Big Night of Musicals 2025 by the National Lottery and Beyond Paradise: TV highlights

Big Night of Musicals 2025 by the National Lottery (Saturday 22/03/25, BBC1 & BBC2 Wales, 6.50pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

At the recent Oscars, two musicals, Wicked and Emilia Pérez, were nominated for Best Picture – the last time that happened was in 1969, when Funny Girl lost the top prize to Oliver! Now the BBC and the National Lottery are teaming up to remind us that musicals aren’t just thriving on the big screens.

Filmed in front of an audience of 12,000 at Manchester’s AO Arena, The Big Night of Musicals 2025 is a celebration of the West End and touring productions that are currently delighting British theatregoers.

The first Big Night was held in 2022 as a way of thanking the people who helped to keep the industry going during the difficult days of Covid. It was such a success, it’s now become something of an annual tradition.

Part of that tradition is that the show is hosted by Jason Manford, who has the perfect qualifications for the job. He’s proved he can belt out a show tune with the best of them, whether it’s in musicals like Sweeney Todd, The Producers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Guys and Dolls, or on the first series of The Masked Singer.

He says: “It’s an honour to be back hosting The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals for the fourth time! It’s always a pleasure to host in Manchester to give a northern audience the chance to see some spectacular performances and appearances from the stars of the West End – and this year’s line-up is stronger than ever.”

That line-up includes actor Daniel Mays, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for his performance in Guys and Dolls and who joins Jason for a special musical number.

Another Olivier nominee, Marisha Wallace, performs Maybe This Time from Cabaret, while Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir take on a classic with Michael Ball

Billy Porter, Ruthie Henshall, and Faye Tozer make guest appearances, and Carrie Hope Fletcher transports us to the wild west with a performance from Calamity Jane.

Layton Williams provides a taste of the new comedy Titanique, a Celine Dion-inspired spoof on the blockbuster Titanic. Strictly professional Johannes Radebe reveals how he’s making the leap to musical theatre actor by appearing in Kinky Boots, and there are also numbers from numbers from the casts of Chicago, Mary Poppins, Mean Girls, Here and Now: The Steps Musical, Jim Steinman’s Bat Out of Hell, and Dear Evan Hansen, as well as a UK TV first from Disney’s Hercules.

We even get a glimpse into the future thanks to a preview of shows due to hit the theatres this year, and a group of stars-in-training who unite for a special performance from Billy Elliot.

If it still leaves you hungry for more jazz hands, BBC2 brings us Show Tunes at the BBC: Volume 2, which sees musical theatre legend Elaine Paige digging through the archives for numbers from Les Misérables, Oklahoma!, Hamilton, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

This City Is Ours (Sunday 23/03/25, BBC One, 9pm)

Sarah Morgan

It looks like being a big year for Liverpool.

Everton FC will soon be leaving Goodison Park, their home since 1892, for a stunning new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, while only a catastrophic dip in form is likely to prevent their arch rivals Liverpool winning their 20th league title.

But before either of those events can happen, there’s a chance to see the city on the small screen in a new eight-part drama from Stephen Butchard, whose credits also include small-screen adaptations of Bernard Cornwell and CJ Sansom’s historic novels, as well as Five Daughters, Vincent and Good Cop.

“Liverpool, the city itself, is always a joy to visit and work in,” claims one of the show’s stars, Sean Bean, who has worked on Merseyside many times in the past. “It has been good to me and it has a special place in my heart. The people welcome you with open arms and that makes things so much easier for any production crew.

“They are proud to have you in their city, using their home as a location is recognition of its appeal. They are also grateful that the city’s economy benefits from being one of the most used places to film.

“The city looks brilliant on film, from the waterfront to Chinatown, and across to the Wirral. This City is Ours is a great title in many ways because it is defiant and triumphant.”

Bean plays Ronnie Phelan who, along with his wife Elaine (Julie Graham), runs a major crime empire with drug smuggling and dealing at its centre. But Ronnie is beginning to feel his age, and is considering retirement.

One of his most trusted lieutenants, Michael (James Nelson-Joyce), seems likely to take over, until Ronnie’s son Jamie decides he wants the job. But he’s something of a loose cannon, and a possible battle with a rival faction could cause further problems, which Michael would prefer to avoid – he’s in love for the first time and wants to plan for the future rather than be caught up in danger and violence in the present.

For Bean, taking the role of Ronnie was a no-brainer. “When I first received the script my immediate reaction was ‘I have got to be in this’. It is brutal – but it is very real.

“I like the crime genre,” adds the Sheffielder. “Series such as Peaky Blinders and Line of Duty, the BBC do them well. I found this to be different, because it is not from the police point of view, but from the villains’ perspective, and we get to know why they do what they do. It is not gratuitous violence, the storylines are better than that.”

So, if he had to sum up the series in three words, what would they be?

Bean grins: “Unique – because it stands out in a strong field. Exciting – because you will be on the edge of your seat. New – because the storytelling is so fresh. At the end of the day, it’s a love story – but not your normal romance, it’s a brand new love story for now. People watching are going to love it, too.”

Love and Loss: The Pandemic 5 Years On (Monday 24/03/25, BBC1, 8.30pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

On March 23, 2020, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Britain was going into lockdown to try to halt the spread of covid.

The pandemic claimed the lives of over 220,000 people, the biggest loss of life in the country since the Second World War, but five years on, have we fully reckoned with its impact?

Award-winning director Catey Sexton, whose mother died in a care home, says: “It feels like we are in a rush to forget and move on.”

So, in the documentary Love and Loss: The Pandemic 5 Years On she’s reminding us of the scale of the tragedy, and the lingering questions about whether more could have been done to prevent it. She does this by sharing her experiences while also hearing from 12 other families from across the UK about their own tragedies.

Each story captures a moment in time in the story of the pandemic, and serves as a tribute to a life.

Catey begins her journey in Liverpool, where she meets the family of Richie. An avid Liverpool fan, he was there when his team hosted a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. The game took place on 11 March 2020 – the same day the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic.

The film also hears the story of 21-year-old Chloe who, just a few days before the national lockdown, became the youngest person to die without any underlying health conditions.

When the lockdown was announced, not everyone could stay home. Catey meets the families of some of the millions of key workers who kept the country going, such as Rodrick, whose dad, Rudy, was a London bus driver for 30 years, and Kazeema, a healthcare worker in Walsall, whose 36-year-old sister Areema became one of the first nurses to die.

When the country then began to slowly open up again, many people were desperate to return to everyday life.

Amanda recalls how she and her husband Bob, whom she describes as a ‘bon viveur’, took advantage of Eat Out to Help Out, a government scheme designed to support restaurants, but the family would pay a heavy price for their taste of normalcy.

As a second wave hit, Britain would experience more lockdowns, although there was hope on the horizon in the form of the vaccine. However, that would come too late for some families.

As Catey hears more stories, she explores how some people are still looking for answers and justice, while others just want to come to terms with what happened. They are all united by a desire to make sure their loved ones are remembered.

The director says: “It’s important that we document the stories of those we have lost to the pandemic. To ensure their deaths are not in vain or forgotten, and to make sense of what happened, in the hope future lives can be saved. For those who no longer have a voice it’s the least they deserve.”

The Change (Tuesday 25/03/2025, Channel 4, 10pm & 10.30pm)

Words by Richard Jones

Bridget Christie’s Bafta-nominated menopause comedy The Change has a lot of fans, including actor and director Mackenzie Crook, who called it “my favourite TV show of 2023”.

The Detectorists, The Office and Pirates of the Caribbean star clearly wanted to get involved, and as it returns for a second season, Crook is in the director’s chair.

“To find myself directing series two feels like winning a competition,” he says.

“My prize includes Bridget’s beautifully crafted scripts, a cast of comedy legends, and a summer of filming in the glorious British countryside.”

Meanwhile, Bridget admits that the feeling is mutual and she’s long been a fan of Crook’s work.

She says: “Detectorists was my favourite British TV show of the past decade and was a huge influence on The Change, so to have Mackenzie directing the second series feels like a mad dream. I can’t think of anyone better suited to direct.”

The Change is centred around Linda (Christie), a 50-year-old mum-of-two who, convinced she had early onset dementia, went to her GP, who informed her she was actually experiencing the menopause.

After receiving that news, she hopped on her old Triumph motorbike in search of an identity and purpose in the Forest of Dean.

At the start of the second series, Linda has some explaining to do, having told lies to the community she joined.

And in true ‘Forest’ tradition, she has to jump through unorthodox hoops to defend herself.

As she awaits trial, Linda is ejected from the town and banned from the caravan by the Eel Sisters who are furious with her.

Meanwhile, a third sister appears on the scene, Theresa, who’s clearly sceptical about Linda.

As the townsfolk gathers for the trial, Linda mentions her ledgers during her defence and she is eventually pardoned.

Then, after settling back into the caravan, she stumbles upon a book in the forest – the Malleus Maleficarum – with an inscription from Fayther to Jim saying “keep the faith”.

Linda ends the day with Tony, who’s struggling with news of a woman winning a comedy competition.

As she sips her pint, she sees a group of women across the room, looking at her and whispering.

News of her ledgers has spread across town and the seeds of a revolution have been sown.

The Verderer is sure that the growing revolt and dwindling eel numbers are signs that the women are upsetting the natural order of things – and they must be stopped.

The star-studded cast returning to the Forest of Dean, alongside Christie, includes Susan Lynch who plays Eel Sister Agnes.

Tanya Moodie is also back as DJ Joy, Liza Tarbuck returns as Linda’s older sister Siobhain, Jim Howick as The Verderer, Jerome Flynn is Pig Man, Paul Whitehouse is Tony, and Omid Djalili plays Linda’s husband Steve.

In the unlikely event Crook was slightly daunted working on one of his favourite shows, there was a familiar face with him on set.

He was reunited with one of his Detectorists co-stars Laura Checkley, who joins the cast as Eel Sister Theresa.

Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks (Wednesday 26/03/25, BBC One, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

It’s Wednesday evening, and BBC One is starting its primetime schedule with a new episode of The Repair Shop.

Now, what is nailed-on, guaranteed to happen at some point during the programme? That’s right, somebody will cry because they’re overwhelmed with emotion at seeing a beloved object restored to its former glory.

The weeping is set to continue at 9pm this week too, because The Repair Shop is being followed by a moving two-part documentary presented by Rose Ayling-Ellis.

The former EastEnders star and Strictly Come Dancing champion is returning to acting soon, with two new dramas lined up – ITV’s Code of Silence and the BBC’s Reunion – but didn’t want to miss the opportunity to champion a project close to her heart. It’s also her second factual BBC show after last year’s Signs for Change, in which she offered personal insights into the deaf experience and explored whether attitudes towards the deaf community are finally changing in a positive manner.

“Rose’s previous film did so much to raise awareness of the reality of life for deaf people in the UK and I’m really pleased that she is back with this important new project,” says Clare Sillery, the BBC’s Head of Commissioning, Documentaries. “I hope that this new series, which brings warmth and compassion to a major public health issue, will have a similar impact and demonstrate the value of British Sign Language (BSL) in all our lives.”

It’s estimated that around three-quarters of older people experience hearing loss, a figure that is expected to rise in the coming years. It’s considered a major public health issue, and yet it often goes undiagnosed or dismissed, something that can lead to greater issues or create barriers between people as the situation worsens.

With that in mind, Rose is spending time at Hughenden Gardens Retirement Village in High Wycombe, whose residents have agreed to undergo a unique experiment – students as old as 95, some of whom have arthritis in their hands, will learn how to communicate via BSL which, they hope, will open up new worlds to them, and prove that age is no barrier when it comes to picking up new skills.

Rose works alongside deaf tutors, while deaf children as young as five have been invited to share their experiences with the residents. And look out too for a deaf rave, during which music is explored in an entirely new way, as well as a visit from the sisters who run the UK’s first deaf food truck, who can barely control their emotions while witnessing what is going on.

“I knew filming this show would be a challenge, but what I have experienced teaching the residents sign language has gone beyond my expectations,” claims Rose of the show that, along with The Repair Shop, could be described as forming the BBC’s first two-hour ‘teary slot’. “It is an experience I will cherish for a lifetime, and I just can’t wait for viewers to see the series.”

Brianna: A Mother’s Story (Thursday 27/03/2025, ITV1, 9pm)

Words by Richard Jones

The Crown Prosecution Service said it was “one of the most disturbing cases” their lawyers had ever dealt with.

On 11 February, 2023, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe lured 16-year-old transgender girl Brianna Ghey to Linear Park in Warrington, Cheshire, with the promise of taking cocaine, before stabbing her to death in a frenzied, premeditated attack.

Jenkinson and Ratcliffe had known each other since they were 11 when they both attended Culcheth High School.

However, Jenkinson was later transferred to nearby Birchwood High School, where she met Brianna.

Jenkinson was obsessed with death and violence and would often access material related to murder and torture on the dark web.

She had drawn up a ‘kill list’, which included the names of four other children, before settling on Brianna as a target, telling Ratcliffe in messages that she wanted to stab Brianna for “fun” and “see the pure horror on her face and hear her scream”.

Meanwhile, a handwritten note outlining the murder plan was found on Jenkinson’s bedroom floor, along with notes about serial killers Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez and Harold Shipman.

Ten months after the deadly attack, in December 2023, Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were convicted of Brianna’s murder after a trial at Manchester Crown Court.

Sentencing judge Mrs Justice Yip said Jenkinson, who was handed a 22-year minimum term, was the “driving force” behind the murder plot, but that it would have been “wholly wrong to treat [Ratcliffe] as being under Scarlett’s control”.

Justice Yip also said Ratcliffe’s motivation was in part hostility to Brianna’s transgender identity.

With exclusive police access, this powerful documentary details the 28-hour search that led to the arrest of the 15-year-old killers, while never-before-seen custody interviews show how the pair tried to cover their tracks.

Meanwhile, Brianna’s friends and family speak of a bright, fun teenager who loved the colour pink.

They talk about her trans journey, the struggles she faced, and the love she brought to those around her.

But the main focus of the programme is Brianna’s mother Esther Ghey, who talks openly about her “beautiful and fearless” daughter – and how the tragedy has driven her fight for change.

Esther has turned her unimaginable grief into empathy – meeting Jenkinson’s mother and uncle and spearheading a campaign to reduce youth violence and protect children from the harmful effects of social media.

Last year, schools and businesses across Warrington and the North West of England took part in a Wear Pink for Peace fundraiser in Brianna’s memory, and to raise money for Peace & Mind UK, a charity set up by Esther.

Brianna has been described as “the life and soul of the party”, but also a “complex person” who suffered from anxiety and had an eating disorder.

Esther believes this was exacerbated by what she was accessing online and hopes that through mindfulness in schools, young people will develop a greater understanding of how to look after themselves.

Esther is clearly proud that Peace & Mind UK is Brianna’s legacy.

“There’s so many other people that have helped, but really the person that is the catalyst to all of this is Brianna,” she says. “Brianna should be and would be proud of herself.”

Beyond Paradise (Friday 28/03/25, BBC1, 8pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Has Sally Bretton quietly become Britain’s hardest-working actress?

This month alone, she’s starred in the Channel 5 thriller The Au Pair, and cropped up in a Comic Relief crossover of her two hit BBC shows, the cosy crime drama Beyond Paradise and the sitcom Not Going Out.

Now she’s back for a new series of the aforementioned Death in Paradise spin-off, in which she plays DI Humphrey Goodman’s (Kris Marshall) other half Martha.

So, at least Sally should be able to empathise with her character, who has a lot going on. The actress explains: “At the start of the series, we find Martha and Humphrey still navigating their evolving understanding of family. They’re very much in the middle of their fostering journey and Martha is also expanding her business. She’s taken on a larger restaurant, which is really fulfilling some of her personal ambitions.

“They’re still living in Anne’s house, which has become a joke between myself and Barbara Flynn who plays her. Will they ever move out?!”

To be fair, you can see why house-hunting isn’t a priority for the couple, especially as this series will see them become foster parents to nine-year-old Rosie, which means they’ve got enough stress without moving as well.

Sally explains: “The balancing act is challenging. On paper, Martha was supposed to be the primary carer, especially with Humphrey’s work commitments, but she ends up taking on a lot more than expected.

“She is managing her business, looking after Rosie, and trying to keep everything in order – it’s a lot. But despite the struggles, they both fall in love with Rosie, and it becomes a deeply rewarding experience for them.

“They go through a whole range of emotions but in the end it’s something they’ll always look back on as a very special chapter in their lives.”

While Beyond Paradise may delve into Humphrey’s domestic life, it remains a detective drama – and this time Martha gets caught up in one the cases.

Sally laughs: “Martha is not exactly thrilled about being dragged into one of Humphrey’s investigations, especially because she’s already juggling so much. She is running a coffee van at a regatta, looking after Rosie, and suddenly finds herself being formally interviewed by Humphrey at the police station over a poisoning case. It’s a bit much for her and, honestly, she’s irritated by the whole thing.

“I remember reading the script for that scene and actually laughing out loud – Martha’s frustration really came through. It’s a fun and intense moment and you get to see a different side of her.”

That’s all still to come though, as in the first episode, Martha is concentrating on her expanding business, while Humphrey and Esther (Zahra Ahmadi) look into a mysterious death.

As the body was found in the river on the Cornwall-Dorset border, the Shipton Abbott team are forced to work alongside their Cornish counterparts, who decide the death was a tragic accident. However, Humphrey can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to the case than meets the eye.