Wimbledon and Taylor: A Story of Love - TV highlights this week

Alexander Armstrong Across America (Saturday 27/06/26, 5, 8pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

The question surrounding this new series is not ‘why is Alexander Armstrong embarking on a massive tour of the USA?’, but ‘how is he managing it?’

He is, after all, one of the busiest men in showbusiness. In the last few years, he’s participated in Beat the Chasers and The Masked Singer UK; the latter saw him get to use his distinctive bass-baritone voice, too.

Some observers thought he was an odd choice to take part in the guise of ‘Chicken Caesar’, but he was keen to be involved. “I’ve been longing to do it,” he claimed, after getting the boot. “I mean, every year, I’m always getting messages saying: ‘Are you so and so?’ And I say: ‘Oh, maybe…’”

Panellist Jonathan Ross described him as a “very regal chicken”; no doubt that made the whole experience worthwhile…

Armstrong has also made a six-part documentary series about Buckingham Palace and a run of Perfect Pub Walks. And, of course, there’s the juggernaut that is Pointless, a show he still adores. However, one programme he won’t be taking over is Countdown, which he was offered just as Pointless fell into his lap in 2009.

“I felt Countdown was a very revered format and I got the sense that there wasn’t going to be a lot of leeway to muck about with it and Pointless is all mucking about really,” he smiles. “I wouldn’t have been able to do both… Basically I had kind of stopped doing comedy by then and I wanted something that would have a bit of comedy in it.”

Episodes are filmed in one big block, allowing him the time to present his weekly Classical Spotlight programme on Classic FM. In between he’s also jetted off to film travelogues – Iceland, South Korea, Sri Lanka and India have been on his itinerary, and now he’s about to add another.

America is barely off our screens at the moment thanks to the football World Cup, various headline-hitting political stories and the forthcoming celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of its independence, so it’s a good time for Armstrong to be going there to explore the country in greater depth.

He begins, fittingly enough, in Philadelphia, a city famous for being the nation’s birthplace due to the fact that the Declaration of Independence was signed there in 1776. He learns how the founding ideals still fit in – or otherwise – in the modern USA before tucking into the artery-busting local ‘delicacy’, the Philly cheesesteak.

After that he should really be going for a run to burn off those extra calories, but instead he puts his feet up aboard America’s oldest steam railroad, which takes him deep into Pennsylvania’s rural heartland where he learns more about the important part the area played in the fight against slavery. It’s not all brotherly love that’s on display, however – he discovers how the opioid crisis is impacting on some residents.

Armstrong does, however, end on a high note – literally – when he spends time with a Pennsylvanian Dutch family, who teach him a traditional song. It’s a touching moment, and after hearing him sing, who knows, they might describe their guest as a ‘regal chicken’ too.

Taylor: A Story of Love (Sunday 28/06/2026, Channel 4, 11pm)

Words by Richard Jones

Taylor Swift has built a billion-dollar brand by penning lyrics about love and heartbreak.

But although the world is now engrossed by her high-profile romance with, and engagement to, Travis Kelce, there were a string of boyfriends before the Kansas City Chiefs tight end stole her heart in the summer of 2023.

And not only has Swift’s dating history been all over the media, her former lovers have also famously served as the inspiration for many of her chart-topping songs (sometimes to her exes’ deep dissatisfaction).

This one-hour unauthorised documentary tells the story of the world’s biggest pop star through the romances that shaped her – and the songs that changed music forever.

From the heady first flushes of young love and mid-career heartbreak, to the engagement that dominated headlines worldwide, Swift has turned the diary of her life into the world’s biggest soundtrack.

Told through rich archive, testimony from music insiders and reporters, Swifties, superfans and celebrities, the film unfolds in four themed acts: early romances, high-profile celebrity relationships, the British years, and the road to the altar.

It begins with a look at Swift’s relationships with Brandon Borello and Drew Hardwick at high school, before her first major celebrity romance with Joe Jonas in 2008, which famously inspired the song Forever & Always.

The following year, Taylor started dating Taylor Lautner after they co-starred in the film Valentine’s Day. Their fling led to the track Back to December.

Taylor and John Mayer dated briefly between 2009 and 2010, and the relationship inspired iconic song Dear John.

A brief but intense bond with Jake Gyllenhaal followed, and the majority of songs on her 2012 album Red are said to be about him.

Taylor and Connor Kennedy, a member of the famous US family, ‘swiftly’ called time on their short romance after just a few months, though the split is thought to have been amicable.

The singer then went onto to have a short-term fling with Harry Styles, with the songs Out of the Woods and Style very obviously about him, before she dated another Brit, Calvin Harris, for over a year. They collaborated on This Is What You Came For.

Following their split, Swift started seeing Tom Hiddleston, with Reputation’s Getaway Car thought to be about the Loki actor.

Taylor then embarked on her longest and most private relationship to date.

She dated Joe Alwyn for nearly seven years and Reputation, Lover, Folklore and Evermore were all written with him in mind.

Finally, before meeting current beau Kelce, Swift had a series of dinner dates and a brief fling with The 1975’s Matty Healy.

It has been reported that Taylor’s 2025 album, The Life of a Showgirl is inspired by her love for Kelce and its lead track The Fate of Ophelia references him trying to get her attention with a megaphone (a nod to his podcast).

Fan-favourite Opalite is also named after the NFL star’s birthstone, while Honey is a playful track referencing Kelce’s pet names for the singer.

Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for Taylor that these songs will be part of her ‘happy ever after’ and not just another chapter in what has previously been a heartbreaking Love Story.

Wimbledon 2026 (Monday 29/06/2026, BBC One & BBC Two, various times throughout the week)

Words by Richard Jones

With the FIFA World Cup dominating the nightly schedules, you may already think there is too much sport on TV.

Nevertheless, another all-encompassing world-class event is set to take over the BBC’s during daytimes from today, as the latest edition of The Championships, Wimbledon gets under way on the hallowed courts of SW19.

Isa Guha kicks off the day’s action in the morning on BBC Two, before Clare Balding takes over in the afternoon, with play continuing into the evening over on BBC One.

They will be joined by a host of new names, adding fresh perspectives to the Beeb’s “unrivalled coverage”.

Two-time Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Jamie Murray is the broadcaster’s new dedicated analysis expert, while former women’s singles finalist Eugenie (Genie) Bouchard will be offering a contemporary player’s perspective on the realities of competing at the highest level.

Former British No.1 Laura Robson returns to SW19 with the BBC team, bringing her engaging style and expert knowledge courtside.

And finally, tennis icon Andre Agassi is joining the team for the climax of the tournament, drawing on his own experiences while examining the players shaping the future of the sport.

As is tradition, the action begins today on the outer courts, ahead of the reigning men’s singles champion Jannick Sinner’s return to Centre Court to begin the defence of his title.

Twelve months ago, the Italian defeated two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a high-class final.

Sadly, there is no chance of a rematch between the two rivals this year, as Alcaraz has been ruled out with a wrist injury.

So who is likely to be Sinner’s biggest competition for the men’s singles title?

In last month’s French Open, Alexander Zverev finally claimed an elusive Grand Slam title as he beat Flavio Cobolli in the final.

Can the 29-year-old back up his Roland Garros success with victory on the grass courts of Wimbledon?

Despite being in the latter stages of his career, 39-year-old Novak Djokovic still has hopes of winning at least one more Grand Slam.

But whether the Serbian superstar has the endurance to secure what would be an eighth All England crown appears unlikely.

Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper arrive in south west London as Britain’s best hopes of men’s singles success, but while both have shown glimpses of what they are capable of on this surface, neither has yet produced a sustained run over a full fortnight.

In the women’s draw, Belarusian world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka goes in as favourite to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish, ahead of recent French Open champion, Mirra Andreeva.

Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu has shown encouraging signs ahead of Wimbledon, making it to the final on the grass at Queen’s Club, where she was beaten by Croatia’s Donna Vekic. Katie Boulter also reached the semis at the same tournament.

Finally, following her much-publicised tennis comeback at the HSBC Championships, Serena Williams has been handed a wildcard to compete alongside her sister Venus in the women’s doubles.

Although fans may have thought that they’d seen the last of the sisters on the hallowed grass courts, it will be great to see them back, and much like the amount of world-class sport on TV, you can’t get enough of a good thing, can you?

Bake Off: The Professionals (Tuesday 30/06/26, Channel 4, 8pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

For the teams of pastry chefs competing on Bake Off: The Professionals, the stakes are high and the pressure is on as they compete to prove they are the best.

However, it seems for presenters Ellie Taylor and Liam Charles and judges Cherish Finden and Benoit Blin, it’s a lot less tense.

Comedian Ellie, whose previous credits include The Mash Report and a stint on Strictly Come Dancing, certainly enjoys coming to work. She says: “It’s such a lovely bunch, I love hanging out with them all. We’ll go for dinner together, Cherish sometimes makes me lunch on set – she has her own mini-kitchen in her dressing room. I’ll come into my dressing room and there’ll be this beautifully plated selection of yummy things on my table.”

She adds: “They’re just a really lovely bunch, and they’re really passionate about patisserie and the chefs. They’re really invested in it, which is lovely to see. My mum came to the set and she said ‘It’s like a sixth form common room.’ That’s exactly what it’s like, really good craic.”

Even knowing that sometimes it’s her own baking that’s being judged hasn’t dampened Ellie’s enthusiasm. She reveals: “One week we all brought in things that we’d made, which is quite stressful, bringing in stuff for Benoit, Cherish and Liam. But they appreciated my parmesan and pistachio crackers. So that was good fun.”

On the whole though, it seems that working on this show has made Ellie less likely to bake herself. She explains: “I have more of an appreciation for the fancy, beautiful things that the chefs make. But if anything, it just makes me go ‘What’s the point?’ Let the people who know what they’re doing do it, and then I’ll buy it from a shop or a bakery, thanks very much.”

In fact, she doesn’t even have to buy it as it seems another perk of the job is that she can help herself to some of the contestants’ creations once filming is over.

Ellie says: “‘Wrap’ will be called, and then I’ll fish out a fork, have a go at what I fancy, and anything that meets my test, which is ‘What’s tasty and will travel well in the car?’ will be brought home to my husband and my mum and dad who like to sample the wares.

“There was a giraffe once, in one of the shows, and one of the team said ‘It’s my child’s birthday party this weekend and we’re having a jungle theme, can I take this chocolate giraffe’s head? That would be a perfect table centrepiece.’ So it’s really nice when things like that get used.”

There are more items for her to eye up this week as the four remaining teams from this heat are asked to whip up 24 savoury mille-feuille and 24 babka buns. Then it’s on to the showpiece challenge, which this week is taking inspiration from the Ancient Wonders of the world – and needs to be made entirely from biscuits and accompanied by beautifully shaped petit gâteaux.

Will anyone attempt a custard cream Colossus or the Hanging Gardens of Bourbons?

The Light in the Hall: Still Waters (Wednesday 01/07/26, Channel 4, 9pm)

Words by Damon Smith

Treachery, deception and betrayal haven’t been lost in translation in the second series of the gripping psychological drama set in the fictional town of Llanemlyn, which aired in September last year as the Welsh-language mystery Y Golau: Dŵr on S4C.

Rather than dubbing dialogue into English for its summertime run on Channel 4, actors performed each scene multiple times on location in Carmarthenshire and surrounding areas, flip-flopping between Welsh and English to perfectly replicate the suspense and emotion in both languages. It’s one of those rare cases in television when a show is so good, they made it twice.

Tonight, the six-part storyline of The Light in ihe Hall: Still Waters reaches a tense conclusion.

The controversial redevelopment plan to expand the reservoir in Llanemlyn has been reigniting old tensions and begging uncomfortable questions about the conviction of Rhys Owen (Mark Lewis Jones) for the murder of his cousin Llŷr in a bombing during a protest against the expansion in 1995.

Rhys was conveniently released from prison just in time for the local community to divide across generational lines to protest the development or tow the line for the sake of a quiet life.

Aspiring journalist Caryl Huws (Siân Reese-Williams) has been questioning whether she is the right person to seek the truth about Llyr’s demise but in this final chapter, she pieces together events that will decide whether Rhys’ claims of innocence should continue to fall on deaf ears. The ex-con looks close to home for answers and he confronts his father to uncover his connection to the fatal bombing.

Passionate environmental activist Hari Breckon (Tom Rhys Harries) has made his voice heard about the redevelopment plan and has glimpsed ugly facets of the local community as friends and neighbours take sides. Perhaps the time has come for him to leave Llanemlyn and seek happiness elsewhere.

Producer Nora Ostler Spiteri was thrilled to return to the slow-burning intrigue with the crew who worked on the first series of Y Golau/The Light In The Hall, shooting in the real-life market town in Carmarthenshire that serves as a picturesque backdrop to skulduggery. “It was lovely to return to Llandovery to bring the world to life,” she enthuses.

Actor Mark Lewis Jones, who plays Rhys, is a new addition to the cast for the second series. He spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com last year ahead of Y Golau: Dŵr premiering on S4C and explained the mental gymnastics of filming scenes shot-for-shot in different tongues.

“Effectively, for us actors, it’s learning the same scene twice,” he revealed. “It is double the amount of learning, so we have to really be on top of things, because on a TV or film set there’s no time. There’s no extra time to give the actors a 10-minute break to go through things, so we have to just grab each other when we can and run through the new language.”

The concluding episode should prove a gripping murder mystery comfortably hurdles all language barriers.

Cornwall: A Year by the Sea (Thursday 02/07/26, 5, 8pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

It’s that time of year when millions of tourists flock to Cornwall’s beautiful coastlines, which can be something of a mixed blessing for the locals.

However, this series is here to remind viewers that Cornwall is a thriving county all year round, and that while tourism is big business, it’s far from being the only industry. Cornwall: A Year By the Sea aims to offer an insight into the life of the locals and celebrate all the county has to offer.

In this sixth episode, that involves a trip to Scarrabine Farm, which is perched high above the dramatic cliffs of Port Quin Bay. For generations, the Williams family have raised cattle and sheep on the rugged coastal land.

However, like many farming families across Cornwall (and indeed the rest of Britain), the Williamses need to adapt if they want to ensure the business survives for years to come. So, they’ve diversified into holiday accommodation and outdoor experiences.

This week, Sam takes a group on a kayaking expedition beneath the farm’s towering cliffs. It’s a chance for the visitors to explore hidden sea caves and secret coves carved out by centuries of Atlantic swells, and experience a different side to this stretch of coastline.

As well as tourism and farming, Cornwall is also home to a rapidly growing spirits industry. In Falmouth, Daisy and Chloe have drawn on their culinary backgrounds and a shared passion for food, flavour and local ingredients to create a thriving gin business.

Their premium spirit, Loveday Gin, is inspired by Cornish landscapes and flavours, and here they reveal how they create their distinctive recipes using wild botanicals they have foraged from along the coastline.

The cameras then venture further along the south coast to the world famous Heligan Gardens. From the mid-18th century to the first years of the 20th century, the estate’s gardens were created by the Tremayne family and required 22 gardeners to maintain them.

When the First World War broke out, many of the workers left to serve in the army, and the gardens began to fall into neglect. They were restored to the former glory in the 1990s, but as this latest episode proves, keeping them at their best is no easy job.

A winter of fierce Atlantic storms has caused significant damage, including to the rope bridge suspended within Heligan’s famous Jungle. The team call in engineers to help them repair and rebuild this popular attraction, while the gardeners also tend to the planting that has been battered by the elements.

Finally, in Rock, preparations are underway for another summer on the water – which means more engineering work. At a local boat yard, the vessels used by the Padstow Sealife Safari operation are in need of a major refit.

Once the boats are ready, owner Ian and his team will be taking passengers to encounter some of the incredible wildlife that inhabits the north Cornish coast, including seals and dolphins.

Gardeners’ World (Friday 03/07/26, BBC4 or BBC2, 9pm, subject to schedules)

Words by Damon Smith

A combination of the only Grand Slam tennis championship played on grass and the World Cup will potentially transplant the hardy perennial of TV gardening shows to BBC Four tonight. Regardless of its flowering bed for the week, Gardeners’ World continues to spotlight green retreats around the country.

Adam Frost’s new garden is starting to take shape and his focus in tonight’s episode is to plant some shrubs and construct a path. He also creates a planting design for a potted herb garden and shares his recommendations for species that are well suited to growing against a wall in the sun or shade.

Carol Klein is at home in Devon where sweet peas and cosmos flourish side by side with beetroot, basil and beans. West Dean Gardens in Chichester welcomes Jamie Butterworth, who reveals the secrets of growing the delphinium. A lover of roses in Birmingham shows off their garden full to brimming with beautiful blooms and a gardener in Norwich opens the doors of a contemporary cottage garden that became her refuge when she needed it most.

It has been a vintage year for the long-running show since the series opened in March, when Monty kicked off the horticultural year by cutting back ornamental grasses, planting summer-fruiting raspberries and potting up dahlias. Arit Anderson relished exclusive access to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew to celebrate vital work in conserving endangered plants from all over the world.

In April, Monty previewed The Queen Elizabeth II Garden in The Regent’s Park in London, created to honour the life and legacy of the late monarch. The space opened on what would have been her 100th birthday and the team ventured behind the scenes of the project, which transformed a disused plant nursery into a two-acre tribute. Advolly Richmond uncovered the royal park’s past, from its origins as a Tudor royal hunting ground to its reinvention as wartime allotments, and Adam Frost helped volunteers to plant 11,000 spring bulbs.

In May, the team visited the RHS Malvern Spring Festival in Worcestershire, one of the first major shows of the year, which has been staged at the Three Counties Showground since the event began in 1986. Framed by the picturesque Malvern Hills, Rachel de Thame and Joe Swift explored everything the show had to offer including gardens, plants and expert advice, alongside tips and tricks to try at home.

Last month, Gardeners’ World Live, the annual celebration of practical gardening and bold design, blossomed in a special programme rooted in the beating heart of Birmingham. Monty Don was joined by Frances Tophill, Adam Frost, Arit Anderson and Sue Kent to explore standout gardens and meet some of people shaping the future of horticulture. One of the most ambitious and unique show gardens was a space co-designed by Professor Alice Roberts, which brought the story of evolution to life through plants.

Brilliant minds and green fingers make light work.