Ellie Simmonds, Jane Austen, Walking with Dinosaurs and the Power of Parker: TV highlights

The Last Anniversary (Saturday 24/05/2025, BBC One, 9pm & 9.50pm)

Words by Richard Jones

You may not instantly recognise her name, unless you’re an avid reader of domestic thriller novels.

But if you appreciate good TV dramas, there’s a fair chance that you’ll have seen a show with Liane Moriarty’s name attached it.

The Australian author has so far written 10 novels, including the New York Times best-sellers Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers and Apples Never Fall, all of which have been adapted into hit TV series for HBO, Hulu, and Peacock respectively.

Now another of her tales is coming to the small screen – to the BBC.

The Last Anniversary is a six-part “comedy drama wrapped in a gripping mystery about family, motherhood and the women who define the generations that come after them”.

And if you’re not convinced by that blurb, then perhaps the fact that Hollywood star Nicole Kidman is an executive producer on the show might pique your interest.

Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says: “The Last Anniversary is an entertaining drama full of vivid characters, comedy and romance, with a compelling mystery at its heart.”

Moriarty’s story is set on the fictitious Scribbly Gum Island, close to Sydney, a place that holds many secrets and lies.

The mystery that made it famous – the disappearance of a young couple decades ago – has made the picturesque island a go-to destination for true-crime tourists.

However, three generations of women that call Scribbly Gum home appear to have even more skeletons in their closet.

When journalist Sophie Honeywell inherits a house on the island, left to her by her ex-boyfriend’s deceased great-aunt Connie, it’s the fresh start she’s been craving, despite the unwelcome reception she receives on arrival.

It eventually becomes clear that the couple who went missing many moons ago had a baby who was raised by Connie and her sister Rose.

Now grown up and known as Enigma, she’s cashed in on the mystery along with the rest of her family.

But the question remains: what really happened to Enigma all those years ago?

Meanwhile, Connie has also left Sophie a letter that contains a promise – specifically that Sophie, who’s single and approaching 40, will meet the man of her dreams on Scribbly Gum.

But who is this knight in shining armour and how could Connie have predicted this love match?

The cast is led by always reliable Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches), alongside Miranda Richardson (Good Omens) and Danielle Macdonald (The Tourist).

Helen Thomson, Susan Prior, Claude Scott-Mitchell, Charlie Garber, Uli Latukefu and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor provide able support.

If you are a fan of Moriarty, you shouldn’t have too long to wait until the next adaptation of her work.

As well as the second season of Nine Perfect Strangers now available on Prime Video (she didn’t write that story, though), her hit novel The Husband’s Secret is apparently being made into a film, with the director of Marry Me and Matlock, Kat Coiro, at the helm.

Blake Lively has also been attached to the CBS project for a few years now.

But like the events on Scribbly Gum, whether the actress will end up playing the lead is, for want of a better word, a mystery.

Walking with Dinosaurs (Sunday 25/05/2025, BBC1, 6.25pm)

Words by Roger Crow

In the beginning there were dinosaurs, who roamed the Earth for thousands of millennia. Then, after 65 million years of evolution, there was the movie Jurassic Park, which revolutionised the effects industry.

Steven Spielberg’s 1993 movie proved that computer-generated, photo-realistic dinos could wow the masses, and become one of the biggest blockbusters of all time – and six years later it inspired a BBC nature documentary series like no other.

Walking with Dinosaurs, created by Tim (Primeval) Haines, left a new generation of Tyrannosaurus Rex fans gobsmacked, though it wasn’t a cheap show to create. In fact, it was one of the most expensive documentaries ever made at the time, but with assorted plaudits, including two Baftas, and three Emmy awards, the series, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, was seen as a major success. And it was a given that with such a huge triumph, assorted sequels would soon be green-lit, including 2001’s Walking with Beasts; 2003’s Walking with Cavemen, and a 2013 feature film.

A live theatre show also proved the franchise had ‘legs’ stronger than a velociraptor, and with constant advances in technology, it was only a matter of time before the original series was rebooted for a new generation. (Show the original series to kids today and they may think it’s a comedy sending up dated 1990s effects).

The 2025 version, which debuts this week, isn’t straying far from the formula which made its progenitor so successful. It will also blend real-life historical discoveries with computer-generated footage of dinosaurs as they would have lived millions of years ago.

You don’t need a degree in paleontology to know there have been a lot of dino discoveries since that first series was made in 1999. So, expect plenty of new facts almost as eye-opening as that famous T-Rex staring through the truck window in Jurassic Park.

Kenneth Branagh has been busy voicing Charles Dickens for a new animated movie, The King of Kings, among many other projects, so narration duties for this new run went to acclaimed stage and screen star Bertie Carvel. He’s best known for his work on stage smash Matilda; portrayed Tony Blair in The Crown, and was the eponymous sleuth in 5’s detective drama, Dalgliesh.

Each episode of the new run tells the dramatic story of an individual dinosaur whose remains are currently being unearthed by leading dino hunters. With the aid of cutting-edge science, experts work out how these prehistoric creatures lived, hunted, fought and died more accurately than ever.

This first instalment imagines a baby triceratops’s life after it is orphaned and left without the protection of a herd. Its larger-than-life predators include giant pterosaurs and a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The good news for fans is that aside from this debut episode, the other five instalments will also arrive on iPlayer on the same day.

Not only should Walking with Dinosaurs 2.0 leave a new generation of viewers slack of jaw, it will also leave millions of older viewers wondering where the last 26 years went since the inaugural series’ debut.

Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius (Monday 26/05/25, BBC2, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen wrote some of the best-loved novels in the English language, including Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion.

It’s been argued that one reason why her work is so celebrated is that she ripped up the literary rulebook and took readers inside the mind of her characters in a way no author had done before.

Getting inside Austen’s own mind is a little harder. During her lifetime, she was also a prolific writer of letters, especially to her sister, Cassandra. However, as anyone who watched the acclaimed period drama Miss Austen will know, Cassandra then burnt almost all of them following her sibling’s death.

The three-part documentary series Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius, which is showing to mark the 250th anniversary of the writer’s birth, draws on the surviving letters, alongside the insights of experts, contemporary novelists, and actors who have portrayed Austen’s characters, to bring the author back to life and explore her influences and inspirations.

Among the starry list of contributors are Candice Carty-Williams, Kate Atkinson, Colm Tóibín and Bee Rowlatt; actors Charity Wakefield, Greta Scacchi, Samuel West, Tamsin Greig, Tom Bennett and Greg Wise, experts and historians Dr Paula Byrne, Admiral Lord West, Dr Priya Atwal, Dr Louise Curran and Dr Paddy Bullard, and film maker Ken Loach.

There are also contributions from writer Helen Fielding, who knows more than most people just how influential and relevant Austen remains – her own most famous creation, Bridget Jones’s Diary, is a reworking of Pride and Prejudice, complete with its own Mr Darcy.

Or as Fielding self-deprecatingly puts it: “Jane Austen’s voice is so strong and funny and perceptive. And her work’s still being copied and stolen by people like me.”

The first episode explores where that voice came from, beginning in the 1790s when a teenage Jane and her family were living in Steventon, Hampshire. Her father, who was a vicar, had an unusually large library for the time, owning some 500 books, which proved a treasure trove for the young writer.

She also drew inspiration from her family – an early story, The Beautiful Cassandra, turned her sister into a heroine, while the manipulative schemer at the heart of her first substantial work, Lady Susan, owes something to Jane’s unconventional cousin Eliza, a vivacious widow who survived the French Revolution.

A thwarted romance may also have helped to shape First Impressions, an early version of the novel that was to become Pride and Prejudice. It was rejected by London publishers, but Jane did receive a vote of confidence from her father, who gave her a portable writing desk.

The portable part came in handy when the family had to move to Bath, leaving behind the library and exposing Jane to the pressures of the marriage market.

Yet as the episode ends, it shows how Jane was ready to reject marriage (and the financial stability that came with it) to forge her own path, mirroring her heroines who refused to marry simply for money.

Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children? (Tuesday 27/05/25, ITV1, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

In 2023, former Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who was adopted, went in search of her birth mother.

The resulting documentary, entitled Ellie Simmonds: Finding My Secret Family, made for emotional viewing, but perhaps one of the most hard-hitting moments was when Ellie, who was born with the genetic condition achondroplasia, read the language used to describe her disability in her adoption records.

Many viewers were shocked that such negative terms were still being used in 1994, when Ellie was born, but how much has really changed in 2025?

That’s one of the big questions being posed in Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children?, which finds the gold medallist exploring what implications her condition could have if she decides to start a family.

Ellie says: “Now having the understanding of what my birth mother and so many others experienced 30 years ago when it came to disability and pregnancy, I want to see how things have changed for parents today. I also want to challenge some of the perceptions that exist today about children born with disabilities.

“It’s a deeply personal subject to me, and I’m just so grateful to all those who have let me embark on what are deeply personal and emotional journeys of their own.”

As well as looking at whether attitudes are changing in society, Ellie also questions her own fears and dreams. She wants to find out more about what challenges a pregnancy might bring, and what it would mean if her child was born disabled or non-disabled.

While the documentary is very personal, Ellie is also aware that anyone could be faced with a potentially life-changing decision. She visits Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust’s Foetal Medicine Unit, where she meets expectant parents who have received a disability diagnosis for their unborn baby and hears about the difficult decisions they faced and the support available.

Ellie Simmonds: Finding My Secret Family won a Bafta, and speaking after the nomination, Ellie said: “I was an athlete and a swimmer for so long. I think my motivation now is trying to create change and make an impact for people with a disability now, outside of the swimming pool.

“The power of TV, the power of the media and representation is so, so powerful… and talking about disability on (an) ITV prime show, you know it was just incredible. That’s the honour, that is what’s keeping me motivated to create change and make life even easier for people like me.”

That’s also an issue that arises in her new documentary, as she asks whether having more disabled people in the public eye is changing perceptions that being born with a disability means a life of limitation.

However, she’s aware that there are no easy answers. As the Colleen Flynn, Executive Producer Flicker Productions said: “Ellie has a unique ability to tackle the most nuanced subjects with heart and understanding. And this film is no different.. as Ellie delicately navigates the emotionally complex decisions many parents across the country are facing when they are told they are having a baby that will likely be disabled.”

The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone (Wednesday 28/05/2025, BBC Two, 9pm)

Words by Richard Jones

For many years, Michelle Mone was a flag bearer for British entrepreneurism. Her rags-to-riches story saw her rise from humble beginnings in Glasgow’s disadvantaged East End to become a wealthy businesswoman and take her place in the upper echelons of the British Establishment as a member of the House of Lords.

But in 2020, her reputation was dealt a massive blow, as Mone was caught up in controversies concerning the awarding of lucrative PPE contracts during the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports emerged that the Tory peer allegedly used her position to help a company, PPE Medpro, which had connections to her husband Doug Barrowman, to secure the government contracts.

Even though she denied any wrongdoing, saying that allegations have been “unjustly levelled against her”, in November 2023, Baroness Mone and her spouse confirmed they were indeed involved in the company.

She said: “I regret not saying to the press straight away, ‘yes I am involved,’” describing it as an “error”.

In a similar vein to 5’s The Michelle Mone Scandal: Where Did Our Money Go?, which aired in January, this two-part documentary tells the extraordinary story of the 53-year-old lingerie entrepreneur’s spectacular rise and fall, and hears from many of those who witnessed the events, including former colleagues, advisors and journalists.

Tonight’s first episode – Rise – looks at Mone’s early life, her breakthrough into the world of business and how she established herself as a celebrity entrepreneur.

Following a tough childhood in which she lived with her family in a one-bedroom house with no bath or shower, she left school aged 15 without any qualifications, but with a determination to earn money and succeed in business.

After working in a fruit shop, she became a model, including a stint as a ring girl in boxing contests, before creating the lingerie company MJM and launching Ultimo, a new type of push-up bra.

Ruthlessly exploiting the 1990s preoccupation with cleavage – it was the age of Wonderbra’s iconic ‘Hello Boys’ advert with Eva Herzigova – and through clever promotion, Michelle made Ultimo a hit, getting the bra into department stores like Selfridges.

Then, in 2004, she pulled off a brilliant – if somwhat brutal – PR coup.

For two years, model Penny Lancaster had been the face of Ultimo. Penny was partner of Rod Stewart, and she and Michelle had become friends.

Then, Michelle replaced her with Rod’s ex-wife, supermodel Rachel Hunter.

On the advice of fellow Scottish entrepreneur Tom Hunter, Michelle brought in high-profile mentor Ted Anders from the US to help her and her then husband and co-director Michael Mone deal with the pressure of a rapidly expanding business.

Anders gives us the inside track on Michelle’s whirlwind success and the pressures which arose in the company and in the couple’s home life.

Other contributors include PR chief Jack Irvine, who helped boost the firm’s profile before parting company after a falling out, and the Scottish journalists who covered Mone’s early publicity coups.

The programme also features the testimonies of former employees who shed light on the working culture in MJM International.

Next week’s second episode tells the story of Mone’s elevation to the House of Lords, and the ongoing controversy around her links to PPE Medpro which was awarded a government contract through the so-called ‘VIP fast lane’.

Britain Under the Nazis: The Forgotten Occupation (Thursday 29/05/25, Channel 4, 8pm)

Rachael Popow

On May 8, Britain celebrated the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which brought an end to the Second World War in Europe.

Some people may not have realised that May 9 was an equally significant date in the Channel Islands, the only part of Britain to be invaded and occupied by Hitler’s forces. For them, it was Liberation Day.

Among the events in honour of the 80th anniversary was a parade in Guernsey, attended by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. One of the stars of the parade was a tortoise named Timmy, who is aged 87, meaning he lived through the occupation.

Now Channel 4 is also marking the 80th anniversary with this two-part documentary exploring a still controversial and often overlooked chapter of British history.

It’s a story that began in June 1940, when Britain effectively abandoned the Channel Islands to the Nazis. The government had made the difficult decision that the islands were of little strategic importance to the Germans, except for the propaganda value of being able to say they occupied a British territory.

However, that left some 69,000 islanders living with the enemy and facing a difficult dilemma. Should they resist the invaders, collaborate with them, or attempt to tread a difficult line between the two?

Those decisions would only grow harder. When the Nazis first invaded, they were anticipating a swift victory over Britian and intended to take a ‘moderate’ approach to the occupation. Hitler also had plans to transform the islands of Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney into an impregnable fortress.

As the conflict dragged on though, it degenerated into a nightmare roll-out of Nazism, with persecution, antisemitic orders, informants, mass deportations, starvation and slave labour camps.

After liberation, there was no official investigation into the occupation, but the fallout continues to be felt to this day. For example, it has been claimed that there was a boom in illegitimate babies born to German fathers, but there is debate over the scale of this issue.

Now, Britain Under the Nazis: The Forgotten Occupation takes a closer look at what happened, drawing on diaries, memoirs and letters from both the occupiers and occupied – the sources include the previously unseen private photo album of a senior Nazi officer – as well as official documents that shed new light on what it meant to have fascism on British soil.

Leading historians Gilly Carr and Louise Willmot bring together their meticulous research, while actors bring the sometimes conflicting accounts to life.

It paints a shocking story of informants, collaborators, black marketeers and forced labour camps, but there are also tales of resistance and bravery.

Emily Shields, Commissioning Editor at Channel 4 says: “Drawing on incredible first-person testimony, with stories that intersect, overlap and defy each other in ‘their ‘version of the truth, [production company] Minnow have created a mesmerising portrait of life under Enemy rule.”

The Power of Parker (Friday 30/05/2025, BBC One, 9.30pm)

Words by Roger Crow

Summer – a time when new TV shows can have a hard time finding an audience with millions on holiday, or soaking up a few rays outside. However, in late July 2023, another ray of light lit up the box and soon attracted a cult following.

The Power of Parker was a nostalgic comedy from Paul Coleman and Sian Gibson. The latter had been a jobbing actress for years in shows like Emmerdale and Peak Practice before one sitcom in 2015 made millions sit up and take notice.

Car Share, also co-created by Paul Coleman, dropped on iPlayer, and instantly became one of the streaming channel’s biggest hits, as well as an eventual double Bafta winner.

The slow-burning romance between supermarket co-workers John Redmond (Peter Kay) and Kayleigh Kitson (Gibson) won the hearts of many. BBC bosses were hungry for more, so little wonder they were all ears when Coleman and Gibson came up with The Power of Parker.

For newcomers, Sian played Kath Pennington, the mistress of struggling businessman Martin Parker (Car Share co-star Conleth Hill). As he was sleeping with Kath and her sister, aka Martin’s wife, Diane (Rosie Cavaliero), the scorned ladies teamed up to bring him down.

Set in Stockport in 1990, some jaw-dropping fashions; adverts cheesier than a promoted sandwich toaster, and a killer soundtrack from the likes of the Human League, the Belle Stars and Frankie Goes to Hollywood left many bingeing all six episodes in one sitting.

Like Car Share, BBC bosses were thrilled with the ratings because this second run was soon given a green light.

As two years have passed in the real world between series one and two, it’s apt that this second run also picks up a couple of years later. The comedy literally fast forwards to November 1992, with a little help from The Theme from S Express.

Martin’s growing debts and the needs of his wife and his mistress have left him at rock bottom. While Diane is adjusting to single life and running a business, Kath is getting her happily ever after with her man by her side, working on rekindling a relationship with her sister.

The once ambitious, self-made impresario has turned into a sofa-dwelling, beer-chugging baby-sitter who would rather watch Backdraft on VHS than get off his derriere and find a job. He claims it’s “Just temporary”, but nearly two years out of work suggests otherwise. And just when he thinks things can’t get any worse, his electric is cut off. Thankfully he manages to land a job on £2.50 an hour. (At least he gets a fleece thrown in as one of the few perks).

It seems ‘the only way is up’ for Martin, and yes, that is part of the killer soundtrack of much-loved tunes, including Stereo MCs’ Connected and AC/DC classic Thunderstruck.

The supporting cast includes George Costigan (Happy Valley), Inside Number Nine’s Steve Pemberton, and Graham Fellows, better known as Sheffield’s bespectacled tunesmith, John Shuttleworth.