Dr Who, The Repair Shop and Springtime on the Farm: TV highlights this week

Doctor Who (Saturday 12/04/25 BBC One, 6.50pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Believe it or not, it’s 20 years since Russell T Davies first breathed new life into Doctor Who. Back then, the show had been off air since 1989, apart from a TV movie in 1996, and many fans thought they would never see any new time-travelling adventures.

How wrong they were. Christopher Eccleston may only have lasted one season, but his ninth incarnation of the Doctor proved popular, and ratings were certainly high enough to warrant further series, with David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker and, following a brief return by Tennant for the show’s 60th anniversary specials, Ncuti Gatwa all taking a turn at the Tardis controls.

Gatwa is back again this weekend for his second season as the effervescent Time Lord, accompanied once more by Millie Gibson as companion Ruby Sunday; they’re all set to be joined by newcomer Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra – it’s a good job the Tardis is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside, otherwise it would be getting pretty crowded in there.

“I feel like the luckiest person in the world. It is such an honour to be a part of the Whoniverse, and I’m so grateful to the whole Doctor Who family – because that is what they are – for welcoming me with open arms and making me feel so at home,” says Sethu, who’s also appeared in Hard Sun and Star Wars spin-off Andor. “I couldn’t ask for a better team than Ncuti and Millie to be on this adventure with, this is SO much fun!”

“I first worked with Varada on a BBC production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and it’s a joy to welcome her on board the Tardis,” adds Davies, who returned as the programme’s showrunner after 13 years away in 2023. “Right now in the studio, shooting for 2025, we’ve got Ncuti, Millie and Varada fighting side by side – we need all three, because the stakes are higher than ever!”

When we first meet Belinda, she’s stuck, unable to return to Earth – and that’s where the Doctor and Ruby come in. They set out to help her, but a mysterious force prevents them from completing their journey home. Instead, they must face what the BBC is describing as “great dangers, ferocious enemies and wilder terrors than ever before”. Oo-er.

They will, however, receive help (and, perhaps, some hindrance) from a few very familiar guest stars, including Rylan, who plays himself, the co-host of the Interstellar Song Contest, with Alan Cumming (who would make an excellent Doctor if the opportunity ever arose) is set to provide the voice of villainous cartoon character Mr Ring-a-Ding.

Look out too for Rose Ayling-Ellis and Freddie Fox, while Anita Dobson, Bonnie Langford and Jemma Redgrave are among the Whoniverse returnees.

And if the series makes you long for more alien-related adventures, then fret not because we’re expecting to take a second trip into the Doctor’s extended world this year, courtesy of eagerly awaited spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea, which will feature classic villains the Sea Devils.

The Piano (Sunday 13/04/25, Channel 4, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Hankies at the ready – yes, The Piano is back for its third series. No show has more tears per minute, apart from perhaps The Repair Shop, than this, and we’re guessing that even more will flow when Claudia Winkleman returns to host the latest run.

She won’t be alone, of course. Mika is back too as a mentor, but sadly, Lang Lang has been forced to drop out due to his international concert commitments. He did, however, have this to say about his spell on the show: “Being a mentor on The Piano and spending time with the talented pianists has been a true joy. The level of talent I have witnessed has been phenomenal and it has been a privilege to see the love for playing the piano across the UK.”

Lang Lang’s place has been taken by Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Jon Batiste, who has worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Prince, Lenny Kravitz and Ed Sheeran during his successful career. One of his most recent collaborators was Beyonce; he co-wrote the track American Requiem on her Cowboy Carter album.

“I am so happy to be a mentor on The Piano and to witness the pianists for the new series express themselves on the instrument I’ve dedicated my life to,” claims Batiste. “This show will bring together my unique history of performing in both train stations and concert halls. No matter where, I always have believed that music at its best creates community and brings folks together in divided times. It will be a massive joy to do just that all around the UK train stations with the piano and new talent.

“In collaboration with Mika, an incredible songwriter and musician, and Claudia, with her own inimitable style, I can’t wait for all the thrilling musical experiences ahead.”

Ian Katz, Channel 4’s Chief Creative Officer, adds: “After helping to establish The Piano in just two series as one of the country’s best-loved and most joyous TV shows, Lang Lang leaves big shoes to fill but if anyone can fill them it is Jon Batiste, an astonishing musician as accomplished playing a Beethoven concerto as creating hits with Beyonce.

“Along with Mika and Claudia, Jon Batiste will trawl the nation’s train stations – and for the first time an airport – looking for the remarkable amateur pianists who prove that musical magic can be found in the most surprising places.”

Last year, it was decided that Liverpudlian Brad Keller had given the performance of the night during an unforgettable concert at Manchester’s Aviva Studios. He played his own composition, written as a thank you to his foster parents, and there wasn’t a dry eye anywhere.

So, who will follow in his footsteps in 2025? Perhaps Claudia and the gang will find them during trips to Brighton, Sheffield and Newcastle Central stations, or maybe even Heathrow’s Terminal 5. The first episode, however, comes from London’s Liverpool Street.

Up for grabs is a place in the final concert, held this year at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead. It may be too late to enter this time, but get practising now, and maybe 2026 will be your year.

The Feud (Monday 14/04/2025, Monday-Wednesday, 5, 9pm)

Words by Damon Smith

Everybody needs good neighbours but not everybody gets what they need. A seemingly innocuous home renovation project triggers a devastating sequence of events in this six-part thriller created and written by Aschlin Ditta.

The Feud lights a fuse on a powder keg of negative emotions beneath three different couples, who appear to be living in harmony on Shelbury Drive. The resulting explosion changes everything, escalating an everyday neighbourly dispute into full-blown warfare without limits.

Criminal defence solicitor Emma Barnett (Jill Halfpenny) unwittingly lights that match when she attends a street party with her husband John (Rupert Penry-Jones), who is unemployed after leaving his job through stress, and tells him that she no longer wishes to move home. Instead, she plans to extend the kitchen of their current property to feather a bigger nest for them and their stroppy teenage daughter, Beth (Megan Trower).

Alan (Ray Fearon) and Sonia (Amy Nuttall) live next door to Emma and John, and situated nearby is older couple Derek (James Fleet) and Barbara (Tessa Peake-Jones), who are haunted by the disappearance of their son a few years ago. Across the road, oddball neighbour Nick (Alex Macqueen) is a perpetual fly in the ointment.

Nick is worried about an increased flow of traffic on the street from any building work and the possible impact to his sleep pattern. He watches his CCTV cameras like a hawk for evidence of anti-social behaviour. Meanwhile, Derek and Barbara object to the extension on the grounds that it will impede their precious tree, which is frequently watered by Barbara’s tears when she is out in the garden.

Sonia is the only person happy about good friend Emma’s abrupt change of heart about wanting to relocate.

Under pressure to abandon her dream extension, Emma cuts administrative corners by asking her estranged wheeler-dealer father Terry (Larry Lamb) to expedite the planning permission process. She hires a cheap, no-nonsense builder called Lee (Chris Gascoyne), who can start just as soon as permission is granted. John feels undermined in his own home and deeply resents the builder’s presence. Meanwhile at work, Emma comes under attack from vengeful police officer, PC Gallagher (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), who blames the solicitor for ruining her career.

The first three episodes of The Feud are shown on consecutive nights and jangle frayed nerves. Before filming began on location in Newcastle, Jill was excited to experience her feisty character’s emotional rollercoaster. “The spiral that we see Emma’s world take in The Feud, from one seemingly innocent situation to life-altering revelations, is something I can’t wait to dive into!” she remarked.

Dark secrets bubble to the surface in this opening salvo when Nick posts a video from his CCTV camera on the street group chat. Emma’s seemingly straightforward existence whirls out of control and the four walls of her suburban sanctuary become a house of horrors. Neighbourhood watch out.

Springtime on the Farm (Tuesday 15/04/2025, 5, 8pm)

Words by Damon Smith

Farming has been in the blood of the Nicholsons since 1650 when the family worked the land at Bank End Farm in Worsborough. Necessity and ambition compelled Charles Nicholson to buy the 126-acre holding of Cannon Hall Farm at auction in 1957 for £7100 and when he died, 16-year-old son Roger left school to take charge.

Now in his 70s, Roger has no plans to retire and continues to tend diligently to the animals and promote the business with the help of his three sons, Richard, David and Rob. They are familiar faces on television. Along with Springtime on the Farm, members of the hard-working clan have also appeared on The Yorkshire Vet and The Great Yorkshire Show.

The farm opened its doors to the public for the first time on March 24, 1989. It was Good Friday and the Nicholsons were nervous if anyone would turn up to look around the property for the princely sum of £1 per adult and 75p for a child. Takings at the end of the first day were an encouraging £100. More than 35 years later, millions of excited visitors have passed through the gates and the enduring appeal of the show on 5 has galvanised interest in Cannon Hall Farm and its owners.

An eighth season of the Springtime on the Farm blooms with daily episodes starting on Tuesday, welcoming Helen Skelton, JB Gill and Jules Hudson back to the farm to witness more miraculous and unexpected births. Rob’s steady hands are required to help a prolapsed ewe give birth to her breech lamb. Once the little one is safely delivered, two adorable siblings follow in relatively quick succession and the triplets become the latest additions to the flock. Brother Dave shares the inspirational story of a newborn donkey foal named Bluebell, who took everyone by surprise with their early arrival.

Cameras also venture around the UK to meet other farmers who live off the land and are writing remarkable agricultural stories. JB heads to the cobbled back streets of Manchester to witness a green revolution and the show celebrates women farmers feeding the nation in honour of the 75th anniversary of the Land Girls Army, which was instrumental in boosting the nation’s food production during the dark days of the Second World War.

On Wednesday, Cannon Hall Farm embraces a little lamb who is struggling to stand. Rob and Dave are delighted by the arrival of a shire foal filly to their beloved mare Sapphire. Away from the Cawthorne holding, six-year-old Olivia gets stuck into lambing with her father.

A 300-year-old working farm in Northern Ireland welcomes viewers on Thursday to share some of its rich history. Back with the Nicholsons, Rob and Dave deal with a flood of births and Helen greets a baby donkey, who had a dramatic journey into the world. Good Friday heralds – fittingly – an egg hunt around Cannon Hall Farm. Cracking.

The Repair Shop (Wednesday 16/04/2025, BBC One, 8pm)

Words by Damon Smith

Nostalgia is a powerful drug and The Repair Shop has been peddling it with easy-going charm for over eight years since a gently rotating cast of gifted craftspeople first set up shop in the beautiful Court Barn at the Weald & Downland Living Museum in Singleton, West Sussex.

A winning formula was established in that opening episode in March 2017, back when the programme was nestled cosily in the BBC Two schedule. The silky narration of Scottish actor Bill Paterson effortlessly tugged heartstrings as we learnt the remarkable true stories of three cherished family heirlooms.

Among those prized possessions: a timepiece that hadn’t ticked or chimed since the blind owner’s death, a 50-year-old wooden carving of a flying fish attributed to a descendent of an HMS Bounty mutineer and an accordion that brought hope to the bomb shelters of London during the Blitz. Afficionado Roger Thomas was perfectly in tune with the instrument.

Dozens of fresh-faced experts have delighted viewers with their artistry and attention to detail. Last year, the show welcomed skilled textiles conservator Rebecca Bissonnet, who has worked on Queen Elizabeth’s coronation dress and handled restorations in majestic venues such as Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace.

Several faces from that inaugural season are still resident in the barn. The talented throng includes master metal worker and classic car restorer Dominic Chinea, horologist Steve Fletcher, antique furniture restorer and carpenter Will Kirk, soft toy doyennes Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell aka The Teddy Bear Ladies, and silversmith and photographic enthusiast Brenton West.

Community is at the beating heart of The Repair Show, celebrating the efforts of the team to work together on a project and achieve a common goal for someone else. It’s heartwarming stuff and viewers can expect to snuffle into hankies through more deluges of happy tears.

Will and Dominic are the current co-foremen and in this week’s episode, they are faced with a life-sized model horse used as a teaching aid at a riding school for the disabled, a chair that survived the devastation of the Second World War, a handmade globe that reveals the time anywhere around the world and a leather darts case.

Steve’s sister, master saddler and leather expert Suzie Fletcher, is the obvious choice to work her magic on at least one of those coveted objects. Her love of horses was bred from her formative years. “I can vividly recall from a very young age making saddles and bridles for my rocking horse and Cindy horse,” she reminisces.

Suzie is incredibly grateful to be a part of such a close family on and off screen and to be given an opportunity to make a difference to others. “The Repair Shop not only shares wonderful stories, it showcases a variety of skills helping to inspire a new generation of skilled people both young and not so young.

She adds: “But the very best part of being on The Repair Shop is making people happy. There is no better feeling.”

Love My Face (Thursday 17/04/2025, Channel 4, 10pm & 11.05pm)

Words by Richard Jones

“Growing up, I would see the latest movies and there would be somebody with a facial difference,” recalls Jono Lancaster.

“He’d be the villain or the bad guy, or he’d be the loser. I could never find a positive role model with a facial difference, I could never find a champion or a hero, a sports star, or a musician.

“Nowadays, especially on social media, we see people with facial difference just doing their thing, celebrating life. That’s amazing to see.”

Jono was born in October 1984 with Treacher Collins syndrome, a condition that causes facial differences and is said to affect one in 50,000 people.

Following a difficult childhood, Jono learnt to control his anxiety and is now a well-respected author and public speaker and works across the world helping those with facial differences be more accepting of themselves.

In this emotional and inspiring four-part programme, the disability campaigner follows people with a range of visible facial differences as they seek support, advice and explore transformative treatments to help accept or address their differences.

In each edition, three people with facial differences – whether congenital, chronic, acquired or perceived – receive unique mental-health support from Jono.

He will encourage each person to examine why they want to change their face, how they could learn to love themselves, and explore whether medical treatments and procedures are the best route for their individual circumstances.

The contributors then meet with a team of elite facial medical experts who explore potential bespoke treatment plans that use state-of-the-art technology to potentially help transform the elements of their condition or appearance that trouble them most.

Whether they choose to follow this route or not, they’ll be supported every step of the way.

In tonight’s first episode, beauty therapist Mia L from Cheltenham is aiming to rebuild her confidence after nine years of having alopecia.

Plus, builder Terry from Portsmouth is hoping to get support and talk about possible treatments after experiencing life-changing burns; and barista and skateboarder Mia R from north Wales wants to discuss whether or not facial feminisation surgery could be an option for her.

Then, in the second part, after living with facial paralysis for 20 years, businessman Gary from Derbyshire is hoping to get his smile back, and inclusion consultant Tiwonge from Yorkshire is keen to put an end to hiding her facial scar following a car accident in her teens.

“I’m incredibly proud to be a part of a project that supports individuals living with a facial difference make decisions that are right for them,” Jono says.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to be able to share what I’ve learnt throughout my life with our candidates, in the hope that they can go forward however they choose and make those decisions with a little more self-love and confidence behind them.”

Admittedly, there is still a lot of work to be done in the media, and particularly the film and TV world that Jono eludes to.

But thanks to his book Not All Heroes Wear Capes… and this new programme, he is the perfect role model.

Gareth Malone’s Messiah (Friday 18/04/2025, BBC One, 10.45am)

Words by Richard Jones

Composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, Messiah is one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.

The English-language oratorio has deep personal significance for many people, including Gareth Malone, as it was one of the first pieces of classical music he saw performed as a child.

But although he has loved and sung Messiah since he was a boy, the choirmaster has never actually conducted the work – until now.

This two-part programme follows Gareth as he takes on an enormous challenge, not only to put on a concert showcasing Handel’s Messiah, but also coach eight people with no experience of classical choral music to sing it alongside the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and its chorus, as well as soprano Jessica Robinson, alto Rebecca Afonwy-Jones, baritone Roderick Williams and tenor James Way.

This is a rare television foray into the world of classical music for Gareth, known for series like The Choir: Military Wives and Boys Don’t Sing, and it follows his series of Easter 2024 where he took on Bach’s St John Passion.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was nervous,” he admits. “Handel’s Messiah was one of the very first concerts that I went to as a child with my parents, and it’s a work that my Welsh grandmother sang in a choir.

“So I am shouting Hallelujah to the rafters at the prospect of sharing this magnificent work with eight complete newbie choral singers.

“I will relish going on this adventure with them, many of whom are overcoming personal challenges, building to the concert of a lifetime for both them and me.”

Cameras follow the eight novice singers as they are stretched to their limits by a gruelling rehearsal schedule ahead of a glorious performance at Cardiff’s Llandaff Cathedral.

In tonight’s first episode, Gareth heads to a local cinema on Penarth Pier, with pianist and vocal coach Jane Samuel to go through hundreds of tape auditions of Scarborough Fair and find the best candidates.

After whittling down the applications to the chosen eight, Gareth meets them in Cardiff for the first rehearsal.

All of the singers have their own personal stories and motivations, including Naomi, who has been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer, and Richard, who recently lost his wife to the disease.

While they are all showing promise and will, with just six weeks to go, can they handle the Handel in time for the performance of their lives?

Interwoven with the singing, the two-parter also sees Gareth dig deeper into the history of Messiah, its religious meaning and its place in British culture.

He visits Halifax Choral Society, which has performed the work annually for 206 consecutive years, meets early music expert Dr Hannah French at Handel’s home in London’s Mayfair, and heads to the Foundling Museum where he chats to baritone Roderick Williams about Handel’s financial connections with the transatlantic slave trade.

It will be 275 years next month since Handel’s Messiah was staged at an Easter fundraiser at London’s Foundling Hospital.

And just like that ground-breaking performance in 1750, Gareth’s concert is also for a good cause – BBC Children in Need.