scotland.

The programme has been made to help the BBC celebrate Connolly's 75th birthday, which takes place in November, as well as 50 years as a performer.

He meets up with three of Scotland's most famous and popular artists - John Byrne (an old friend of the comedian, who also painted him in the 1970s), Jack Vettriano and Rachel MacLean - who will produce a portrait of him that will then go up on walls around Glasgow as part of the city's Mural Trail.

"I'm probably more famous for being a Glaswegian than anything else I've actually done," he says. "It's been great to have been home to take part in this and a real privilege to be part of these artists' work."

While sitting for each artist, Connolly regales them with stories from his rise to fame, including his early years as a folk musician, through the heights of his stand-up career to his acclaimed acting roles and status as a national treasure.

"The project is a tribute to a man who remains in touch with his roots," says executive producer Pauline Law. "He is renowned for his comedy and way with words, but we thought it might be fitting to celebrate his artistic heritage.

"Billy Connolly has undoubtedly become part of the culture of our times; a visual as well as a comedy icon."

Sunday 06/07/17

Diana: In Her Own Words (Channel 4, 8pm)

Diana, Princess of Wales, has been the subject of numerous television programmes since her death in 1997, many of which have caused controversy.

And the latest, this feature-length documentary, has caused an enormous amount of debate, with some critics labelling it "exploitative".

Airing shortly before the 20th anniversary of her death, this revelatory film has drawn on a unique historical archive - video tapes recorded by Diana's speech coach, UK-based American actor Peter Settelen, who she hired to help her prepare to publicly present her own account of events and reinvent her public persona.

Some of this footage is being broadcast for the first time ever and none of it has been seen on British TV before.

What Settelen captured at her private residence in Kensington Palace during in 1992 and 1993 is the only known unmediated video ever recorded with Diana.

It shows the princess rehearsing her speaking voice and also reflecting at length on her upbringing, her courtship with the Prince of Wales, her marriage and her public life.

With Diana at her most candid, informal, natural and charismatic, the videos provide valuable new insight into one of the 20th century's most iconic women and shed new light on her transformation into an enormously influential public figure.

Channel 4's Deputy Chief Creative Officer & Head of Factual Ralph Lee says: "The tapes, which show a relaxed and off-duty Diana, are hugely illuminating about her personality, humour and charm.

"This film provides a nuanced, multi-layered portrait of the most famous woman in the world and a mother who has shaped the future line of the royal family."

Further insight is provided by in-depth interviews with those closest to Diana, including her personal protection officer Ken Wharfe and private secretary Patrick Jephson, as well as some confidants who will be speaking on the record for the first time - friend of more than 30 years Dr James Colthurst and Diana's ballet teacher Anne Allan.

Of course, as much as the "dynamite" footage is revealing, it is also controversial.

Diana's rehearsals with Settelen in 1993 were undertaken to help leverage her own story which culminated in her infamous Panorama interview with Martin Bashir in 1995 in which she said "there were three of us" in her marriage.

An emotional Diana is seen baring her soul at a time when her marriage was in crisis, talking in detail about her relationship with Prince Charles, their sex life and his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.

She reportedly claims she only met the future king 13 times before they married, and after their wedding, he only wanted to have sex once every three weeks.

Responding to allegations that the tapes are exploitative, Marcus Rutherford, Mr Settelen's solicitor, said: "For the past 15 years Peter has been reluctant to show the tapes. But now, coming up to the 20th anniversary, with everyone, including her own children, discussing Diana and revisiting her life, he wants Diana to be able to speak for herself. It's about giving her a voice.

"Diana plainly wanted the world to know what she was going through at the time, but it was understandably deeply distressing to the royal family and her own family to see her open up her life to public scrutiny, and they tried very hard to silence her.

"Whatever one's views now about her place in history, it cannot reasonably be argued that her own voice should continue to be suppressed."

Monday 07/07/17

Eden: Paradise Lost (Channel 4, 10pm)

The premise of Eden, which began in March 2016, was to give 23 contestants the chance to construct their own social utopia in a remote part of the Scottish highlands where they would hunt, live and sleep together, with their every move filmed by cameras over the course of a year.

Describing the show at the time, Liam Humphreys, Channel 4's Head of Factual Entertainment, said: "Eden developed partly as a response to a growing malaise amongst the young with traditional political systems.

"It offers a simple insight, what would the world look like if we started again?"

Fast forward 12 months and to March of this year. As the remaining cast of the show left their remote community with filming finally coming to an end, they were shocked to find out Eden was in fact pulled from the schedules by Channel 4 last summer, nine months before they actually left.

The broadcaster did initially explain that despite the show being pulled, we would be seeing the contestants again and that Eden "will be shown later this year".

This series, aired across the week, follows the group's remaining time in Eden, and shows how the dream turned into a nightmare.

Life in Eden proved too tough for some, and after just three months, two people had already left.

Tonight, we find out what went on last summer, as hunger pervades and divisions within the camp become apparent.

Boatman Anton and carpenter Raph separate themselves and build a winter camp away from the beach, while gamekeeper Glenn and outdoor instructor Tom begin to question their roles.

Then a decision taken by one of the group causes widespread fury and rebellion, and threatens to bring the entire experience to a premature end.

As the year progresses in tomorrow's show, three more people leave, and for the first time the men significantly outnumber the women.

The perceived physical differences between the sexes causes major conflict, with some of the men suggesting they concentrate on the traditionally more 'male' roles, while the more domestic roles should be done by the women.

Cameraman Oli and gardener Rachel develop an intense friendship that others feel could have far-reaching consequences for the group.

On Wednesday, having built their isolated house in the woods, Anton and Raph now find themselves ostracised by almost every other member of the community.

Oli decides to confront the pair and the resulting showdown boils over into a dramatic conclusion.

The atmosphere in Eden remains hostile in Thursday's show with the community effectively split into two - a mixed group in the summer camp and an all-male posse living in a valley in the woods.

The 'Valley Boys' become increasingly insular and antagonistic, and at the height of hunting season, they embark on a meat-only diet.

Vet Rob finds the atmosphere intolerable, resulting in a decision that leaves his girlfriend Katie questioning her future.

Friday's concluding episode sees the community finally come together to celebrate Christmas.

Katie, still seething at the 'Valley Boys', spends the majority of the day alone.

She arrives at the community's Christmas dinner late, and after an argument, storms out.

It also becomes apparent that certain members of the community are unable to resist the trappings of everyday life, and contraband deliveries of cigarettes, alcohol and other luxuries continue to make their way into camp.

In the final days, the two groups' desire to mark their year-long achievement brings them together for one last hurrah.

They gather for a series of bonfires on the dunes before splitting for their final night. However, life in Eden is fragile and unpredictable, and there is one final surprise in store during the final morning.

Tuesday 08/08/17

Trust Me (BBC One, 9pm)

She's the woman of the moment, an actor whose name has sent shockwaves around the world.

Just a few short weeks ago, Jodie Whittaker was 'that woman from Broadchurch', but now she's the next Doctor Who - and the first woman to play the role.

Some 'fans' have criticised her casting, claiming that the Time Lord is a man, always has been and always should be, but most have been open-minded and embraced the idea, believing that Whittaker will bring a new freshness to the role.

Whatever the case, her name has rarely been out of the headlines since, and the cynics out there might claim that the BBC timed the news of her appointment just right to coincide with her appearance in its latest big drama, Trust Me - in which she plays another doctor, of sorts.

"Trust Me is a love story at its heart," says executive producer Nicola Shindler. "It is about a woman's desperation to start afresh and escape the pain and disappointment of her old life. Dan Sefton's exceptionally realistic script is layered with complex characters and a gripping storyline that will keep viewers hooked."

Whittaker takes the lead role of Cath Hardacre, a hard-working, dedicated and skilled nurse who, after losing her previous job for whistle-blowing, becomes desperate to find a way to provide for her daughter - and makes a very drastic decision indeed.

Unable to get a job under her own name due to her unfair reputation for telling tales, Cath steals her best friend's identity as a senior doctor and starts a new life in Edinburgh. She throws herself into her new role, and realises it could enable her to get everything she has ever wanted - but as her old life rears its head, how far will she go to keep what she now has?

"I'm so excited to be a part of this project," claims Whittaker. "It's an incredibly challenging piece with a fantastic cast and crew. I haven't played a role like this before."

Joining her in the cast will be Edinburgh-born Emun Elliott, who plays A&E physician Dr Andy Brenner.

Before filming began in January, he said: "I'm looking forward to working with Jodie and the fantastic cast on what promises to be a fascinating glimpse into the highs and lows of working within the NHS. The scripts are excellent and, what's more, we're shooting in Scotland. It's always nice to come home."

Blake Harrison attempts to banish his Inbetweeners persona by taking the role of Karl, Cath's ex and the father of her daughter. His life fell apart when he lost his job and turned to alcohol. Now he's desperate to get his family back together.

"Having worked as a doctor within the NHS for most of my adult life, I know only too well that it provides the perfect setting for a contemporary drama - the characters, the (often literal) pain - as well as the affection and dedication of staff," explains writer Sefton.

"Trust Me shows all of that but its central story is Cath, a decent, honourable woman who, when everything is falling apart, takes a huge risk in search of a better life. A life that she will fiercely protect."

Wednesday 09/08/17

My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947 (BBC1, 9pm)

In August 1947, nearly 200 years of British colonial rule in India came to an end and the country was partitioned into two independent nation states: Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.

It led to the largest forced migration ever recorded as millions of Muslims journeyed to West and East Pakistan (now known as Bangladesh) while millions of Hindus and Sikhs headed in the opposite direction. It also saw communities which had previously co-existed peacefully, in some cases for a thousand years, erupt into sectarian violence.

To mark the 70th anniversary, the BBC is launching a series of programmes which will explore the legacy of Partition and hear some of its forgotten voices. It will include the BBC Two documentary India's Partition: The Forgotten Story, which sees British film-maker Gurinder Chadha, director of Bend It Like Beckham, explore the political and social pressures which led to the event.

The World's Most Dangerous Border looks at how the effects of Partition are still being felt on both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border, while One Week in Summer recreates the tumultuous final days of British rule.

But we begin with My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947, in which Countryfile presenter Anita Rani learns more about the human impact of Partition through the stories of four British families, including her own. Over the course of two episodes, she will hear first-hand testimony from Partition survivors, their children and grandchildren as they retrace the journeys they were forced to make.

Rani says: "This is a deeply personal project. I realised there's a generation growing up in Britain who know very little about their own history. Partition seems to be a forgotten moment in time, a shameful stain that no one wants to talk about.

"However, 70 years on, it's almost the last chance to hear from the Partition survivors. There are millions of stories but the simplest way of trying to understand what happened is to look at four different experiences, representing the communities caught up in the horror - Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and British."

Over the course of the documentary, she will follow members of those communities as they travel for the first time to the homes in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh that their families fled in terror.

Although some of the stories are shocking and distressing, there will also be accounts of courage and fortitude, as well as stories of neighbours of different religions who took great personal risks to shield the families. The two-part series also features reunions with long-lost friends.

It will be particularly emotional for Rani and her mother, as they become the first members of their family to return to the small village in Pakistan where her grandfather lived until 1947.

On their arrival, Rani learns more about the terrifying events which led to her grandfather's first wife, children and her great-grandfather losing their lives.

Thursday 10/08/17

Top of the Lake: China Girl (BBC2, 9pm)

Thanks to her roles in Mad Men, the original series of Top of the Lake and The Handmaid's Tale, Elisabeth Moss can claim to have starred in some of the most acclaimed TV shows of the past decade. But looking at her impressive CV, some viewers may wonder if after all that weighty drama, she ever fancies doing something a little bit lighter, like a wacky sitcom.

It seems not - she apparently only signed up for Top of the Lake: China Girl on the understanding that it would be even darker than the first series.

She explains that when writer and director Jane Campion asked her if she would be interested in reprising the role of detective Robin Griffin: "I said I would love to, but it would need to be more challenging than season one, otherwise there would be no point. I remember saying, 'I just want her to be challenged,' and thinking... how Robin could be challenged, what she might be going through."

And it seems Campion did not disappoint her. Moss says: "Without spoiling anything, the thing that we reveal in the flashback and some things that have happened over the last four years to Robin have put her in this really, really dark place. She's not had an easy life, this girl. So she starts out in Season 2 in this much darker place, and really messed up, so when I was reading it for the first time I was like, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

But it wasn't just the prospect of playing someone deeply troubled and miserable that attracted Moss to the part - there was also the chance to work with Campion again.

The actress says: "There's nobody like Jane. I've had the privilege of working with some very talented and amazing people, both well known and not well known, and there's something about the way that she speaks to you and the way that she guides you on set that isn't like anyone else.

"She has this very in-tune way of guiding you through a scene. She'll say something that makes you go, 'Oh, I didn't think about it that way," or she'll say 'this is your playground sweetie. Just have fun.'"

However, the characters don't appear to be having much fun in this week's episode as Robin's investigation into the murder of 'China Girl' takes a revealing new turn.

Meanwhile, Julia and Pyke launch an investigation of their own into Puss, the man who plans to marry their teenage daughter. When their findings lead to a public confrontation, Puss storms out - and Mary follows him.

Pyke and Julia are forced to turn to Robin, who begins to discover just how complex motherhood can be. Moss says: "This season is about being a mother and a parent, and it's interesting, going from that very strong theme of season one to an even stronger theme in season two, with all of these plot lines being connected around this central idea. But done in a brilliantly subtle way, which is believable."

Friday 11/08/17

Teach My Pet To Do That (ITV, 8pm)

Is Alexander Armstrong the hardest working man on TV?

Not only do we seem him every week night on Pointless - with the celebrity version on the weekends - but this year alone, he's also presented Italy's Invisible Cities and Don't Ask Me, Ask Britain. And just when we thought we couldn't see any more of him, he turned up on the very entertaining The Real Full Monty. Meanwhile, younger viewers and their parents will have been getting extra Armstrong courtesy of his voice work on the charming Hey Duggee and Danger Mouse, and he's also found time to squeeze in a singing career.

So, no one would have begrudged Armstrong a nice, long summer holiday, but instead he's back on our screens with his new series, Teach My Pet To Do That.

Armstrong is something of an animal lover, which may explain why he couldn't turn down the chance to present the series. Of course, he's not alone in having a soft spot for our four-legged, feathered or scaly friends - over half of Brits own a pet, and a lot of us have a weakness for watching funny animal videos online

The aim of Teach My Pet is to show that some of these unwitting internet stars aren't as clever or unique as they seem - many of our household critters have hidden potential and with the right training they can pull off some surprising feats.

As Priya Singh, commissioning editor at ITV, says: "Who knows what hidden talents your own pet may be waiting to dazzle you with! We're a nation of animal lovers and this entertaining and inspiring series might just bring out the animal genius in all our pets, from parrots to poodles to piglets."

In each episode, animals will be taught a new skill, using only positive re-enforcement training. Over the coming weeks, that will include pigs playing football and a horse learning to count, but in the opening edition, Armstrong opens the doors of his multispecies school to Eric, a Datsun Labrador cross and Aslan, a miniature horse, to see if trainers Jo-Rosie Haffenden and Nando Brown can train them to answer a door to the cue of a doorbell.

We'll also meet Ziggy, the skateboarding dog, while the trainers will be hitting the road as they try to teach River the cat to ride a mutt named Moss in time to be the star attraction at the opening of a doggy daycare centre.

Throw in a few internet videos, and it seems ITV are hoping that the series will inspire a few people to try this at home (within reason).

Karen Plumb, executive producer on the program, says: "The series combines the very best viral internet pet clips with buckets of take-home training tips, popular science and fun training challenges. It's a celebration of the British obsession with, and love for, their household pets."

So who knows, soon it could be your cat, dog or miniature horse racking up the views on YouTube...