CRIME | ANDREW: THE PROBLEM PRINCE | THE KIDNAP OF ANGEL LYNN

This article was originally published in The Courier on 6th May 2023.

NEXT WEEK’S TV 

Crime – Thursday, ITVX

Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh, who co-scripted this six-part adaptation, Crime stars Dougray Scott as Ray Lennox, an Edinburgh cop investigating the abduction of a young girl. Lennox is recovering from a severe nervous breakdown. 

It’s basically a standard police procedural warped through the prism of its author’s unremitting nihilism and recurring obsessions: Rebus without the chucklesome feelgood factor (the presence of Ken Stott as Lennox’s boss is no coincidence). 

Crime was first made available on subscription site BritBox in 2021. I don’t usually cover repeats, but this is its premiere on free streaming site ITVX, and I daresay some of you may have missed it. A second series is currently in production.

Eurovision Welcomes the World – Monday, BBC One, 6:30pm

The Eurovision festivities kick off with Rylan and Sunetra Sarker attending the spectacular opening ceremony in Liverpool. Later that night on BBC One at 9pm, Jason Manford and Chelcee Grimes present Eurovision Calling: Jason and Chelcee’s Ultimate Guide, a programme exploring how Eurovision became the world’s largest live music event. 

You can also enjoy the live semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday, both of which go out on BBC One at 8pm, and ‘countdown show with a twist’ Eurovision: Everyone’s a Winner (Friday, BBC One, 7:30pm). 

The event should be taking place in Ukraine, who triumphed last year, but that, alas, is obviously impossible. We are, however, promised some impassioned spoken word and musical pieces pledging solidarity with our absent friends.

Andrew: The Problem Prince – Monday, Channel 4, 9pm

In the concluding episode of this documentary about the events surrounding Prince Andrew’s disastrous encounter with BBC journalist Emily Maitlis, we arrive at the actual interview itself.

Andrew felt he was equipped to mount a defence of his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but he ended up making a total fool of himself with a bizarre string of counterclaims. 

Why on earth did he agree to the interview? Maitlis wonders if he was desperately trying to save his children from further humiliation. If so, it backfired. 

Prior to its broadcast, Andrew apparently felt that the interview had gone well. He is not, to put it mildly, a man troubled by much in the way of self-awareness.

The Greatest Auction – Tuesday, Channel 4, 8pm

AJ Odudu hosts this brand new gavel-banging series in which millionaires, private collectors and heavy-duty antique dealers compete for possession of some extraordinary items at a specially created auction house. It’s an emotional experience for the various sellers, but also an opportunity to find out what their precious belongings are actually worth. 

In episode one, some Banksy experts risk their money and reputations on a piece of wall adorned with a work that’s been attributed to the elusive street artist. 

Other items up for grabs include a jar of pickled pig foetuses, an impressive collection of Buzzcocks ephemera, and – best of all – a fez that once belonged to Tommy Cooper.

The Kidnap of Angel Lynn – Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

Three years ago, Angel Lynn was kidnapped by her abusive boyfriend. She fell out of his speeding van and suffered near fatal injuries. 

Preview copies weren’t available, but this sounds like an utterly devastating documentary. It gives voice to a young woman, a victim of coercive control, who is gradually learning how to live again. 

Angel was a fun-loving teenager when she first met her abuser. He took over her life. She was bombarded with degrading messages and isolated from her friends and family. That horrifying ordeal culminated in a crime that left her unable to walk, speak or feed herself. 

The story is told via Angel’s texts, social media posts and assistance from her loved ones.

Therapy: Tough Talking – Thursday, BBC Three, 9pm

Rapper, actor and writer Kema Kay struggles with his mental health. In this documentary, he invites a film crew into his therapy sessions. Kay is an outwardly successful and talented young fella, but he’s dealing with a lifetime of trauma. 

I haven’t seen the programme, this one wasn’t available either, but I’m recommending it based on my long-standing trust of BBC Three as a reliable source of sensitive documentaries about mental health issues. 

It takes tremendous courage to admit that you need therapy, as there is still – even in this ostensibly enlightened age - too much stigma attached to opening up about our need for help.  

Hidden Treasures of the National Trust – Friday, BBC Two, 9pm

This new series goes behind the scenes at one of Britain’s most important cultural institutions. Every year, millions of people flock to the historic homes and gardens owned by the National Trust, all of which are tended by a dedicated team of experts. 

In episode one, property curator Liz and senior paintings conservator Rebecca look after one of the finest surviving portraits of Elizabeth I, which is about to go on loan for a tour of North America. 

We also visit the home of Victorian horticulturalist James Bateman. His wondrous garden is missing one of its most important parts: an ornate wooden bridge. Meanwhile, a 17^th century portrait hanging in a world-renowned library is in need of a deep clean.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Attica: America’s Bloodiest Prison Uprising – Tuesday 2nd May, BBC Four

In September 1971, the inmates at the Attica Correctional Facility in New York took over their hellhole prison. A tense stand-off ensued. 

By the end, ten hostages and more than 30 prisoners were dead. Most of them were killed by law enforcement officers on the fourth and final day of the insurrection. 

This riveting, angering Storyville documentary delivered an in-depth account of an appalling tragedy and human rights scandal. 

The story unfolded via candid eyewitness accounts from former inmates, negotiators, lawyers, journalists and the children of some of the guards who died. 

The Attica uprising was a disaster waiting to happen. When people are stripped of their humanity and brutalised, eventually they’ll rebel against their oppressors.

LENNY HENRY'S CARIBBEAN BRITAIN + BACK IN TIME FOR BIRMINGHAM + ELLIE & NATASIA

This article was originally published in The Courier on 18th June 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain – Wednesday, BBC Two, 9pm

The British Caribbean community has enriched our collective culture in so many ways. In this comprehensive two-part series, Sir Len celebrates its myriad achievements. 

He also reflects upon the complex nature of integration: “Does it mean that we as Caribbean people have to sacrifice our culture? How much of my culture has Britain absorbed?” 

A fascinating piece of black history, it pays tribute to a wide variety of pioneering artists, writers, actors, musicians and broadcasters, all of whom played a significant role in representing their culture to a dominant and (to put it mildly) often hostile society. 

Told with warmth and humour, this insightful essay is a clarion call of joyful defiance in the face of systemic adversity.

Back in Time for Birmingham – Monday to Thursday, BBC Two, 8pm

As this long-running, time-travelling series returns, we’re introduced to the Sharma family from Birmingham, which is one of Britain’s most ethnically diverse cities.

They’re our conduit to finding out what life was like for South Asian families who settled in Britain from the 1950s onwards. As always, the experiment involves them living in an authentic period simulacrum. It highlights the ongoing struggles of immigrants trying to make a better life for themselves in a strange and unfamiliar land. 

Highlights include the family improvising delicious South Asian meals using dreary 1950s British ingredients, and a detour into the independent cinemas/community hubs which imported Indian films to a grateful audience. An enlightening programme, rich in research.

Style Fixers – Monday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

Alannah Carson and Jamie Grandison are make-up artists who source and style costumes for live drag shows. They’re also the hosts of this upcycled fashion makeover extravaganza, which is back for a second series. 

It’s a straightforward format: every week, two new clients approach our likeable duo, who each have £30 to spend in second-hand shops. Accessorising unfolds. 

One of their latest clients suffers from multiple chronic illnesses, which influences the way she dresses. Comfort is paramount, but she’d like to look more stylish at times. Carson and Grandison are on the case. They also provide some easy-to-learn budget fashion lessons. 

You don’t have to be a sewing or cosmetics whizz, it’s all very accessible.

The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN – Tuesday, BBC Two, 9pm

This sounds like an important piece of television. Preview copies weren’t available, but here’s a capsule synopsis: employees from several United Nations agencies go public with allegations of sexual abuse and corruption. 

The UN is, in theory at least, a bastion of integrity. An institution devoted to upholding human rights and promoting global peace. This programme promises to uphold the traumatic experiences of those who sought to challenge a hierarchal culture of silence. That principled stand had severe repercussions with regards to their private lives. 

I obviously can’t make any kind of judgement on a programme I haven’t seen, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that – at 90 minutes – we’re in for a thorough report.

Ellie & Natasia – Tuesday, BBC Three, 10pm

Here’s fun, a new sketch show written by and starring Ellie White and Natasia ‘Tash’ Demetriou. You may recognise the latter from Stath Lets Flats and What We Do In the Shadows. White plays Princess Beatrice in The Windsors. Put ‘em together and you get this commendably unpredictable confection, which revels in absurdity and (partially improvised?) silliness. 

Characters in episode one include a disconcerting dentist’s assistant, a smug wild swimmer, and two jegging-clad Prosecco mums providing some handy household tips for the benefit of no one. Best of all, though, is their utterly nonsensical daytime television spoof. Reader, I laughed. 

It doesn’t all work, but that’s sketch shows for you. The overall attitude papers over the weak spots.  

Josh Taylor: Portrait of a Fighter – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

Josh Taylor is currently the undisputed light-welterweight world champion. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest living pound for pound boxers. This intimate documentary follows the champ as he prepares to defend his title. 

Brought up on a Prestonpans council estate, Taylor comes across as an unpretentious lad who is sincerely grateful for the sacrifices his parents made to support his boxing career. 

Famous fan Irvine Welsh provides some socio-political context, citing Taylor as a rare example of a working-class Scot who has managed to transcend the barriers placed in front of them from birth. 

Famous friend Martin Compston skirts around the ‘outspokenness’ that has landed Taylor in trouble. Hopefully he’s learned from his mistakes.

Our Lives: Sarah the Lumberjill – Friday, BBC One, 7:30pm

The latest in this series of half-hour documentaries is devoted to one Sarah Yeaman, who fells trees in the forests of Perthshire alongside her father, brother and wee dog, Biscuit. She’s part of the fourth generation of her family to choose this sometimes gruelling vocation, or “take up the saw” as she puts it. 

Narrated by Sarah herself, the programme grants insight into the everyday challenges of being a chainsaw-wielding artisan. Sarah is a single mum of two boys. Her busy working day starts at 7:30am. 

Dad Ralph is in poor health, he’s accepted that he’ll have to retire soon, but he’s quietly proud and delighted at the prospect of Sarah taking over the traditional family business.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Our Falklands War: A Frontline Story – Sunday 12th June, BBC Two

This exceptional documentary spotlighted ten British soldiers who fought on the frontline during the Falklands War, their stories told by the men themselves. Almost nothing of the land fighting was captured on film, hence why the film unfolded as an immersive oral history occasionally punctuated by contemporary news reports. 

Some of these haunted men hadn’t even told their families about what happened during those 25 days in 1982. Sitting down for the cameras hopefully gave them some closure. 

Their accounts were unflinchingly honest and mired in disturbing detail. The underlying theme was the psychological conflict of having to take another person’s life in the name of war, while knowing that you could yourself be killed at any moment.

Bodies of Evidence: The Butcher Surgeon – Sunday 12th June, STV

The latest edition of ITV’s august Exposure strand, which first broke the Savile scandal back in 2013, addressed the horrific case of Ian Paterson. He was once a highly regarded breast surgeon consultant who worked primarily within the private healthcare system.  “He was like God to me,” said one of his patients. 

Paterson – and I don’t know how else to describe him – turned out to be a messianic psychopath who operated on patients he’d knowingly misdiagnosed as suffering from cancer. It is thought that he disfigured thousands of people. 

His motives are unfathomable, but the main point of the programme was this: Paterson’s anguished victims deserve justice and compensation from an avaricious system that shirks from accountability.