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Week 5 Round Up: Freeview News and TV Highlights

27 January 2012

The week ahead according to Freeview...

Saturday 

More4 will be hosting a Kirstie & Phil-a-thon from 4.40pm. Tune in to watch the property duo in Vacation, Vacation, Vacation followed by Relocation: Phil Down Under and a Location, Location, Location double at 7.55pm. All this is finished off with a Kirstie and Phil’s Embarrassing Bits – a show featuring their outtakes, not their wobbly parts. 

Channel 5 will be showing a brand new series of CSI: NY from 9.30pm starring Gary Sinse and Sela Ward. The US crime drama, now in its eighth series, is followed by the first of a new 22-part Law & Order: Special Victims Unit at 10.30pm. 

BBC2 will be showing a new three-part series of TOTP2: the 60s at 11.35pm. The classic and original music show will feature performances from Sandie Shaw and Julie Driscoll. 

Sunday 

There’s a batch of new series starting this Sunday evening kicking off with Top Gear at 8pm on BBC2 and BBC HD. Jeremy Clarkson joins Richard Hamilton for a rampage around the world of fast cars and expensive rides. 

At the same time over on BBC3, Young Baker of the Year begins a new six-part series, hosted by George Lamb. Budding bakers will take to their ovens and try to impress the judges in the hope of walking away with the title at the end of the series. 

Straight after the Top Gear, BBC2 will be showing a new series of The Toughest Place to Be… starting with the British Binman. Each week the series will feature a worker from the UK and transport them miles away to a place of poverty, overcrowding and poor income in the hope of teaching them a thing or two. 

Reality check - The Only Way is Essex is back for a brand new series at 10pm on ITV2. The fourth series introduces some new characters from the county but still stars TOWIE favourites Lydia & Arg. The second episode of the series airs at the same time on Wednesday night. 

Monday 

Successful UK drama Whitechapel is back for a third series at 9pm on ITV1 and ITV1 HD starring Rupert Perry Jones and Phil Davis. The crime drama, set in London’s East End, is about two detectives on the hunt for a hammer-wielding killer. 

At the same time on BBC2, there’s a three-part documentary looking at the shocking rise of child abuse cases. Protecting Our Children will shed some light on the daily lives of child protection offers whilst giving a behind the scenes look at social services. 

Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan is a new series that also starts at 9pm. The documentary follows a team of marines as they hunt down a group of Taliban spies. 

With all of these great shows starting at the same time, set your Freeview+ box and use ITV1+1 if you don’t want to miss anything! 

Tuesday 

On Friday 13th January, a £400 million ship crashed and overturned off the coast of Italy, creating headlines around the world. Channel 4 and Channel 4 HD will be looking at the events of the day, minutes by minute, uncovering the truth to disaster at 8pm in Terror at Sea: the Sinking of the Concordia. 

Hotelier Alex Polizzi returns to Freeview screens as The Fixer, using her entrepreneurial skills to fix broken business. If she can do it with Hotels, she can do it with Bridal Wear, which is the focus of the first episode of six. Alex Polizzi: the Fixer starts at 8pm on BBC2 and BBC HD. 

BBC One and BBC One HD will be showing a brand new drama called Prisoners’ Wives from 9pm. The six-part series is centered around a group of young women whose husbands are locked up behind bars. Prisoners’ Wives stars Emma Rigby and Jonas Armstrong. 

Wednesday 

If you lived in Midsomer, it would probably be wise to leave the area after 14 series and so many deaths. Neil Dudgeon and Jason Hughes star in the new series of Midsomer Murders at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV1 HD. The first episode is called The Dark Rider, a dark tale about the ghostly appearance of a headless horseman. 

Over on BBC2 and BBC HD is Natural World and this week it is the Tiger’s turn to take centre stage. Tiger Dynasty will see the story of a young tiger who is taken to a reserve in the hope of reproducing.

Educating Essex, the fly on the wall series set in a secondary school in Essex is being show again if you missed it the first time round. Tune in to More4 from 10pm to catch-up. 

Thursday 

Raymond Blanc: the Very Hungry Frenchman sees one of Briton’s most-loved chefs cook up a storm in his native home of France. Expect lots of gorgeous cheese dishes, fine wine and an appearance from his 90 year old mother. 

Edgy drama you say? In HD?! Why yes, Inside Men is a brand new series for BBC One and BBC One HD at 9pm starring Steven Mackintosh and Ashley Walters. The first episode sees a manager caught in the middle of an armed bank robbery but not everything is at it seems…. 

Friday 

E4 will be showing a new series of Supernanny US at 8pm which is fronted by the very British Jo Frost. The new series kicks off with family who have not one, not two, but SIX children ruling the roost. 

Over on BBC4, there’s two documentaries about Elton John starting with The Making of Elton John: Madmen across the Water at 10pm. The film will chart Elton’s success in the 1970s and is followed by Elton John at the BBC at 11pm. 

Don’t Miss ESPN’s Free Weekend of Sport 

Next weekend, Freeview viewers will be able to sample ESPN’s great selection of sport for free. ESPN will be offering a free weekend on Freeview channel 34 from Friday 3rd February for three days.  The undoubted highlight is the first ever live free-to-air game from the Barclays Premier League as league leaders Manchester City take on Fulham in Saturday’s match at 4.30pm. 

There is a whole range of top sport, including top European football from the Serie A and Bundesliga, plus action from UFC 143, Tennis from the ATP 250 World Tour and NBA basketball in an action-packed weekend. 

For more details, visit the ESPN website .