In Flight, Tom Kerridge Cooks Spain and VJ Day 80: The Nation’s Tribute - TV highlights this week

Beck (Saturday 09/08/25, BBC4, 9pm)

Words by Damon Smith

On BBC Four, Saturday night’s alright for fighting in the coveted 9pm time slot, which has been home over the past few years to gritty crime dramas from our European neighbours including The Bridge, Inspector Montalbano, The Killing and Spiral. The return of grizzled detective Martin Beck portrayed by Peter Haber sends a satisfying chill down the spine as the show begins its landmark 10th series with an episode focused on Beck’s grandson.

The eponymous detective and colleagues from the special homicide commission of the Swedish national police first walked the beat back in the mid-1960s in a series of books written by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. The pair published 10 novels in as many years, which have been adapted repeatedly for film and radio, including a 1973 adaptation of The Laughing Policeman starring Walter Matthau, which transplants the dogged police work to the mean streets of San Francisco.

Haber’s tour of duty as Beck began in Sweden in the summer of 1997 but UK viewers had to wait until September 2015 for BBC Four to acquire the show as part of its international crime drama slate. And even then, our first introduction to this delicious slice of Nordic Noir was the second episode of series four, Buried Alive, in which Beck and partner Gunvald Larsson probe the demise of a well-respected prosecutor, whose body is discovered inside a wooden box buried in a park playground. It’s never child’s play to apprehend a murderer and Beck could have easily ended up in a wooden box himself by the end of that episode when he was selected as the serial killer’s next victim.

Larsson exited in dramatic and typically downbeat fashion midway through series five, paving the way for the introduction of Beck’s hot-headed current sidekick Steinar Hovland, played by Kristofer Hivju, who has avoided a similarly grim fate as his predecessor (for now at least). The most recent series of Beck have allowed the eponymous hero to take a step back as other members of his team come to the fore and pit their wits against the most devious and diabolical criminal minds in Sweden.

Beck’s grandson Vilhelm, played by Valter Skarsgard, is in the spotlight this week. He is still nursing deep psychological wounds after he was taken hostage last series and that past trauma resurfaces with a vengeance when he responds to a call to a luxury apartment in Stockholm. Three men dressed as couriers entered the property, presumably to commit a robbery, but the crime scene resembles a brutal execution-style murder. Vilhelm’s investigation unearths disturbing evidence that leads to surprising contact with the Beck group and some sage advice from his grandfather.

The past will return to haunt Beck next week when another brutal murder links back to the Man On The Balcony case. A winter soaked with discontent is coming to the detective and his colleagues. Wrap up warm.

Ridley (Sunday 10/08/25, ITV1, 8pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey – Adrian Dunbar is back on the box.

Some viewers will be disappointed he isn’t returning as Line of Duty’s catchphrase-laden supremo Ted Hastings, but he is playing another crimefighter, retired police officer Alex Ridley, who spent most of his career as a respected detective inspector, eventually retiring from service after losing his wife and daughter in a devastating arson attack on their home.

The first run aired way back in 2022, so you may be forgiven for having forgotten it; hopefully the second season will be worth the wait. Clearly those inaugural episodes were popular, otherwise a follow-up would never have been made. Dunbar is simply thrilled to have been given the chance to return to a role he admits is close to his heart.

“There can be no greater endorsement of hard work and talent than the recommission of a series and to that end we have to thank ITV and the British public for taking to Ridley in such numbers,” says the actor. “We shall certainly work just as hard to keep the standard we have set and I look forward to developing Ridley as a character over the next four episodes.”

He also describes being the lead in such a high profile project as “a big responsibility”, before adding: “When you come off the back of creating a really interesting character, like Ted Hastings, you don’t think you’re ever going to reach those heights ever again. “Programmes like this, they really do rely on the heart at the middle of it all, and that’s usually provided by the central character.

“I’m getting to play a lot more of me in Ridley because he’s out of the office. With Ted, most of the time you saw him in a very tight world. I’m having to bring a bit more of myself to those moments of emotion.”

Another bit of Dunbar creeping into the show involves music – Ridley co-owns a jazz club and ends each episode by breaking into song; he is, you could say, an all-new ‘Singing Detective’.

“I’ve always been interested in music,” claims the Enniskillen-born star, who formed a country band in the 1970s, before revealing that “when jobs weren’t coming in thick and fast in my early 40s, I started the band again.”

These days, however, he’s a man very much in demand, just like his on-screen alter ego. Ridley, despite being retired, is still involved in police work, acting as a consultant to his former protege, DI Carol Farman (Bronagh Waugh). “Something happens that teases him back into the world of work,” explains Dunbar. “It’s probably the best place for him to be.”

Filming has once again taken place across the north of England, including the Yorkshire Dales and Pennine Moors, which look stunning on screen. Add to that wonderful scripts by Paul Matthew Thompson, who previously worked on Vera, and we’re onto a surefire winner.

The new series begins with Ridley and Carol hunting for a group of thieves, but it isn’t long before they realise a much bigger fish is behind the operation.

Human (Monday 11/08/2025, BBC2, 9pm)

By Roger Crow

Ever wondered about the world’s oldest temple, or who created the first alphabet? If so, you’re in luck. Those are just two of the many extraordinary questions answered in this edition of Ella Al-Shamahi’s documentary series.

Around 12 millennia ago, as the Ice Age finally thawed, humanity made a dramatic shift, abandoning nomadic life for permanent settlements. That’s one of the key elements addressed in episode five, A Great Gamble.

In Turkey, the paleoanthropologist visits Gobekli Tepe, the world’s oldest temple, which was constructed by hunter-gatherers more than 11,500 years ago, six millennia before the creation of Stone Henge.

Ella also pays a visit to one of the largest early towns, Çatalhöyük. It was a prototype in urban living, with no streets and honeycombs of dwellings accessed through the roofs.

Residents in Çatalhöyük slept close to the bones of their ancestors, who were buried beneath the floor. Archaeologists uncovered the remains of more than 60 people in one home alone.

Humans living in what is now the Middle East began to domesticate sheep and goats around 10,000 years ago. This marked part of a major lifestyle shift, from nomadic to living in settlements. Farming may have led to the first villages and towns, but it could also have led to a new era of disease; early farmers were found to have been infected with brucella and salmonella, disease-causing bacteria possibly picked up from their animals.

Ella heads to Egypt, and explains how cities began to thrive rather than collapse. She also visits a turquoise mine in the Sinai desert, and discovers how migrant workers were responsible for creating the first alphabet.

Curiously, writing is believed to have been invented in two places at around the same time: more than 5,000 years ago, in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia (a region that covered present-day Iraq, as well as parts of what are now Syria, Turkey and Iran). And while you might suspect the two regions shared ideas about writing, remarkably there is no sign of any communication between the populations who created it.

Making the series was obviously an epic undertaking, as Ella explains: “The vast majority of our 300,000-year human story is shrouded in mystery, so to make the series the production team scoured the globe to find the latest research and the world’s leading scientists conducting it.”

She adds: “The result is a unique collaboration, bringing together research and evidence from archaeologists, paleoanthropologists, geneticists and climatologists to piece together the story of our species’ origins.”

Unsung heroes include Series Consultant Professor Chris Stringer from London’s Natural History Museum, who brought on a core team of more than 20 renowned academic consultants, each with their specialisms. And all of them consulted with dozens of research scientists working on every specific detail of the human story told in the series.

Ella was thrilled to address a lot of the science stuff that drives most paleoanthropologists, and was amazed by the revelations she discovered regarding the invention of the alphabet. However, what she was most surprised by was the work and thinking that goes into making a landmark BBC science series.

“It has always been incredibly confusing to me how our origin story doesn’t get more airtime, and so it was incredible to be a part of this and see the kind of brilliant work that goes into bringing the science and our story to life.”

In Flight (Tuesday 12/08/25, Channel 4, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Katherine Kelly is a busy woman. While some stars struggle to find roles after quitting soapland, her career has gone from strength to strength.

Recent TV projects include Ruby Speaking, Mr Bates vs The Post Office and Inside No 9, while her previous two small screen performances have seen her play people on the right side of the law in Protection and The Crow Girl.

However, she’ll be getting up to all sorts of mischief in new six-part crime thriller In Flight (the first three episodes of which can be seen this week), although everything her character, flight attendant Jo Conran, does is in under duress.

“In Flight is our spin on the noir genre, a high stakes, stylish, romantic thriller with iconic characters and nerve shredding action,” claim the show’s creators, Mike Walden and Adam Randall. “Channel 4 is the perfect home for our story and we’re so excited to be collaborating with such a brilliant team.

“Jo is a character close to our hearts. She is an ordinary woman facing extraordinary odds. We can’t wait for audiences to meet her.”

When we first see her, Jo is a law-abiding single mother, but her life is about to be turned on its head when her her son is sentenced to 15 years in jail in Bulgaria for a murder he is adamant he didn’t commit. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she’s then approached by members of a gang who know all about her offspring’s predicament – and if Jo doesn’t agree to use her job to smuggle drugs for them, they will make his life hell.

Soon Jo finds herself trapped in a murky underworld populated by corrupt police officers and hired killers, and as time goes on, it becomes clear there’s no easy way out for her. Nevertheless, she remains determined to ensure her son’s safety – no matter the personal cost.

“I am really excited to be taking on the role of Jo and I can’t wait to tell her compelling story,” says Kelly, who’s joined in the cast by Ashley Thomas, Stuart Martin and Harry Cadby. Look out too for Bronagh Waugh, who’ll be making her second crime series appearance this week – she’s also among the main cast of Sunday’s Ridley.

Filming took place mostly in Belfast; other locations include Bangkok, Bulgaria, Istanbul and London. However, the story itself is universal.

“In Flight is a surprising, propulsive standout – a high-stakes action crime thriller that combines the intensity of international drug smuggling with the emotional depth of a mother’s relentless quest to save her son,” explains executive producer Rebecca Dundon.

“Set against the high-pressure world of global travel, this series offers a fresh, commercially powerful mix of suspense, sacrifice, and gripping drama.

“I couldn’t put the script down, and audiences everywhere will feel the same.”

Fingers crossed she’s right – and that Kelly, who is clearly one of British TV’s brightest stars, has backed a winner yet again.

George Clarke’s Kitchen vs Garden (Wednesday 13/08/2025, Channel 4, 8pm)

Words by Richard Jones

The kitchen is the most important room in a home, right?

Not only is it a place where families gather, meals are prepared and shared, and memories are made, a kitchen’s functionality, design and appeal can have a huge impact on a property’s desirability and value.

But saying that, a beautiful and well-maintained outdoor space can also add significant value to a home.

And, apparently, over half of potential buyers will decide whether they want to buy a house within just one minute of laying eyes on the garden.

So which area you should prioritise – kitchen or garden?

As the debate rages on, George Clarke is presenting a new five-part series in which he helps families up and down the UK decide, while also providing inspiration to viewers facing a similar quandary.

In George Clarke’s Kitchen vs Garden, the architect teams up with renowned Bristol-based designer and king of the flowery shirts Luke Millard to come up with dream schemes for both spaces.

It’s then down to the homeowners to choose where to put the lion’s share of the budget – with George or Luke.

Although both areas will be revamped during the programme, the one with a lower spend will have to significantly compromise.

As well as a weekly battle between the pair, the series is also packed with masterclasses on kitchen finishes and garden landscaping projects that can be completed on any budget.

The series begins this evening in Essex, where solicitor Gemma is team garden – she wants to revamp their curved space – while husband Scott is team kitchen.

George and Luke design schemes for both – but which one will the couple choose to prioritise?

Next week, the presenters are in Bristol to help a couple decide whether or not a dream kitchen or Japanese garden is their priority, before moving onto Exmouth, where Dan and Immy have a choice between a high-end kitchen or a Mediterranean garden.

George and Luke also head to Matlock, Derbyshire, where wheelchair user Ben is in serious need of an accessible kitchen and garden that works for the whole family.

Kitchen vs Garden is the latest in a long line of series George has produced for Channel 4.

The 51-year-old presenter of The Restoration Man, Old House New Home and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces loves a renovation and frequently shares his opinions on property.

So what advice would he give to someone considering a revamp?

“Obviously I’m going to say, get a good architect, that’s a predictable answer,” he told Morzine Source Magazine earlier this year.

“Also, make as many design decisions as you can before you start. A lot of people think they can decide on details later, even some architects will suggest that. It’s the simplest thing in the world, you’ve got to make the decision anyway, make it early.

“The faster you make it and the more that decision is included into the drawings and the spec, and maybe even ordered in advance – the less stressful your build will be.”

So will Gemma and Scott take his advice and be decisive tonight?

And, more importantly, will they go with George who says “the kitchen is the heart of the home”, or the garden – “an extension of the home” – with Luke?

Tom Kerridge Cooks Spain (Thursday 14/08/25, ITV1, 8.30pm)

Words by Damon Smith

Spain continues to be one of the most popular holiday destinations for UK tourists so it’s little wonder that food from this European culinary powerhouse, including paella, churros and a delicious array of tapas, proliferates on supermarket shelves to whet hearty appetites.

For many years, El Bulli, run by chef Ferran Adria, was regularly voted the finest eaterie on the planet and on the most recent World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, two of the top five establishments are proudly located in Spain: Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo (second place) and Diverxo in Madrid (fourth).

Great British Menu judge Tom Kerridge takes time out from celebrating fellow chefs to travel around Spain in a bright blue 1980s Mercedes truck to meet some of the producers, farmers and fishermen responsible for putting the finest ingredients on our tables. Beginning in the north of the country, Tom has already savoured anchovies in Santona, sampled new varieties of citrus and attempted to blend a sherry vinegar worthy of the famed sherry triangle in Cádiz.

Tom’s jaunt across Spain follows last summer’s six-part series, Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain, which saw him severely test the suspension of his delightfully rickety 1950s green food truck, which opens into a portable, bespoke kitchen. The Michelin-starred chef embarked on a gastronomic road trip around Kent, Cambridgeshire, Scotland, Pennines, Cornwall, Wales and Lancashire to celebrate the finest British ingredients and cook mouth-watering dishes that showcase these regional specialities.

Newlyn, the largest fishing port in England, was a picture-perfect location to source fresh sardines, and the UK’s largest mussel farm in Inverlussa was a highlight of his visit to the Isle of Mull. Memorably, Tom was no match for the staggering speed of seasonal workers who pick strawberries at one of the biggest soft fruit farms in Arbroath. A lot of sweat-speckled effort goes into getting fruits and vegetables to consumers as quickly as possible.

Two of the best recipes from the series using locally sourced ingredients were the custardy rice pudding with roasted apricots, inspired by the visit to a Jersey cow farm in Cornwall, and a crunchy fruit crumble crammed with Bramley and Granny Smith apples, pears and blackberries, hand-picked from the Garden of England, Kent.

This week, Tom is in the beating heart of Spain to understand the country’s unwavering obsession with the flowering plant that has kept vampires at bay for centuries. Beginning in Cuenca, famous for its medieval castle ruins and cobbled streets, Tom works on a high-tech tractor with third-generation garlic producer Elena and samples the intense flavour of bulbs harvested fresh from the earth.

Grapes are Tom’s go-to late-night snack of choice so Murcia in the southeast is a perfect location to honour the Monastrell red grape variety that flourishes in vineyards. Producer Cristina invites Tom to dig deep into the fruit basket of Spain and learn what makes this region so dynamic and successful.

VJ Day 80: The Nation’s Tribute (Friday 15/08/2025, BBC One, 11.30am)

Words by Richard Jones

Eighty years ago, Japan surrendered to the Allied forces, finally bringing the Second World War to an end.

While the news was met with relief and celebration and millions took part in parades and street parties, there was also great sadness – the human cost was enormous, with many eagerly awaiting the safe return of their loved ones.

Over 90,000 British troops were casualties in the war against Japan and some of those who had fought in the Far East and the Pacific were forgotten by those at home.

After they returned, many were unable to speak of what they had suffered and seen on the brutal battlefields, and in the Prisoner of War camps and malaria-ridden jungles.

All this week, the BBC has been marking 80th anniversary of VJ Day with a wide range of programmes across TV, radio and online, reflecting on the end of the war and the often-overlooked conflict in the Far East.

Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, says: “The 80th anniversary of VJ Day is a moment to honour the courage and sacrifice of all who served in the Far East during the Second World War.

“Through powerful stories and testimonies across our coverage, the BBC is proud to be able to pay tribute to these men and women and ensure that their service, bravery and fortitude are remembered.”

The centrepiece of the coverage is VJ Day 80: The Nation’s Tribute, broadcast from the foot of the iconic Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Today’s event will be attended by some of the last surviving Second World War veterans of the campaign in the Far East and will feature personal testimonies and poignant reflections as they remember leaving home for a far-off country to take on an unknown enemy and become part of a ‘forgotten army.’

Broadcaster Paddy O’Connell, whose father proudly served in the war, will provide historical context through commentary, while key moments of the conflict will be reflected through readings and musical performances by special guests.

There will also be traditional military remembrance moments including The Last Post performed by the Royal Marine Buglers, a piper’s lament performed by the Brigade of the Gurkhas, a tribute from the Red Arrows and a traditional Second World War fly past.

The event will also include a national two-minute silence at 12noon.

Mark Atkinson, Director General of the Royal British Legion, says: “We are incredibly proud to be leading the nation on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day with our Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

“It will be a very poignant occasion for the Second World War veterans who served in the Far East and Pacific who will be with us on the day, alongside the families of those who served and lost loved ones.

“It is an opportunity for everyone across the country to watch live on BBC One as we reflect and remember, starting with a national two-minute silence.”