The Brit Awards, Celebrity Big Brother Live Launch, The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson: TV highlights this week

The Brit Awards 2024 ( Saturday 02/03/24, ITV1, 8.30pm)

Words by Rob Lavender

The ceremony honouring excellence in music, hosted by Clara Amfo, Maya Jama and Roman Kemp, is also something of a celebration of women this year. The big news is that Kylie Minogue will be performing live and receiving the Global Icon Award in recognition of her career spanning five decades.

Meanwhile, favourites among the nominees in the big categories include Raye, Dua Lipa, PinkPantheress, Arlo Parks, Olivia Dean and Little Simz.

Raye, whose brutally honest and deeply personal hit Escapism has made waves worldwide, is up for Song of the Year for the aforementioned track and again for Prada, as well as Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (with My 21st Century Blues), Pop Act, R&B Act and New Artist. Her seven nods mean she has received more nominations in a single year than any other artist in Brits history.

Dua Lipa too contests Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (for Dance The Night from the Barbie soundtrack) and Pop Act. Both Raye and Dua Lipa will also be performing, as will Rema, Jungle, and Becky Hill with Chase & Status.

Also making headlines are Britpop legends Blur, whose ninth LP The Ballad of Darren is up for Album of the Year and saw them nominated as Best Group.

Blur of course were involved when the Brits were at their most chaotic, their much-publicised feud with Oasis reaching its peak in 1996 when the latter band performed a parody version of Blur’s Parklife (or “Marmite”, as Noel Gallagher sang it; we can’t print Liam’s interpretation, however).

International Artist of the Year sees CMAT, Kylie, Lana Del Rey, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, SZA and Taylor Swift in contention, presenting what must be be a very difficult dilemma to the judges.

So much talent is on offer in all categories, illustrating just how remarkable the past year has been in the music world.

Plus, viewers will also be excited to hear that, echoing some of the more anarchic ceremonies, this year’s Brits will be broadcast live. The organisers have sometimes shied away from going out without a buffer due to the unpredictable atmosphere of so many musicians in one place – this time London’s O2 Arena. After all, according to Brits history, literally anything can happen.

Kylie’s comeback alone makes the 2024 awards noteworthy, while Blur’s inclusion as well as the Rolling Stones (up for Alternative/Rock act alongside Blur) shows that despite a wealth of new emerging talent, the old guard still have plenty to offer.

Kylie said of her award: “I am beyond thrilled to be honoured with the Global Icon Award and to be joining a roll call of such incredible artists.

“The UK has always been a home from home so the BRITs have a very special place in my heart.

“I have some amazing memories from the awards over the years and I can’t wait to be back on the BRITs stage. See you at the O2!”

The Push: Murder on the Cliff (Sunday 03/03/24, Channel 4, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Netflix may be famous for producing true crime documentaries, but it hasn’t cornered the market in them.

Every broadcaster has realised that viewers have a strange thirst for such things, so in the endless chase for ratings, more than ever seem to be heading our way.

Of course, while some shamelessly try to attract viewers by being overly melodramatic or even quite distasteful, others are made to highlight important issues, bringing wider attention to topics and the justice system as a whole.

The Push: Murder on the Cliff, a two-part documentary being aired on consecutive nights, is firmly in the latter category.

It focuses on the headline-hitting murder of Fawziyah Javed, a 31-year-old lawyer from Leeds who was 17 weeks pregnant with her first child at the time of her death during a break in Edinburgh with her husband, Kashif Anwar, in September 2021. Early last year, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of her murder – he pushed her from the city’s famous landmark, Arthur’s Seat, killing both Fawziyah and their unborn baby.

During an interview with BBC’s Newsnight last summer, her mother, Yasmin Javed, described Anwar as “evil, jealous and insecure,” claiming he “didn’t like the fact that Fawzi has her own voice, her own opinions.” She also said her daughter had been planning to leave her husband after a prolonged period of abuse.

What those who followed media coverage of the trial probably didn’t realise is that every minute of it was being filmed. That coverage now forms the basis of this programme.

“It’s been such a privilege to see the process of justice played out minute by minute at Edinburgh High Court and it’s been an utter privilege to work with Fawziyah’s large and loving family, who are destroyed by what has happened to her,” reveals director Anna Hall, a Bafta-winner whose previous productions include The Family Secret, Edge of the City and Libby, Are You Home Yet?

“How many more women will be killed at the hands of their abusive partners? But I know we will all learn so many vitally important things which helped to convict her abuser.”

“To tell Fawziyah’s story in this way, with her family bravely sharing what is an unimaginably painful time for them, is both a great privilege and a great responsibility,” adds Alisa Pomeroy, who commissioned the series for Channel 4.

“No woman should have to suffer an abusive relationship. Shining a light on this heart-breaking case is important for many reasons, and I hope that other women suffering in a similar way might find strength in seeing this film to make a lifesaving change in their own life.

“The access gained by Anna and the team to make this series is unique and I have no doubt they will honour Fawziyah’s memory, showing how her killer was brought to justice.”

It’s a gripping and moving documentary, an important work that deserves to reach a wide audience. The tragedy is, it probably won’t be the last we’ll see that tackles such a harrowing subject.

Celebrity Big Brother: Live Launch (Monday 04/03/2024, ITV1, 9pm)

Richard Jones

The show which brought us Jack Dee’s daring escape, George Galloway’s cat impression and Megan McKenna’s meltdown over mashed potato is back.

Following the success of the revamped ‘civilian series’, which returned to ITV in 2023 and was won by Jordan Sangha, Celebrity Big Brother is also being revived, with Will Best and AJ Odudu introducing a new cast tonight before sending them into the house.

Will is clearly looking forward to it. “Some of the most iconic moments from Big Brother throughout the years have come from the Celebrity Big Brother series,” he says.

“When people think of Big Brother nowadays they often think of the GC [Gemma Collins], they think of ‘David’s dead’ [referring to David Gest]. These were all given to us by celebs.”

AJ adds: “I’m so excited. Off the back of the success of the civilian show, it’s amazing that we get to host the celebrity series.

“I feel incredibly lucky. Not everyone gets to do their dream job with their actual mate.”

Although the identity of the housemates has not been confirmed, various stars have been rumoured, from WAG Rebekah Vardy, Celebrity Gogglebox star Gyles Brandreth and X Factor judge Louis Walsh, to EastEnders star Max Bowden, Loose Women’s Linda Robson and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Bimini Bon Boulash.

Levi Roots – who found fame on Dragon’s Den with his Reggae Reggae sauce – has also been linked to an appearance on the ‘ultimate social experiment’, as has Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, ex-TOWIE star Joey Essex, Love Island alumni Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Chloe Burrows, and, perhaps most interestingly of all, former This Morning host Phillip Schofield.

Meanwhile, Gary Goldsmith, the younger brother of the Princess of Wales’s mother Carole Middleton has apparently negotiated a bumper contract with ITV bosses and could become one of the show’s most controversial housemates.

At the time of writing at least, the hosts are also in the dark when it comes to who will be entering the house.

Will says: “Our biggest surprise will be seeing who gets out of those cars. We have absolutely no idea who will be going in.”

And their identities are not the only shocks in store for viewers.

“Last series, Big Brother himself was more of a character, more consistent and more mischievous,” he continues.

“Elements like that, when applied to the celebrity version, are going to be dialled up. The team is so talented and creative, there’s no doubt it will be just as great this time around.”

The main ITV1 programme is followed by Celebrity Big Brother: Late and Live on ITV2 (10.30pm), in which a guest panel and a live studio audience analyse the action.

It will also feature the evictees’ first live interviews and bonus exclusive content.

Plus, much to the delight of hardcore Big Brother fans, the live stream will be back on ITVX, giving viewers the opportunity to watch the action 24/7.

The UK’s last CBB season was titled Celebrity Big Brother 22: Eye of the Storm in 2018 and featured Cheers actress Kirsty Alley, Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas, actress Roxanne Pallett, footballer Jermaine Pennant and TV psychic Sally Morgan.

Ryan was crowned the victor, so who will start winning the hearts of the nation when they enter the famous house tonight?

Newark, Newark (Tuesday 05/03/24, BBC Two, 10pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

If the premise for this sitcom sounds familiar, you may have already seen it – it originally aired on GOLD way back in March 2022.

For those of us who enjoyed it and want to see it again, or who aren’t lucky enough to have access to the digital channel, we’re now getting another opportunity to catch the programme.

Newark, Newark is the brainchild of Nathan Foad, an actor and writer whose other credits include Our Flag Means Death and Bloods. The story takes place in Newark-on-Trent, where he grew up; filming took place there too, while another local lad, Mathew Horne, stars.

The Gavin & Stacey actor plays Terry, who’s recently divorced but desperate to win back his wife Maxine (Morgana Robinson). She’s a tough chip shop manager who is definitely no longer interested in Terry but hasn’t given up on love – she’s trying to adapt to being single again while looking for her soul mate. Meanwhile, their son, 16-year-old Leslie (Jai Hollis), dramatically announces he’s gay. Beverley Callard also appears as Leslie’s interfering grandmother.

“I was born and raised 10 miles from Newark, and I went to school five miles away from Newark, so I know the area and I know those people,” says Horne.

“Without naming names – and I certainly don’t have any names – I’ve been around an atmosphere and a generation of men who’ve been through the same things as Terry. I feel like he’s somebody I know very well, and I recognise the tragedy in him.

“But I also sympathise with Terry, because I will end up being him – he is part of me because of where I’m from. Terry’s a very appropriate character for me, although a huge departure in terms of my acting and my career. He’s deeply tragic, but I also wanted him to be likeable and for people to understand the damage he’s suffered.”

For those used to seeing Horne as Essex boy Gavin, listening to him adopt his native accent may come as a shock. It’s something he enjoyed doing, however.

“It means so much on both a professional level and a personal level,” claims the actor. “On a professional level, I’m so grateful to be given this opportunity because on paper that role is not one you would offer to me. I still don’t quite know why they did. I assumed they knew I was from the area, but they didn’t and were as surprised as anyone to learn I was from there. In television it’s very easy to be pigeonholed as a certain type, so to be offered Terry was amazing to me.

“On a personal level it’s wonderful to go home and work and make a show which is set five miles from the school where I started acting 25 years ago.”

It sounds as if there’s a new generation of thespians in the area too, young people Horne describes as “fantastic” before saying, “I hope they have very bright futures that aren’t only on TikTok.”

Well, you never know – this second showing on a more mainstream channel may help turn them into the next Mathew Horne.

Stay up to date with Yorkshire art and culture with our weekly newsletter

The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson (Wednesday 06/03/2024, Channel 4, 9pm)

Richard Jones

Taking inspiration from his hero Winston Churchill, believing that “history will be kind to me, for I intend to write it”, Boris Johnson dominated British politics over a tumultuous decade.

One of the country’s most controversial and compelling figures, the former Prime Minister ushered in major changes, stretching far beyond his signature Brexit project and his Covid policies, during his three-year tenure in Downing Street,.

This ‘definitive documentary series’ looks at the life and career of Alexander Boris De Pfeffel Johnson, revealing the events that shaped the man and his character, his meteoric rise to power and the extraordinary events of his premiership.

Through a combination of rare archive footage and with access to those with intimate knowledge of Johnson over the years, the four hour-long episodes will hear from both his friends and enemies to reveal BoJo’s true persona and give greater insight into his actions, his ambition and the real events that have shaped modern British politics.

The series will also divulge how the seeds of political rivalries still being felt in British politics all began in the corridors at Eton College, where Johnson beat David Cameron to the prestigious role of School Captain, and how he sharpened his skills while campaigning for Student President at Oxford University.

It will explore his rise and rise as a politician, becoming Mayor of London, MP for Henley, Foreign Secretary and finally achieving his dream job: Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Tonight’s first part reveals how Boris’s chaotic childhood shaped his political views and how the clashes and rivalries of his youth would dictate his key decisions in the pursuit of power.

It begins with a look at how Johnson’s unconventional childhood, moving back and forth from he UK to the US, preceded his entry into the elite world of Eton and Oxford.

From there, a successful but then disgraced career in journalism working for The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator, led to him moving into the world of politics.

After becoming MP for Henley, he was then the surprise victor in the Mayor of London election in 2008.

Boris was the political face of the 2012 London Olympics, but just a few years later, set himself up against the then Prime Minister Cameron, his old Oxford pal, as he headed the Vote Leave Brexit campaign.

In tomorrow’s second edition, we see how Johnson shocked the pollsters with his Brexit victory in 2016, but he’s left reeling when Cameron resigns as PM.

Boris is the bookies’ favourite to take over, but he’s stabbed in the back and then outmanoeuvred and ends up in the political wilderness. However, Boris has a plan to come back to enact revenge…

In future editions, we see how Boris eventually achieved his ambition of becoming Prime Minister, before securing the biggest Conservative majority in 30 years at the 2019 General Election.

However, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the following year, Johnson spent some time in intensive care, before his time as PM came to an incredible and acrimonious end when he was ‘stabbed in the back’ by his own MPs following the Partygate scandal and forced to resign in July 2022.

Now back the political wilderness, the programme asks, will Boris make a spectacular comeback, much like his hero did in 1945?

Crufts 2024 (Thursday 07/03/24, Channel 4, 3pm & 7.30pm)

Words by Rob Lavender

There’s no need to sit up and beg if you want to see action from the world’s most famous dog show – it’s back on our screens once again thanks to Channel 4 and More4 which, between them, will be broadcasting 16 hours of coverage.

Fast becoming an annual flagship event for the network, Crufts has been exclusive to Channel 4 since 2010 – and the broadcaster has increased viewership, attracting more viewers than it enjoyed at the end of its BBC run.

Presenter Clare Balding once again helms the show, and is a perfect choice as both a fantastic sports anchor and a well-known dog lover.

She’s joined by Sophie Morgan to kick off the live coverage from the NEC in Birmingham with the flyball heats – a fast-paced event packed with speed and excitement. Among the competitors are the brilliantly named Belgian team Road Runners Beep Beep, who are returning in their bid to win the title for a third year in a row. This is the team that set a new national record last year with 14.27 seconds, so there should be fireworks this time around.

Vanessa McAlpine, Crufts Show Manager, said of their previous win: “Road Runners Beep Beep put on an incredible show in the ring for all the crowd and a massive congratulations to all of the dogs and owners in Road Runners Beep Beep for securing their win.

“Their teamwork and passion for flyball was evident throughout and we want to wish them the best of luck in following competitions and future Crufts to come!”

For the uninitiated, flyball is a relay event in which teams of four dogs must negotiate a line of hurdles, press a paddle to release a tennis ball, which must then be caught and returned to the owner before the next dog can begin.

Reporter Radzi Chinyanganya leads coverage of that contest, while commentators Jim Rosenthal and Graham Partridge are on hand to make sure we don’t miss any of the action.

Other disciplines in contention will include obedience, agility and heelwork to music, while the main event, so to speak, is the battle for the coveted Best in Show title.

We get to see some of the first groups to be judged on their way to that prestigious award in the evening programme (7.30pm, Channel 4), as the Utility and Toy dogs groups are scrutinised, while over on More4 (6.30pm) the Vulnerable breeds take on Agility contests; the dancing and discipline of the Heelwork to Music competition also takes place.

Plus, that programme features action from the flyable heats, as well as the agility finals for small and medium dogs.

Yet Crufts is about more than just the competition itself – it’s also home to one of the biggest trade shows in the canine world.

To find out more about that, Sophie Morgan and her guests rove the halls of the NEC, presenting features, conducting interviews and discussing all the dog world’s current hot topics.

Here We Go (Friday 08/03/24, BBC One, 8.30pm)

Words by Rob Lavender

And so the second series of Tom Basden’s excellent sitcom draws to a close, and it will be much-missed. It has somehow managed to simultaneously feel very modern and of-the-moment, and be the kind of family-friendly sitcom that some critics and viewers often declare “they don’t make them like that anymore”.

This week is a big one for the Jessops, as Cherry and Robin’s wedding day arrives. Unfortunately, it has fallen on the same day as Paul’s police training graduation.

And that’s not all that’s going on – Maya is all set to move in with Amy, Sam’s GCSE exams are looming large, and Rachel, despite her unusually low threshold for pain tolerance, decides to get a tattoo. One has to feel for the artist…

Katherine Parkinson as Rachel has been superb throughout the series, but then she is among the safest pairs of hands when it comes to sitcoms – from The IT Crowd onward she has a proven knack for comedy.

And it helps that she has a wealth of personal experience from which to draw. Speaking ahead of the second series of Here We Go, Parkinson said of the character: “Well, I don’t think I’m as neurotic and chaotic as Rachel, but then when I actually say that out loud, and especially when I can hear my husband [the Toast of London actor Harry Peacock] laughing in the other room, I don’t know, maybe I am a little bit. I feel like I’m probably a toxic mix of neurotic and laid back.

“If anything, my parents – and I hope they wouldn’t mind me saying this – but their relationship, getting married young, like Paul and Rachel, is very similar… I grew up perhaps in a similar household to the Jessops.”

To illustrate the point, she relays a real-life anecdote: “I remember this one occasion we were all on holiday, walking up a mountain and my dad thought he saw a wolf up ahead – we all then had to go on a huge detour, it was farcical, my mum lost a shoe, we were all clambering on a mountain edge it seemed, and then when we finally reached the top, it turned out to be an Alsatian on a lead.”

That certainly does seem like it could have been lifted straight from one of Basden’s scripts.

What began as a lockdown-set one-off Comedy Playhouse pilot named Pandemonium has proven to be one of the BBC’s strongest sitcoms in years, emerging from the pandemic as a ready-made series that can continue to grow as the characters, and their lives, develop.

Whereas other shows, made by necessity within the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, failed to fire on all cylinders once the world began to open up again (a case in point being the genuinely inspired Staged, whose Zoom call-based format failed to feel so relevant or poignant in its later series), Pandemonium/Here We Go found its transition seamless.

A third series comprising seven episodes has already been commissioned by the BBC, and honestly we can see it running and running. Here’s hoping.