FA Cup final, Gods of Tennis and Vicky McClure's My Grandad’s War: TV highlights this week

Words by Richard Jones

Back in November, 124 teams were still in with a shout of making it to Wembley, as the latest instalment of the prestigious club competition got under way.

We’re now down to just two, and this year’s final could be one of the most memorable in recent years.

For the first time in the tournament’s history, the showpiece match will be an all-Manchester affair as Pep Guardiola’s City lock horns with their neighbours, Erik ten Hag’s United.

It’s a case of one down two to go for the Cityzens, who, having already secured their fourth Premier League title in five seasons, will be looking to take another step to an incredible treble.

With the Champions League final in Istanbul next weekend, Guardiola’s men are still aiming to emulate their cross-city rivals United, who remain the only English club to complete that particular treble, under Alex Ferguson back in 1999.

City last won the FA Cup, for a sixth time, when the defeated Watford in the final four years ago.

And after sweeping aside Chelsea, Arsenal, Bristol City, Burnley and Sheffield United in previous rounds, prolific striker Erling Haaland and co will be confident of securing more silverware today.

However, it won’t be easy for City. Ten Hag’s United have shown improvement over the course of this season and they are looking to complete a cup double of their own following their League Cup triumph earlier this year.

Their route to the FA Cup final included victories over Everton, Reading, West Ham United and Fulham, before a semi-final win over Brighton & Hove Albion on penalties, with Victor Lindelof scoring the winning spot kick.

United have lifted the FA Cup 12 times – a tally bettered only by Arsenal’s 13 – with their last triumph coming in the 2016 final against Crystal Palace.

But can the Red Devils deny their so-called ‘Noisy Neighbours’ a treble this afternoon?

As has become customary now, viewers will have a choice of channel on which to watch the big game.

Gary Lineker presents the BBC’s coverage alongside Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, who won the FA Cup with Manchester City in 2011, and Manchester United treble-winner Peter Schmeichel. Commentary comes from Guy Mowbray and Jermaine Jeans.

Meanwhile, over on ITV1, host Mark Pougatch is joined by former United captain Roy Keane and ex-City defender Joleon Lescott, as well as Ian Wright, Laura Woods and Karen Carney. Commentary comes from Sam Matterface, Lee Dixon and Ally McCoist, with pitchside reports from Gabriel Clarke and Katie Shanahan.

For football fans in Scotland, Sportscene Live (BBC One, 5pm), features the Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Hampden Park.

Following their League Cup and Premiership triumphs, Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic are looking to secure a domestic treble.

The last of their record 40 triumphs in this particular competition came in 2020, when they defeated Hearts on penalties, while the only time Caley have lifted the trophy was in 2015, when they overcame Falkirk.

Gods of Tennis (Sunday 04/06/23, BBC Two, 9pm)

Words by Richard Jones

The 1970s and 80s was a golden era for tennis, as legendary athletes exhilarated audiences of millions at a time when changes in the modern world were also being played out on court.

This follow-up to Gods of Snooker brings real-life stories of the most iconic tennis players of the time to the screen, with the sporting geniuses serving up first-hand accounts of the seminal moments in their careers.

Alongside personal insights, this distinctive period is brought back to life through rich archive as global events like the Cold war, the sexual revolution, race relations and the fight for LGBTQ rights found expression in the game’s most traditional sporting arena.

In future weeks, we will see how crowds flocked to see two tennis superstars face off against each other in the 1981 Wimbledon men’s singles final.

The rivalry between sex-symbol Bjorn Borg and tabloid bad-boy John McEnroe was the fiercest the men’s game has ever seen.

Later, in 1990, Martina Navratilova – Czech-born but representing the USA – was viewed with suspicion by the American public.

She locked horns with her famous rival Chris Evert, seen as America’s sporting sweetheart.

However, tonight’s first edition focuses on two tennis greats – Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe – who, in 1975 were are both aiming to win Wimbledon titles but also, in their own ways, change the world for the better.

Back in the late 1960s, as the women’s liberation movement became headline news, Billie Jean took up the gauntlet for female competitors in sport.

Having dominated the women’s game for years, winning several Wimbledon Championships, she was spearheading the drive for equal prize money and equal treatment.

Then, in 1973, Bobby Riggs, former world No 1 and a self-confessed chauvinist, goaded Billie Jean into playing him in what the promoters dub ‘The Battle of the Sexes’.

Rigg’s outrageous sexist comments in the build-up help made this one of the most watched sporting events ever and announces her fight for parity in tennis prize money to the wider world.

Arthur Ashe is also using tennis as a vehicle for political activism and, in 1973, he becomes the first black American to play in the South African Open, taking the fight directly to the heart of the apartheid regime.

However, despite fighting his own battle for equality, Ashe didn’t always see eye to eye with King, dismissing her fight for equal pay and instead headed up a movement to wrestle power away from the tennis authorities, leading a boycott of Wimbledon.

With retirement looming in 1975, Billie Jean wanted to bow out of Wimbledon as one of the greatest tennis players in history by attempting to win it for a sixth time.

Meanwhile, Arthur reaches the Wimbledon men’s singles final with the opportunity to become the first black man to win the Championship.

His last-minute decision to change his natural game in the final against Jimmy Connors surprises everyone and leads to one of the most important and thrilling matches in tennis history.

Among the contributors are Billie Jean herself, as well as Johnnie Ashe (Arthur’s brother), McEnroe, Evert, Navratilova, Sue Barker, Clare Balding, Sir Trevor McDonald and Arthur’s friend, author Mark Mathabane.

Vicky McClure: My Grandad’s War (Monday 05/06/23, ITV1, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

She’s one of British TV’s most respected actors who, while appearing in Line of Duty and Trigger Point, has often been seen risking life and limb.

But while Vicky McClure has become accustomed to playing fictional heroes, there’s a real-life one at the centre of her family.

Ralph McClure, Vicky’s 97-year-old grandfather, is a genuine Second World War hero. Despite coming from landlocked Nottinghamshire, he joined the Royal Navy and played a part in the Normandy Landings.

It’s not the first time she’s been inspired by her family to create something – her late grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s led to the formation of Our Dementia Choir, whose fortunes have been followed by the BBC – and her latest project, being broadcast to tie in with the anniversary of D-Day, promises to be just as special.

“My grandad is a real character and I can’t wait for everyone to meet him,” says the award-winning actor. “He’s a legend in my eyes and what he achieved in the Royal Navy should be celebrated.

“This programme gave me an opportunity to spend time with him, learn from him and get a real glimpse into the courageous events of the Normandy Landings.”

“This film is a very candid journey with one of the last surviving Second World War heroes alongside his granddaughter, who happens to be one of the country’s leading actors,” adds Tom Giles, ITV’s Controller of Current Affairs. “Vicky will guide ITV viewers through this very touching and poignant special, helping us understand the magnitude of one of the most dangerous expeditions of the war.”

The programme sees Vicky visit Ralph at his home, where he regales her with some extraordinary stories and incredible, death-defying moments, some of which took place while he was still a teenager.

The project came about during discussions between Vicky’s partner, Jonny Owen, and production company North One Television.

“Jonny and I met to talk about a drama project and the conversation drifted into Vicky’s amazing grandad – an extraordinary tale I didn’t know – and the rest was pretty straightforward!” grins North One’s CEO Neil Duncanson. The resulting documentary is a co-production between his company and Build Your Own Films (BYO), the firm set up by Vicky and Jonny.

Among the highlights to look out for are Vicky’s journey to Normandy to retrace her grandad’s steps, as well as her efforts to reunite him with his surviving comrades. But easily the best scene involves Ralph showing his granddaughter what he used to get up to during a tour of the last-remaining landing craft.

“I’m delighted BYO has partnered with North One to make an important documentary about this incredible story,” claims Jonny. “A generation of people who fought for our freedom are leaving us now and it’s essential we understand their sacrifice and how important it was so that we can live the lives we live today.

“Vicky’s Grandad Ralph has become a dear friend and I’ve listened to him for hours telling me how as a teenager he was part of one of the most important moments in human history.

“I’m so glad we can now share this with the world.”

The British Soap Awards 2023 (Tuesday 06/06/23, ITV1, 8pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

The British Soap Awards are usually a rather pleasant affair.

The great and the good of the soap world will, of course, be in attendance, but one person will be conspicuous by their absence – Phillip Schofield.

When he announced a couple of weeks ago that he was stepping down from presenting This Morning, amid rumours of reports of a rift between himself and co-host Holly Willoughby, he stated he would still be hosting this ceremony. However, that changed a few days later.

Schofield released another statement, which read: “I have… decided to step down from the British Soap Awards, my last public commitment, and am resigning from ITV with immediate effect, expressing my immense gratitude to them for all the amazing opportunities that they have given me.”

Hopefully the furore won’t distract from what promises to be a fun and entertaining evening. Perhaps more casual viewers will be tempted to take a look, but the core audience will still be the fans who want to celebrate a very dramatic 12 months in soapland.

It’s been emotional as a quick look at the nominations for Scene of the Year proves. The nominees are an acid attack in Coronation Street, Whitney and Zack’s heart-breaking goodbye to their daughter Peach in EastEnders, Paddy’s suicide attempt in Emmerdale, an explosion in Doctors, and Zoe reassuring Maxine that her abuse was not her fault in Hollyoaks.

The winners will be decided by a panel, as will Best On-Screen Partnership, Comedy Performance, Single Episode, Newcomer and Family.

The experts will also decide who is going home with the award for the hotly contested Best Dramatic Performance. The nominees are Charlotte Jordan (Daisy in Coronation Street), Nikki Sanderson (Maxine, Hollyoaks), Chris Walker (Rob, Doctors), Jeff Hordley (Cain, Emmerdale) and Danielle Harold (Lola, EastEnders).

Charlotte and Danielle have another chance to pick up a gong in the categories voted for by viewers, as they are both up for Best Leading Performer. Danielle’s character has recently been dealing with a devastating diagnosis, which may mean she is freshest in viewers’ minds, but she will face stiff competition from her EastEnders colleague Shona McGarty, who plays tragedy-magnet Whitney, as well as Emmerdale’s Dominic ‘Paddy’ Brunt and Sally Dexter, whose alter ego Faith bid an emotional farewell to the Dales in December.

Fans also get a chance to reward their Villain of the Year, and crown a Best Young Performer, a category in which Lillia Turner, who plays pregnant 12-year-old Lily in EastEnders, may be the one to beat.

As ever though, the biggest prize is Best Soap, where Emmerdale, EastEnders, Hollyoaks, Coronation Street and Doctors go head to head. Last year, Emmerdale took the trophy home, but can it retain the title?

And will we get any drama worthy of the soaps themselves – or the This Morning sofa? We’ll have to wait and see…

Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig (Wednesday 07/06/23, Channel 4, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

It’s that time of year again, when many of us are thinking about jetting off for a break somewhere or exploring the amazing places on our doorstep.

But where to go? That’s the tricky question. Maybe we could find inspiration in the third series of Sandi Toksvig’s entertaining celebrity travelogue.

The first series aired in 2021, just as the government downgraded lockdown measures, a positive move but one that still meant few of us were likely to be going anywhere in the near future. Perhaps that’s why the programme proved so popular – we could enjoy the sights and sounds without leaving home, living vicariously through Toksvig and co’s jaunts.

The second series, which popped up last year, was also a hit, so it’s no surprise to see the host back for a third run, in which she will once again be joined by a different female every week for a trip to somewhere slightly off the beaten track, during which they’ll explore the area while bonding via their experiences and a good, old-fashioned chat.

“The main thing for me, apart from the glorious landscapes and the astonishing architecture, is that in each one, it’s two women, I’m going to say – of a certain age – having a good time and just enjoying ourselves,” says Toksvig of the show.

“There’s something infectious about watching people genuinely having a good time. Even though the scene you see on television might only be a couple of minutes long, you know the truth of it is that the laughter carried on for a long time before and a long time after.”

She adds: “The glorious thing with it is that we’re with the same film crew who are also like family, so honestly we just all kind of muck about together. The real danger of that of course is that I sometimes forget we’re filming and might say mildly inappropriate things that are probably not suitable for broadcast!

“But maybe that’s one of the reasons why I think the show works as it also gives an insight into these wonderful women having the sorts of conversations a lot of television wouldn’t normally make time for.

“These are not the type of shows in which someone has got a book to plug or show to sell; we want to genuinely get to know somebody in a relaxed environment where you sort of slightly forget that we’re filming. I think you will learn something about each one of them that might both surprise and delight.”

Well, let’s hope so. Certainly the opening episode should be entertaining, not least because Toksvig’s guest is Eddie Izzard.

The pair are off to Ireland where they sample the delights of an award-winning timber-clad holiday home in Co Clare, a treehouse hand-built by a woman in Cork and, finally, a cottage close to a Kerry lake, where Eddie embarks on her first-ever fishing trip.

And who knows, after tuning in, you may feel like booking yourself a well-earned break at one of them, or at least logging on to find out what else the world has in store.

Davina McCall’s Pill Revolution (Thursday 08/06/23, Channel 4, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

When the contraceptive pill was first approved for use in the US in 1960, it was truly life changing.

By allowing women to take charge of their fertility, critics and supporters alike argued that it paved the way for a sexual revolution.

However, more than 60 years on, there seems to be some suggestion that women are falling out of love with the pill, and in this documentary, Davina McCall is asking why.

This isn’t the first time the former Big Brother host (and Masked Singer judge) has tackled the subject of women’s health. In 2021, she fronted the documentary Sex, Myths and the Menopause, in which she aimed to get rid of some of the taboos surrounding ‘the change’.

It was clearly a subject that was close to heart. Speaking at the time the film aired, she said: “I don’t think I’ve ever worked on a project that has affected me so deeply. I get home after filming and sometimes I just sit down and cry… from deep frustration and anger at how we are failing women.

“This film isn’t just for menopausal women, it’s for their partners, their fathers, their brothers, and their sons. We’re all in this together. I used to think that menopause was an age thing and now I realise it’s a woman thing.

She added: “For far too long, there’s been a shroud of embarrassment, shame and fear around this topic, and this is where it stops.”

It seems it also made her realise that their needed to be a wider conversation around issues affecting women. She told the magazine Women’s Health: “With the success of the documentary and then the subsequent outpouring from people that they just don’t have enough information, I realised that there’s still so much information to give.

“I have a platform that I can use to get the message out there. If I was going to ever use it for anything, this is my time to use what I’ve got.”

So, now she’s tackling contraception, and the choices that are available to her daughters and their friends.

She finds that more people are questioning whether they want to put synthetic hormones into their bodies, and that women are taking to social media to speak out about the side effects they have endured.

The result has been a decrease in the use of a pill – and an increase in the use of natural family planning methods. But just how reliable are the natural methods, and can women always access the contraception they need?

Davina finds out as she bust some myths, while also revealing the results of a Channel 4 survey of over 4,000 women about the effects of contraception on their mental and physical health, and how easy it is to find the right information and solutions.

Once again, Davina finds herself whether enough is being done to support and educate women on an issue which has huge implications for their wellbeing.

The Big Interiors Battle: The Final (Friday 09/06/23, Channel 4, 8pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

AJ Odudu is one of Britain’s hardest-working presenters – as well as The Big Interiors Battle, she’s currently hosting The Greatest Auction, and will soon be fronting ITV2’s revived version of Big Brother.

So, it would be understandable if she spent most of her time living out of suitcases and barely had time to decorate her own home, but it seems she has managed to put her own mark on her place.

She says: “I’d describe my interior style as bright, bold and quite retro, in parts. I’ve got a bright orange hallway carpet, orange settees. All of my walls are white, but there’s lots of pops of colour and lots of texture.

“My dream bedroom is actually an area of contention to this day because I always change my mind. Sometimes I want it really dark and moody and then sometimes I want it really bright and bold, and I want to wake up to lots of plants. Currently my bedroom has a lot of earthy tones, it’s green and I love nature. I always want to bring the outside in.”

It’s one of the reasons she’s been the perfect presenter for The Big Interiors Battle, which reaches its final tonight.

If you missed the early weeks, the idea is that each designer has been given a key card to an apartment that they then makeover, one room at the time. At the end of each episode, the one who fails to impress judge Dara Huang finds that their key card turns red and they are locked out of the contest and the property.

Those who were successful, would get a green light and move a step closer to getting to keep the apartment, which is worth an impressive £250,000.

As regular viewers will tell you, it’s a very tense process. AJ says: “It’s scary, they’re waiting such a long time to see whether those lights turn green for them to enter or red for them to leave. There’s a lot of tears and tension, as you can imagine. I’m just so glad that I didn’t have to break the news to them, that it was just left to the door!”

Now, we’ve reached the grand final and just two designers remain to face their last challenge – transforming the hallway.

That might initially seem like a bit of an anti-climax, especially if your hallway is just a place to hang coats and let the mail pile up, but judge Dara Huang believes it’s actually one of the most difficult spaces to get right, as it needs to be welcoming, practical and set a tone for the rest of the home.

As the entrance spaces start to take shape, one hopeful is playing it relatively safe when it comes to alterations, while the other is making significant changes that affect every room – but with just three days to complete the challenge, have they bitten off more than they can chew?

We’ll find out at the end of the episode, as we discover who has been locked out and who has been given the green light to move into their new place.