A Yorkshire Farm, First Dates and Women's Euro 2025: TV highlights

Match of the Day Live (Saturday 05/07/2025, BBC One, 4.15pm) & UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 (ITV1, 7pm)

Words by Richard Jones

In sport, it is often more challenging to maintain a championship status than it is to achieve it in the first place.

Now, almost three years on from their momentous Euros triumph, England begin the defence of their title this evening, knowing that the best teams from around Europe are queuing up to dethrone them.

So what are the Lionesses’ chances of retaining the trophy when the final takes place in Basel on Sunday, 27 July?

Well, the build-up has not been great for coach Sarina Wiegman.

Golden glove-winning goalkeeper Mary Earps has recently retired from international duty, while forward Fran Kirby has also stepped away, and key centre back Millie Bright said she wouldn’t be going to the Euros as she wanted to prioritise her mental and physical wellbeing.

Meanwhile, Ella Morris, the uncapped Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, injured her ACL while on England duty and had to withdraw.

But despite all that, and the team’s patchy recent form, there is plenty of optimism that Wiegman will be able to get her players to click again at another major tournament.

One person who is confident England can go very far, if not all the way, is ITV’s Laura Woods who will presenting the Lionesses’ opening game against France tonight.

She says: “It’s very competitive this year and I’m very much looking forward to England defending their crown, hopefully they can go all the way.

“I think England will definitely get out of the group, if we finish top I think we have a strong chance of going all the way.

“Without Millie Bright in the team you lose such a huge leader but you have Leah Williamson in there, Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp, who is coming back into form.

“Lauren James is a brilliant player and one of my favourites. I think she could have a really good tournament.”

England’s opponents at Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich tonight have reached at least the quarter-finals of every World Cup and European Championship since 2009, and the French supporters will feel a major international honour is long overdue.

However, with former captain Wendie Renard and all-time leading goalscorer Eugénie Le Sommer not in Laurent Bonadei’s squad, OL Lyon’s Kadidiatou Diani is Les Bleues’ most experienced player.

Before England’s opening game on ITV1, the BBC is broadcasting what will be a special occasion for Wales and their fans as they make their major tournament debut against the Netherlands at Allmend Stadion Luzern.

The Dragons defeated Republic of Ireland in a play-off in December to secure their place in Switzerland, but Rhian Wilkinson’s side have struggled in the UEFA Nations League since.

Their opponents, the Oranje Leeuwinnen, won this tournament when they were hosts in 2017 and made it to the quarter-finals three years ago.

Coached by Andries Jonker, they will expect to be contenders once again.

“Wales have got it tough and if Wales get out of the group, that would be a great achievement for them,” Laura adds.

Nevertheless, teams from Wales historically thrive as underdogs, and their players and fans will be quietly confident of springing a shock in Group D, whether it’s against the Dutch, or against the English or French over the next eight days.

Live Aid at 40: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took on the World (Sunday 06/07/25, BBC2, 9pm & 10pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

July 13 will mark the 40th anniversary of one of the biggest, most famous and influential concerts in rock history – Live Aid, which was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for the relief of the famine in Ethiopia.

There had been charity gigs before that but nothing on the sheer scale of Live Aid. As well as taking place in two different venues on opposite sides of the Atlantic (Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia), the event was beamed around the world, and watched by an estimated audience of nearly two billion people in more than 100 countries.

Some of the acts that day would give iconic performances – most notably Queen, whose frontman Freddie Mercury had the crowd at Wembley eating out of the palm of his hand – but even more than the music, Live Aid would change the way people thought about charity and international aid.

However, while the event was undoubtedly a massive achievement, its legacy hasn’t been without controversy.

Now, the three-part documentary Live Aid at 40: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took on the World sets out to tell the behind-the-scenes story, featuring contributions from Bob Geldof, Bono, Sting and Midge Ure, and survivors of the famine, including Birhan Woldu, the starving Ethiopian girl whose image was immortalised by David Bowie during the concert.

We also hear from political heavyweights including former President Obasanjo of Nigeria, George W Bush and Tony Blair, who later in the series shares memories of Live 8 in 2005.

However, the story begins in tonight’s opening double bill in October 1984, when Bob Geldof of the band Boomtown Rats sees a BBC news report about a ‘biblical famine’ in Ethiopia. Like many viewers, he was shocked by the images, but he vowed to do something to help, teaming up with Midge Ure to write a song.

The resulting single, Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? became a huge hit, raising millions for the cause.

While Geldof was no stranger to the recording studio or Top of the Pops, he now found himself navigating the complex worlds of aid, charity and African politics.

The second episode, which follows directly afterwards, looks at the work that went into staging the joint concert between London and Philadelphia.

It was a huge undertaking, but arguably the tougher challenge came afterwards as Geldof faced decisions about how to allocate the funds. He travelled across Sub-Saharan Africa, engaging with governments and aid agencies, but in Ethiopia he found himself caught up in a controversy over how the aid was being used.

The documentary features footage from the concerts, but if that whets your appetite for more Live Aid, the good news is that on Saturday, July 12, BBC2 is bringing us 6.5 hours of extended highlights of the London and Philadelphia concerts, including backstage footage and a transatlantic interview with Phil Collins, who famously appeared at both legs.

Scrublands: Silver (Monday 07/07/25, BBC Two, 9pm)

Sarah Morgan

It’s the summer, a time when TV broadcasters assume people are off on holiday, or spending more time outside enjoying the better weather, rather than tuning into something on the small screen.

That can often mean those who love unwinding in front of the box are left short of new drama series to delve into, and this year is no different. There also isn’t that much space in the schedules – at least on the BBC anyway – thanks to wall-to-wall coverage of Wimbledon and the Women’s Euros football championships.

Thankfully, one gem of a series snuck onto our screens with little fanfare last week. Scrublands: Silver is based on the second novel in Chris Hammer’s crime series about journalist Martin Scarsden. If the tales feel perhaps a little more realistic than most, it’s probably because Hammer spent 30 years as a reporter in his native Australia before turning to fiction.

The first run aired a couple of years ago. Back then, Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, said of it: “With its enigmatic central protagonist and atmospheric depiction of rural Australia, the compelling and complex narrative of Scrublands will keep BBC viewers guessing until the very end…”

And it certainly did. The plot followed Martin during his trip to a small, isolated town whose residents were still coming to terms with a local tragedy in which a priest shot dead five of his parishioners. Martin’s job was to write an article about how everyone was coping with what had happened. However, his questions led to the unearthing of some terrible secrets.

This time around, he’s back in his hometown of Silver with his new partner Mandy (who he met in the debut run) in tow; the couple are played by Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote.

“We only had a few scenes together in the first season, so we weren’t doing the level of work we are now,” Arnold told Australia’s TV Week magazine. “We have a lot of emotions and a complex issue to navigate, which is a lot for a new couple to go through.

“Bella and I work similarly and we get excited by the same things. She challenged me to dig deep and do the work.”

It’s certainly been an emotional rollercoaster for their on-screen alter egos so far; in the first episode, Mandy was accused of murdering Jasper, Martin’s best friend, and he’s spent the rest of the time trying to prove her innocence.

The final two instalments are due to air on Monday and Tuesday this week, and they begin when a witness comes forward, claiming to have seen Mandy dump the murder weapon. After the local police find it, she’s arrested, forcing Martin to use his investigative skills once again, this time unearthing more terrifying truths about the town he thought he knew.

Then, after a vigil for Jasper is organised, a mass poisoning leaves Mandy in a critical condition. Thankfully, reconnecting with his Uncle Vern gives Martin the confidence to trust his own instincts – which may help him clear Mandy’s name.

A Yorkshire Farm (Tuesday 08/07/2025, Channel 5, 7pm)

Words by Richard Jones

It’s a world away from the away from the chaos of being a JLS band member and a Strictly Come Dancing finalist, but for JB Gill, life on a farm is perfect.

“When you live in central London, you’re always hearing a horn or a siren every two minutes and there is a lot of noise,” the 38-year-old singer-turned-Songs of Praise presenter said in a recent interview with Great British Life.

“A lot of people like that, but for me, personally, in a lifestyle and career that is full-on, non-stop and always go, go, go, I just wanted to have a bit of peace and quiet.

“Mentally, having that slice of peace and quiet, to be able to go and be in your thoughts and contemplate all sorts of things, whether it’s in your personal life or anything else, you’ve got that space to do that.”

In 2012, JB relocated to a working farm in Sevenoaks, Kent, with his wife Chloe Tangney, and their smallholding has successfully raised award-winning KellyBronze turkeys and free-range Tamworth pork.

As 5’s A Yorkshire Farm returns for a second run tonight, continuing on Wednesday and Thursday, JB is travelling the country to celebrate farms and farming throughout seasons.

Spring is well and truly in the air as the series gets under way, with rural landscapes around the country starting to change as new shoots and new life emerge after winter.

JB takes a trip to North Ronaldsay in the Orkneys to meet fifth-generation sheep farmers tending to an ancient breed dating back over 6,000 years.

But it’s not the fields or barns where JB finds them, it’s down on the beach munching on the local seaweed.

Also in Scotland, the Campbell family are pulling together to gather their ewes from the highlands to the lowlands in preparation for a busy season of lambing.

And in Northern Ireland we meet farmers Rachel and Stephen McMaster whose journey into pig farming turned out to be a rather accidental one.

Back in God’s Own County, Yorkshire, there’s an emergency at Cannon Hall Farm as Rob and Dave Nicholson have to act fast to save the life of a short horn calf in distress.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire Vet Peter Wright and farmer Roger hit the road on a trip to the prestigious Oban cattle auction.

Roger is hoping to source a new Highland cow and Peter is on hand for a second opinion.

Back at Cannon Hall, Rob and Dave are putting in a nightshift with a busy and cold night in the lambing shed.

Later, the brothers are like kids at Christmas as they wait for the arrival of a miniature donkeys and a Shetland pony.

Plus, farmer Ruth is dealing with an emergency in the lambing shed as a ewe is in distress.

Finally, JB seeks yet more peace and tranquility as he heads to Wales to meet Danny and Tenesia Pascal.

With ‘Everybody in Love’ with their new product – natural skincare products made from homegrown plant life on their allotment – they appear to be onto a winner.

The Trouble with Mr Doodle (Wednesday 09/07/25, C4, 10pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

He might not be as famous as Picasso, Monet or Salvador Dali, but Sam Cox is doing alright, thank you very much.

In 2020, the 31-year-old from Kent was named the fifth most successful artist under 40 at auction in the world, which is no mean feat. Then, in 2024, Bafta-nominated director Jaimie D’Cruz, whose previous works include Exit Through the Gift Shop and Chickens, Hugh and Tesco Too, approached him about making a documentary focusing on Cox’s amazing home, a six-bedroom property whose every wall – both inside and out – is covered with his ‘doodles’. However, he soon changed his mind.

“The first time I met Sam and went into that house, I found it completely overwhelming, and I thought we needed to make the film represent that experience,” D’Cruz told the BBC. “The film tries to create the experience of what it is like to be Sam and be consumed by this need to constantly doodle, but also for us to understand what that might be like.”

The result has been described by its subject as “my favourite thing I’ve ever been involved in.”

Cox grew up in St Michael’s, near Tenterden in Kent, where he still lives with his wife Alena; most of his family are located nearby. On completing school, he studied illustration at the University of the West of England in Bristol, but afterwards struggled to make a living, selling his work for £1 – until his social media following exploded almost overnight after a stop-motion film of him in action went viral; it’s since been reported that his drawings are selling for up to £1million.

Cox’s style has been described as ‘graffiti spaghetti’, and appears to have been inspired by US artist Keith Haring, who rose to prominence in the 1980s. Like Haring was until his untimely death, aged 31, in 1990, Cox is in demand around the world, with works appearing everywhere from London and New York to Brussels and Dubai.

He discusses his popularity and working methods throughout the film, and also opens up about the struggles he’s faced, something he’s previously tried to keep out of the limelight.

“I don’t really share much personal stuff on social media, as I usually just keep it to the doodles and everything is happy, but the process of making the film was really therapeutic to me,” claimed Cox, during a chat with BBC News South East. “My life… hasn’t always been pure joy. And a lot of that has gone into the film.

“But now I’m able to navigate my way through life with a better understanding of who I am.”

The tools of Cox’s trade are usually pens and spray cans, but art isn’t his only creative outlet – he also writes songs, which inspired the documentary’s score, written by Kevin Pollard.

The finished article offers a fascinating insight into one man’s mind, warts and all, giving viewers a look at what it is to live and breathe creation while juggling mental health issues and family life. It’s an amazing project, one that will live long in the memory – and may even inspire a few people too.

The Great Plague with Rob Rinder & Ruth Goodman (Thursday 10/07/25, Channel 5, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Last year, barrister-turned-TV judge Rob Rinder went on a Bafta-winning Grand Tour of Italy with Rylan, and now he’s taking a trip back in time with historian Ruth Goodman.

They’ll be exploring some of the most turbulent periods in history to find out how they affected the rich and poor. When it comes to disasters, are we all in it together, or has money always increased your chance of survival?

Future episodes will explore the Great Fire of London and the Blitz, but the first episode is entitled The Great Plague with Rob Rinder & Ruth Goodman.

For Rob, it’s a fascinating opportunity to look at these seismic events from a new angle. He explains: “I’ve always believed that history is at its most powerful when it’s intimate — when you stop seeing it as a list of dates and start seeing it as real people facing impossible choices.

“What drew me to this series was exactly that: this chance to look closely at individuals living through some of the most terrifying, cataclysmic moments in British history — but to do it with humanity. You see these grand paintings and townhouses, and you assume that wealth insulated people entirely. But what happens when the world catches fire — literally?”

He adds: “That question was thrilling to explore. And yes — class is at the heart of it, but so is fate, courage, love, and sometimes the sheer absurdity of being human in a crisis.”

Ruth agrees, saying: “This series has opened my eyes to some amazing caches of information from fire brigade logbooks starkly describing each and every call out during the Blitz to handwritten recipe books with desperate attempts to stave off the plague.”

In fact, it seems she relished the fact she got some of the less glamorous assignments.

Ruth laughs: “Throughout this series Rob investigated the richer end of society, poor man, whilst I was lucky enough to plunge into the lives at the poorer end of the scale where all the exciting nitty gritty stuff happens. While he was stuck drinking cocktails at the Ritz – yawn – I was ferreting about in dung heaps and back allies, poking my nose into warehouses and workshops, pubs and kitchens.”

We’ll see the results of that research tonight, as they step into the shoes of Londoners from very different backgrounds to learn more about life during the Great Plague of 1665.

Rob uncovers the story of a wealthy, well-connected cloth merchant and a well-to-do vicar, who was living in what was then London’s most fashionable district, Covent Garden.

Meanwhile, Ruth concentrates on the experiences of a poor gravedigger doing whatever he could to keep his family alive in one of London’s poverty-stricken backstreets.

As panic about the disease sets in, Ruth and Rob find out who fled the city and who stayed.

They also learn about secret plague burials, strange cures and the theories about how the illness was spreading – suddenly, washing your underwear was seen as crucial.

First Dates (Friday 11/07/25, Channel 4, 10pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Believe it or not, the current series of First Dates, which began last week, is the 24th.

So, it’s safe to say that the dating show, which began back in 2013 and sees singletons being matched over dinner in a restaurant, is a hit, but what makes it so successful?

Well, the show’s maître Fred Sirieix believes that its sincerity may be the key to its longevity.

Speaking in 2023, he said: “It’s about true love and it’s real. It’s about real people wanting to find true love and they go there for the right reasons. They may or may not find love on First Dates, but they know that they can trust us to look for the best possible match for them.”

It also helps that unlike on some other, more high-concept dating shows, viewers can often see themselves in the singletons.

Fred explains: “We can all relate to it, whether we’re in a relationship or not, we hear their stories and I think that what it reminds us is that nothing is normal, and nothing is not normal. It’s about what you and this other person find together and how you are making a connection together.”

He adds: “It’s also very entertaining, we’re very nosy, we want to know what’s going on in people’s heads and First Dates does that.”

While the format certainly isn’t broken, that doesn’t mean there are never any changes. This time around there are some new staff, including Broadway-ready waiter Gerald and singing charmer Kyle.

The daters they’ll be waiting on tonight include Rebecca, who is a self-confessed Boris Johnson fan. Discussing politics isn’t always the greatest move on a first date, but it seems Bradley may be on the same wavelength.

Meanwhile, midwife Anna loves to be beside the seaside, so she should have something in common with sensitive surfer Luke. Sparks fly between 24-year-old Cormac and 58-year-old Lorraine, and hopefully a spilled drink won’t dampen the chemistry between Paris and Serena.

First Dates has helped to give Fred, who has a background in hospitality, a new career as a presenter. He’s gone on to host Million Pound Menu, Ultimate Wedding Planner, competed on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, and recently got on his bike for his travelogue Tour de Fred: Northern Ireland.

But has the series changed the way Fred, who got married earlier this year, thinks about romance?

He says: “It has reinforced what I already knew. The series has made me even more clear about the fact that love has to come from you first.

“It’s got to be inside you and it’s up to you to give it first and generously. It’s up to you to be charming first than before the other and I think that if you feel that love, you’ve got to give it and it feels good.

“Love is the answer. There’s no two ways about it.”