Pick of the weekPresident Connolly: How the Race Was WonMonday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm
As the dust settles following a very eventful presidential election, it’s a good time for the main parties to do a bit of soul searching and ask themselves what went wrong. This documentary looks at what went right with Catherine Connolly’s presidential campaign, and examines how she got her message through to the electorate in a way her rivals could not manage. With exclusive behind the scenes access to the Connolly campaign, the programme looks at how her social media strategy clicked with voters, and how she managed to reach across generations to find strong support for her candidacy among all ages. A number of commentators are on hand to give their insights, along with key figures from within the campaign, and we also hear from Connolly herself via some very personal interviews.
The documentary will also bring us back into all the drama from the presidential election, from the shock exit of Fianna Fáil’s candidate, Jim Gavin, which turned the election into a two-horse race, to the intense debates on TV and radio and the many viral moments through the campaign. Will the politicians watch this programme closely, notebooks in hand, so they can learn from the mistakes and missteps? Don’t hold your breath.
HighlightsThe War Between the Land and the SeaSunday, BBC One, 8.30pm
The War Between the Land and the Sea. Photograph: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios
We’ve heard all the dire warnings about what will happen if humanity does not halt the destruction of the world’s oceans, but no one anticipated this: an ancient species rising from the depths seeking revenge on all landlubbers for the environmental damage they’ve done. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Russell Tovey and Jemma Redgrave star in this five-part sci-fi drama from Dr Who showrunner Russell T Davies, and set in the Whoniverse, but why couldn’t Davies come up with a snappier title – while the title may be as clunky as an old fishing boat, at least it does exactly what it says on the rusty tin. Tovey stars as Barclay, a low-level grunt working for UNIT, which Whovians will know is United Intelligence Taskforce, led by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Redgrave). But never mind Daleks and Weeping Angels – a new threat has emerged from the ocean’s depths, and Barclay finds himself plunged into the centre of a huge conflict between homo sapiens and homo aqua – who look like humans, but a bit more scaly, and a lot more powerful. Mbatha-Raw stars as the ocean dwellers’ envoy Salt, who for some reason chooses the low-ranking Barclay to represent the surface dwellers in tricky negotiations. Could there be some inter-species attraction bubbling under? Calm down – this is the Whoniverse, so we’re not likely to see anyone exchanging fluids. But as tensions rise and the power of the sea is unleashed, it quickly becomes apparent that the Doctor is not coming to save the day, so Barclay will have save the world without the help of a sonic screwdriver.
Apollo 1: Destination MoonSunday, Channel 4, 9.30pm
Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee in front of Launch Complex 34, housing the Saturn 1 launch vehicle. Photograph: Nasa
In July 1969, Apollo 11 became the first space flight to land humans on the moon, but before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took their historic walk on the surface of the moon, there were 10 previous Apollo missions leading up to that moment. This documentary tells the story of the first Apollo mission, in 1967, which was to be flown by three of Nasa’s finest astronauts – Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. They were preparing to test the command and service module in low earth orbit, but what they didn’t realise was that the Saturn 1B craft that was to take them out of the atmosphere had some fatal design and manufacturing flaws, and the inevitable catastrophe put a cloud over the entire Apollo space programme. This documentary uses previously unseen archive material to tell a gripping story of first faltering steps in the race to the moon.
Jamie’s Cook-Ahead ChristmasMonday, Channel 4, 8pm
Jamie’s Cook-Ahead Christmas. Photograph: Channel 4
You’ve been looking forward to Christmas: a bit of a break, spend some quality time with the family, enjoy a few Christmas specials on the telly. But the reality is you’re in the kitchen, stressed out to the max, trying to prepare all the elements of the Christmas dinner at the last minute. Well, stress ye out no more, because Jamie Oliver is here to show you how to prepare for Christmas dinner weeks in advance, getting lots of the fiddly stuff out of the way well in advance, and leaving you with a hassle free December 25th. Imagine having loads of festive delights already prepared and in your freezer, ready to be taken out in time for the festivities. In the first of two episodes, Oliver makes up a vegan and gluten-free gravy, packed with flavour, which can be combined with juices from the turkey. He also prepares stuffing both meat-based and vegetarian, and a selection of freezable flavoured butters that will put some vim into your vegetable dishes. There are also lots of advance dessert ideas, including an Arctic roll with home-made ice cream. By the time Christmas Day comes, you’ll be so laid back your family won’t know you.
Neven’s Christmas in LimerickThursday, RTÉ One, 8pm
It’s all getting very real now, as we tumble headlong into the festive season, and we haven’t even ordered the turkey or taken the decorations out of the attic. Meanwhile, Neven Maguire has been very busy, going around Limerick meeting some of the city’s finest chefs and food producers, and getting the lowdown on what to cook for Christmas no matter what part of the country you live in. This is the second programme in a two-parter, and it finds Maguire looking out over the river Shannon from his seat at the popular French Table restaurant, eagerly anticipating a festive meal of goose breast with chestnuts cooked up by chef Thomas Fialon. Maguire also goes for a nice cuppa at the historic Cahill’s Tea shop, where he samples a selection of Christmas blends chosen by the owner, Eleanor Purcell. He also does cooks up his own seasonal food blends, including saffron orzo with mussels nduja and shoulder of lamb with bulgur wheat.
The Prince v the Paper: Harry, Hacking & the Mail: DispatchesThursday, Channel 4, 8pm
It promises to be a gripping, high-profile court case, and it’s due to open early in the new year. Prince Harry is suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publishers of the Daily Mail, over allegations of “gross breaches of privacy” including phone hacking, bugging cars and homes, and a whole range of illegal information gathering practices. Harry is joined in the lawsuit by six other famous people, including Liz Hurley, Sadie Frost and Elton John. This documentary, part of Channel 4’s Dispatches strand, looks at the background to this latest celebrity hacking scandal, and examines how Harry has made it his mission to make Britain’s tabloid press accountable for their actions. Harry’s crusade against the unchecked power of the press is no surprise, as he and his wife, Meghan, have been hounded by the press, and he has blamed the press for the death of his mother, Diana Princess of Wales.
An Post Irish Book Awards 2025Thursday, RTÉ One, 10.15pm
The An Post Irish Book Awards were announced at a gala ceremony at Dublin’s Convention Centre on November 27th, and among the winners were (turn away now if you don’t want to know) Manchán Magan, Roisín O’Donnell, Joseph O’Connor, Elaine Feeney, Andrew Porter, Sarah Corbett Lynch, Sophie Morris and Cecelia Ahern. But even if you already know the results, the televised ceremony will be well worth watching, just to see the breadth of Irish writing talent. “This year brought an impressive range of Irish books to the shelves, celebrating the work of established authors while also shining a light on remarkable new voices who are adding fresh depth to our literary heritage,” says the awards’ chairperson Larry MacHale.
Streaming Percy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+, from Wednesday, December 10th
Percy Jackson & the Olympians. Photograph: Disney+
The success of Harry Potter spawned many an epic novel series featuring ordinary kids in extraordinarily mythical circumstances, all seeking the golden fleece of megamillion book sales. One of the most successful is Percy Jackson, created by Rick Riordan, in which the teen hero finds himself caught up in a world of Greek gods and demons in the 21st century. Percy is not a wizard but a demigod, and in this second series, based on the book The Sea of Monsters, he’s on a perilous odyssey into the titular sea to find his best friend, Grover, and, with luck, the legendary Golden Fleece that will save Camp Half-Blood from Luke Castellan, who has been possessed by the Titan Kronos.
Man vs BabyNetflix, from Thursday, December 11th
Rowan Atkinson returns as Trevor Bingley, a man you don’t want as your housesitter. In Man vs Bee, Trevor got a plum job minding a mansion for a mega-rich couple, but his cushy number was soon disrupted by an annoying bee that just wouldn’t buzz off. The ensuing battle between human and drone left the mansion in ruins. Trevor’s new nemesis has a stink in its tail. Having decided that housesitting is too stressful, Trevor is settling into the quiet life of a school caretaker, but then an offer he can’t refuse comes up: looking after a penthouse in London over the Christmas period. After the school nativity play is over and everyone has gone home, he discovers that no one has come to collect the baby Jesus, so he’s going to have to look after both penthouse and páiste over the festive season.
Taylor Swift: The End of an EraDisney+, from Friday, December 12th
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, a juggernaut that flattened all resistance in 51 cities around the world, hoovered up more than $2 billion in ticket sales – the most in pop history. The 149-concert tour also had a big cultural impact. So how did it all come together? This six-episode docuseries offers a look inside the Eras tour and a glimpse at Swift’s life as she bestrode the globe like a sequinned colossus. With luck we’ll get to see what it takes to put on a 3½-hour stadium extravaganza, as well as meeting a host of guest stars, including Ed Sheeran, Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Florence Welch and Swift’s boyfriend, the NFL player Travis Kelce. There’s a Christmas bonus for Swifties: a full-length film of the final show, in Vancouver, featuring all the songs from Swift’s album The Tortured Poets Department.