Elton John, Who Do You Think You Are? and Race Across the World: TV highlights

An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile (Saturday 19/04/25, ITV1, 9.05pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

There’s no denying that Elton John loves a duet.

He may have sung about being a rocketman ‘burning out his fuse up here alone’, but for the singer-songwriter, collaboration is the name of the game, from his long-standing songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin and beyond.

In 1976, Elton scored his first No 1 UK hit alongside Kiki Dee on Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, and in 1993 released his Duets album, which featured performances involving the likes of kd lang, Tammy Wynette, George Michael, RuPaul and Little Richard.

Since then, he’s worked with more modern acts, including Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran and, most recently, Brandi Carlile. The latter, a Grammy and Emmy-winning singer-songwriter, has been a friend of Elton’s for two decades – earlier this year, she received her first Oscar nomination alongside him for her writing and vocal contribution to Never Too Late, an original song included on the soundtrack of his documentary of the same name.

Recently, they’ve come together again, this time to record Who Believes in Angels? an album released on April 4. Last month, the pair performed a special concert at the London Palladium to promote it – and now fans who missed out on a ticket can see what happened courtesy of this programme, hosted by their friend, Schitt’s Creek co-creator, actor and writer Dan Levy.

“We’re so excited to bring this unforgettable evening with the inimitable Elton John and acclaimed Brandi Carlile to our audiences,” says Katie Rawcliffe, Director of Entertainment & Daytime Commissioning at ITV. “Following the success of our recent music specials An Evening with Dua Lipa and Katy Perry: Night of a Lifetime, this show promises to be a special one, filled with incredible music, poignant moments, and stories from their remarkable careers at one of London’s most iconic venues.”

Gabe Turner, a partner at production company Fulwell Entertainment, adds: “It’s an absolute thrill to be working again with Elton John on this special evening, alongside the brilliant Brandi Carlile. We know that audiences are in for a real treat and it’s been a pleasure for all of us at Fulwell Entertainment to bring this project to life.”

As well as performing tracks from the album, Elton and Brandi also play a selection of hits from their hugely successful solo careers, often in an innovative way that may surprise even their most ardent fans.

Between these performances, the pair sit down on stage for a conversation with Levy, in which they look back at their lives, professional journeys and their 20-year friendship. There’s also a chance to see exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the recording of the album – it’s the first time Elton has allowed cameras to film his writing and recording sessions for such a project – while those closest to the pair pay tribute to their careers.

After all that, there is only one question left to ponder over – who will Elton collaborate with next? All we can suggest is, watch this space…

Pilgrimage: The Road Through the Alps (Sunday 20/04/25 BBC2, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Along with chocolate eggs, the BBC2 series Pilgrimage, which takes a group of celebrities of differing faiths and beliefs and sends them on a spiritual journey, has become something of an Easter tradition.

The first run aired in 2018, and saw Neil Morrissey, Debbie McGee and the Rev Kate Bottley, among others, following the Camino de Santiago. Since then, there have been pilgrimages everywhere from Istanbul to North Wales, but the latest selection of famous faces are tackling a revived medieval Catholic route, travelling from just outside Innsbruck on the Austrian Camino and finishing near Lake Zurich in Switzerland.

The 300km trek has some strenuous climbs, but it’s not just going to be physically challenging –it will also be a chance for them to ponder some of life’s big questions.

Our pilgrims include practising Catholic Harry Clark, who is best known for being the winner on the second series of The Traitors. On that show, he needed a strategy, but now he can be honest with his fellow participants.

He explains: “I’m so excited to go on this Pilgrimage, to meet the other pilgrims and find out about their religions, what they believe in and why, and if they don’t believe, why?”

Those fellow pilgrims include actress and comedian Helen Lederer, who is hoping the experience will help her to understand her heritage. She says: “My father was born into a Jewish family. Although my Czechoslovakian grandparents were cultural Jews, they never talked about faith. My mother came from the Isle of Wight, and I’m told I was christened.

“Being a mix means that you have respect for both things and there is a particular quality I’m learning and feeling more as I get even older, that you can’t shed your background. So, with my mixed background, with all the pain of my family that isn’t mine, but theirs, I want to be able to turn it into something that will give me a bit of peace.”

Journalist Nelufar Hedayat admits her relationship to her faith has sometimes been complex. She says: “I was born in Kabul, in Afghanistan. When I was a young refugee in Britain, my faith took a firm back seat as that was part of my past and why I was here, so I didn’t want anything to do with it. Those feelings lasted for quite a while, until I was at secondary school when I was with other young Muslims, and I realised I could be both British and Muslim.

“As a modern Muslim, I’m trying to find a way through the faith that I was born into, and even now, it’s strained at the very best… So, I want to bring a sense of openness to this Pilgrimage.”

She’ll also be joined on their route by former the Wanted singer Jay McGuiness, who describes himself as agnostic, standup comedian Daliso Chaponda, who grew up in a Christian family but is exploring the Baha’i faith, presenter Jeff Brazier, who went to Catholic schools but now is spiritual, and retired Paralympian and practising Christian Stef Reid.

The three-part series continues on Monday and Tuesday.

999: The Critical List (Monday 21/04/2025, Channel 4, 9pm)

Words by Richard Jones

Grey’s Anatomy, ER, The Resident, The Good Doctor, This Is Going to Hurt, Holby City and Casualty.

There is something about watching doctors and nurses in high-stakes situations, both professional and personal, that grips viewers.

But it’s not just medical dramas, especially those series set in a hospital, that has captured our imagination in recent years.

Fly-on-the-ward documentary series Hospital, Bizarre ER, The Hospital: Life on the Line, Nurses on the Ward and One Born Every Minute have all been ratings winners too.

And our obsession with real-life medical drama doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon, as another addition to that second list arrives on our screens tonight.

999: The Critical List, made by production company Proper Content, follows the staff at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital on Haslingden Road in the Lancashire town, which has already featured on acclaimed Channel 5 documentary series Cause of Death.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll get to see its team juggle urgent life-or-death cases from the moment they come through the door.

It’s up to the staff to decide which patient is next to head into Theatre 6, the only operating room dedicated to unplanned emergency procedures.

“Viewers will follow patients and their families as they await an available slot on the list,” explains East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust deputy communications director Emma Cooke.

“Highlighted cases illustrate the operational dynamics of the list, particularly when higher-priority cases necessitate adjustments, showcasing the complex logistics involved in ensuring patients receive the best care.

“The series aims to emotionally engage audiences by exploring broader themes of social care and the health challenges facing the UK today.

“Theatre Six serves as a poignant reflection of the nation’s health, showcasing a variety of illnesses and conditions that many individuals encounter in their lives.

“While patients remain central to the narrative, the series also emphasises the pivotal role of clinical colleagues in their care journey.”

In tonight’s first edition, operating theatre co-ordinator Niki and her team are struggling to cope the busiest month in five years for A&E.

Among the patients who arrive are Kevin, who has a suspected burst colon, and Tanzeen who has self-inflicted injuries with three needles in his neck.

Meanwhile, 11-year-old Deekan is only hours away from potentially losing a testicle and is rushed to theatre.

And Freddie must have a dental abscess removed before any infection spreads.

If tonight’s new series hasn’t satisfied your craving for real-life medical events this week, there is another shot of heart-pounding health intrigue on on Thursday when Ambulance returns to BBC One for it’s 14th run.

So what is it about hospital documentaries that keeps broadcasters churning out more of them?

Nick Mirsky, who was previously head of documentaries at Channel 4, where he ran the team responsible for the likes of 24 Hours in A&E before founding Five Mile Films in 2018, thinks it has a lot to do with nation’s love for the NHS, despite its current problems.

“The NHS is a badge of what feels good about being British,” he says.

“The popularity of these programmes is a reflection of the fact that it’s something we all value and care about. There’s a sense of us all feeling a little bit protective of it.”

Who Do You Think You Are? (Tuesday 22/04/25, BBC1, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

The genealogy show is back for a 22nd series, but what makes it so enduring?

Well one reason Who Do You Think You Are? has lasted so long is because it can attract some very big names, and this run is no exception.

Among the famous faces diving into their family history are EastEnders legend Ross ‘Grant Mitchell’ Kemp, who is no stranger to documentaries. He’ll be visiting Casablanca to solve a family mystery, but along the way, he also finds out that his 4x great grandfather was a drummer boy during the Napoleonic wars.

Actor, writer and comedian Aisling Bea discovers how her family has been shaped by some of the most dramatic moments in Irish history, uncovering stories of violent tragedy and female resilience in the process.

Pop idol and actor Will Young digs into his grandfather’s experiences as both a bomber command pilot and a prisoner of war during the Second World War, while First Dates’ favourite Fred Sirieix return to his native France to learn about an incredible romance.

Recent Olivier winner Layton Williams discovers that musical theatre may be in his blood, while journalist and broadcaster Mishal Husain traces an illustrious family history in a journey that takes her from India to the East Coast of the USA.

Perhaps most intriguingly, this series also features Motherland star Diane Morgan. If you’re familiar with her spoof documentary-maker character Philomena Cunk, then the idea of seeing Diane going on a genuine voyage of discovery may take some getting used to, but hopefully none of the experts will worry that they’re being sent up as they help her uncover her ancestor’s brave fight for the rights of her illegitimate children.

However, the run begins with a bona fide movie star, Andrew Garfield. Over the course of his career, he’s won a Bafta for his performance in his TV breakthrough Boy A, played Spider-Man, and been Oscar-nominated for his roles in Hacksaw Ridge and the musical Tick, Tick… Boom!

Now, he’s going in search of his father’s Jewish family roots. It’s a daunting prospect, as he knows it will be an emotional experience – his search takes him from a small town in pre-war Poland to the Nazi death camp in Treblinka.

However, it also takes him to the sunshine and glamour of early Hollywood, as he discovers that along with terrible tragedy, his family’s story is also one of survival, success and the redemptive quality of art.

For Simon Young, BBC Head of History, that’s another reason why Who Do You Think You Are? remains so successful. Viewers may come for the famous faces, but they stay for the remarkable insights into social history.

He says: “The stellar line-up this year is a real treat for our audiences. But so is the history, from the shock of a royal ancestor to epic stories of survival. And that’s why this series endures, because it hints at the amazing family micro-histories that make all of us who we are.”

Race Across the World (Wednesday 23/04/25, BBC One, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Last year, best friends Alfie and Owen were crowned the winners of Race Across the World, netting £20k in the process.

Who will follow in their well-worn and very tired footsteps in 2025?

If youth prevails again, then it will be Fin and Sioned from Carmarthen in Wales who take home the loot. Aged just 18 and 19 respectively, they’re looking to spread their wings and see the big wide world, although it proves to be a daunting task at first.

Sixtysomething brothers Brian and Melvyn have spent little time with each other since childhood, and are hoping the trip will help them reconnect, while sisters Elizabeth (33) and Letitia (26) have travelled extensively, but never with each other. Plus, housewife Caroline (60) wants to prove she’s more than just ‘mum’ to her 21-year-old son Tom; he, meanwhile, wants her to see the world through his eyes.

Finally, there’s Yin and Gaz, who are both 54, have known each other for 35 years and have perhaps the best backstory. They used to be married; after their split, she found another partner, Chris, who subsequently passed away. Gaz has been there for Yin ever since, supporting her during a period of grief.

Chris was an adventurous soul who loved travel, a passion he passed onto Yin, inspiring her to apply to appear on the programme.

“I definitely see it like a gift from Chris. I know he’s gone, but I do think that he has had a meddling hat in this,” smiles Yin. “He would be laughing hysterically but also cheering us on, wishing he was there, seeing all the different things and getting the new experiences. This whole process so far has also been a vehicle for us to talk about when we were married, but in a really nice way.”

Gaz adds: “I wouldn’t probably do this with anyone other than Yin. I know that sounds weird, because we’re not together, we’re not husband and wife, but we’re still best mates. And I think even now, could I do this with my brother? No. Could I do this with any other mates? No. And Yin was pretty much the same.”

As for having a plan, well, that’s easy: “We’ve set ourselves mini goals, in the sense that we know someone gets eliminated in one of the legs, so if we can get through that bit, that’s a win,” claims Gaz. “And then if we can get to the end, that’s another win. And if we’re in sight of winning it, that would be great. But in regards to strategies, it’s hard as we’ve never done it before. There is a will to win. And as much as we do think there’s a strategy, anything can happen…”

The five pairings begin their epic journey in this week’s opening episode, in which they learn that the task involves racing from north-eastern China to Kanniyakumari on the southernmost tip of India.

Traversing the world’s most populous nations isn’t easy, as they discover when they set off from the Great Wall of China, tackling a route that takes them to Beijing before heading for a checkpoint. But who will reach their destination first…?

The Madame Blanc Mysteries (Thursday 24/04/2025, Channel 5, 9pm)

Words by Richard Jones

Although its creator and writer Sally Lindsay is the undoubted star of The Madame Blanc Mysteries, over the past few years, viewers have also become fond of some of her supporting cast in Sainte Victoire.

They include Steve Edge, who plays Jean’s sidekick and love interest Dom Hayes, Sally’s co-writer Sue Vincent who appears as mechanic Gloria Beaushaw, and Robin Askwith and Sue Holderness, who occasionally steal the show as eccentric couple Jeremy and Judith Lloyd James.

Alex Gaumond’s role as Chief of Police André Caron has also expanded, as has Tony Robinson’s part as Dom’s Uncle Patrick, a petty thief turned pub landlord.

After previously being a guest star on the show, Robinson is now a series regular on the series, something that has brought the 78-year-old Blackadder and Time Team star some relief.

“Whenever I go into a series, I’d be lying if I said that there wasn’t a bit of me that hoped they might be attracted to that character,” he says.

“It’s like when footballers say ‘Oh, we just take it one match at a time, we don’t think about where we are in the league’, and you know that’s a load of rubbish.

“I hoped that the character would be picked up. As an actor, the length of your employment is normally so short that there’s always part of you thinking ‘How am I going to pay the phone bill?’”

In tonight’s series four finale, Jeremy and Dom enjoy a haircut and some pampering at a swanky old barbershop.

Dom is distracted though, as he hasn’t heard from Jean since the misunderstanding about her relationship with Paul (Edward MacLiam) during his visit to Eposutouflant.

Meanwhile, Jovan (Danny Hatchard), a visitor from a nearby village, finishes his haircut with barber Vinnie (Atilla Akinci).

He’s brought his young son, Freddie (Anthony Irons) along, and is hoping to sell an old jewelled bird trinket in Sainte Victoire.

Jeremy suggests Dom call Jean about the item, but Dom awkwardly mentions he hasn’t seen her lately and instead offers one of his business cards.

Later, as Jovan and Freddie head to dinner, Jovan inspects the trinket, before he is attacked in an alley by a masked figure, leaving Freddie screaming for help as he watches his father get dragged away.

At the hospital, Dom and Jean have an awkward reunion before Dom sees Gendarme Richard (Jacqueline Berces) walking with Freddie, realising Jovan was the victim of the attack.

As Caron and Jean investigate Jovan’s past and the eagle trinket, they begin to suspect he may have had something to do with a recent jewellery heist. But who attacked him in a bid to steal the piece back?

Meanwhile, at the pub, Gloria is finishing her schnapps when a drunk man hassles one of the barmaids.

The man is local community pest Otto Moncrief (Mat LeRoche), who Patrick duly bars from the pub. It’s a move that once again shows how his originally untrustworthy character has evolved.

“When I started, he was the dodgy one, who’d been in the nick a lot and hadn’t shaken bad habits,” Robinson says.

“Now, it’s much more about him recognising dodgy behaviour in other people, and wreaking retribution on them.”

However, it’s rare that you cross someone in this seemingly idyllic part of southern France without consequences – so will Patrick live to regret his noble actions?

Beyond Paradise (Friday 25/04/25, BBC1, 8pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

On paper, being the star of Death in Paradise sounds like a dream job – not only do you get to be part of one of the BBC’s biggest hits, you also get to soak up the sun filming on location in the Caribbean.

In reality, being so far away from home from extended periods of time can take its toll on the leading men, which is probably why they regularly move on.

In fact, it seems for Kris Marshall, the real plum job has been reprising the role of DI Humphrey Goodman for the Devon-set spin-off, Beyond Paradise, which is now on its third series.

He certainly has no complaints about the locations. He says: “I absolutely love filming by the coast. I’m a big fan of getting my ‘vitamin sea’ – whether it’s surfing or swimming, being by the water makes me happy.

“One of my favourite filming locations is Rame Head in Cornwall. It offers stunning views and has a fascinating abandoned military site, complete with old tanks and artillery steps. It’s a great spot for filming and after work you can head down to a secret cove for a swim.”

If anything, he’d like more sea-based episodes. Kris says: “If we could do an episode that involves surfing, I’d love to head to the north coast of Cornwall, where the surf is more consistent.”

Luckily, it’s not just the prospect of catching a wave that keeps him coming back to Beyond Paradise. There’s also the little matter of the scripts.

He says: “This series offers the same great mix of intriguing crimes and compelling drama that viewers expect.

“What makes Beyond Paradise unique is its ability to be dramatic without being melodramatic. It’s a light-hearted crime drama that tackles serious, relatable issues without getting overly heavy. Each episode is packed with content – there’s a real sense of magic in how much is crammed into just one hour. It’s thought-provoking and heartwarming without feeling overly sentimental.

“We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and I think that’s one of the show’s greatest strengths. It’s fun, it’s touching, and it offers something for everyone.”

He adds: “There’s plenty to look forward to in this series and beyond.”

Sadly, we’re drawing close to the end of the current run, as tonight is the penultimate episode – although on the plus side, it has one of the most intriguing episodes yet, with a nod to folk horror.

As the harvest draws to a close, local farmers Stella and George Ellis follow their long-held tradition of hanging a corn doll to mark its close.

However, according to local legend, if the doll falls, the Cornman will come, bringing misfortune in his wake. That’s exactly what happens as a mysterious figure strikes, ruining their milk and setting their hay ablaze.

Can Humphrey find out the real identity of the ‘Cornman’ before the Ellises’ lose their livelihood?

Caroline Quentin guest stars.