The Late Late Show
Friday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm
Fresh from their gold medal-winning victories at the World Rowing Championships, Paul and Gary O'Donovan and Sanita Puspure will tell Ryan Tubridy about their wins and how they are positioned for a dominant display in the Tokyo Olympics. As broadcaster Pat Kenny celebrates being inducted into the Imro Radio Awards Hall of Fame, he talks about his five decade-long career, including host of The Late Late Show for 10 years.Met Éireann's Joanna Donnelly will be in studio to chat about why our climate has changed so dramatically, and what we can expect from the coming winter. As he prepares to launch his autobiography, country-music superstar Nathal Carter will describe growing up Irish in Liverpool and making country cool again. Former Ireland prop Mike Ross, who was 17 years old when he lost his younger brother to suicide, will share his family's story. Plus music from Villagers.
The Graham Norton Show
Friday, BBC1, 10.35pm
New series. The host is joined by Oscar-nominated Bradley Cooper and pop superstar Lady Gaga, both starring in the hotly anticipated musical romance A Star Is Born. Plus, Broadchurch star Jodie Whittaker, shortly to begin her new incarnation as Doctor Who, and double-Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling, who is playing astronaut Neil Armstrong in biopic First Man. Rod Stewart also shares a word or two prior to performing his single Didn't I, and a another bunch of intrepid audience members attempt to recount an anecdote from the dreaded red chair.
Cosáin Cheoil
Friday, RTÉ One, 8.30pm
This new series looks at the intersection of old and new in Scottish and Irish traditional music, and how young musicians are putting a modern twist on age-old sounds. The series will feature performances from established acts such as Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, along with upcoming musical innovators such as Aidan O’Rourke, Úna Monaghan, Talisk and Moxie. As Máirtín O’Connor says: “I think there is enough of the basic core of pure traditional music that is strong enough to withstand the innovation and experimentation.”
Rameses, Moses & Murder: Revealed
Friday, Channel 5, 7pm
We've all seen the Hollywood blockbusters, but this documentary explores looks at the figure of Rameses the Great, the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty of Egypt, as well as the legend of Moses, who as a baby was placed in a basket by his mother and left to float down the Nile in order to avoid a decree that every first-born male child be immediately killed. Later, an Israelite of the tribe of Levi, Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt.
The Ray D'Arcy Show
Saturday, RTÉ One, 9.45pm
From the four corners of the entertainment world Rory Cowan, Erin McGregor, Ryan Andrews and James Patrice join Ray for a chat about their collaboration in this season's Olympia panto, Polly and the Magic Lamp. Then, from Broadway to the West End, Marti Pellow takes us through his collection of hits from Wet Wet Wet to personal favourites. Giving a satirical spin to the week, Waterford Whispers News, the website with more than 14 million readers, will broadcast its first live RTÉ One news bulletin. And former RTÉ News broadcaster Una O'Hagan opens up about life after retirement and writing a book about her personal connection to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
Albert: The Power Behind Victoria
Saturday, Channel 5, 8.35pm
Prince Albert was a driving force in the early Victorian age and played a massive part in shaping the British monarchy as we know it today This docudrama, narrated by Samantha Bond, reveals the untold story of how the 20-year-old "Pauper Prince" rose from obscurity to be one of the most powerful men in the world. It draws on private letters, memoirs and historical written accounts, as well as insight from leading historians.
Who Do You Think You Are? Bertie Ahern
Sunday, RTÉ One, 9.30pm
Bertie Ahern didn’t like it when journalists dredged up the past when he was taoiseach, but here he’s happy to delve into his family history . The first shock is that this dyed-in-the-wool Dub’s roots are deeply embedded in Cork, where both his parents were born and raised. The Bert learns about his family’s progress from tenants during the Famine to landowners in the early 20th century, and uncovers an ancestor who died in the Civil War fighting for the new Free State Army under – shock horror – blueshirt Eoin O’Duffy.
Great Lighthouses of Ireland
Sunday, RTÉ One, 6.30pm
For hundreds of years, Ireland’s lighthouses have provided a beacon for seafarers and an inspiration for poets. But they’re still a vital part of Ireland’s maritime life, and this four-part series looks at some of Ireland’s most iconic lighthouses, including Hook Head, Skelligs, Blacksod, Ballycotton and Galley Head. The series will look at the history of our lighthouses, the science behind their construction, and the people who brave the elements to keep the light shining through storms and squalls.
The Cry
Sunday, BBC1, 9pm
Young couple Joanna and Alistair are flying from Scotland to Australia with their new baby, Noah, to visit Alistair's mother in Melbourne. And they also intend to fight for custody of Alistair's 14-year-old daughter from a previous relationship. The flight proves an ordeal, as Noah cries all the way, driving his parents – and other passengers – scatty. When the couple arrive in Melbourne, exhausted and frazzled, things take a tragic turn, and their lives begin to disintegrate in the aftermath of a child abduction. The Cry is a four-part series based on the novel by Helen FitzGerald, and stars Jenna Coleman and Ewen Leslie as the couple forced to face the unthinkable.
Back to Mine
Sunday, UTV, 3pm
What can you tell about a person from where they live? Rochelle Humes narrates this new dating show in which intrepid singletons hunt for a potential partner by rifling through their home before they've even met. In the first episode, 31-year-old vegan and yoga fanatic Nadia from Liverpool house-hunts for love with the help of her sister. However, the tables are turned when their chosen match gets to look around their home. What will they make of Nadia's holistic crystals and wall of inspirational quotes? And will they decide to accept her date or stand her up?
Farther and Sun: A Dyslexic Road Trip
Sunday, BBC4, 9pm
Award-winning documentary maker Richard Macer sets off on a road trip with his dyslexic son Arthur to find out whether dyslexia is only ever a weakness or whether it could actually be a gift. While 50 per cent of prisoners are thought to be dyslexic, many other successful people, among them Richard Branson and Eddie Izzard, have also been diagnosed with the condition, and organisations such as Nasa and GCHQ encourage a "neuro-diverse" workforce. Can Richard and Arthur find an answer to this conundrum as they meet academics, scientists and designers?
Additional reporting: PA
