Telly Today: Military, thrones, cars and theories
Today’s telly top picks with ATV Today Editor Shaun Linden.
Bank Holiday Monday television in England and Wales – Scotland you can join us televisually of course – comes with delights such as a bit of Military performance, the final throne encounter of the series, new cars and Stephen Hawking.
BBC One and its the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. (6.30pm). The 2017 Military Tattoo features talent from around the world, all performing on the magnificent location of the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.
In this programme of highlights from the event, narrated by Bill Paterson, musical talent with a ‘Splash of Tartan’ – the theme to this year’s show – will be to the fore. Making a big splash will be the internationally acclaimed Massed Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, who take centre stage as this year’s ‘home service’ at the Tattoo. The Queen’s Colour Squadron and the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment will celebrate 75 years of the Regiment and working with the Royal Navy. Reflecting the now international flavour of the show, and audience, are military musical groups visiting from many countries. Tattoo first-timers the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force Band bring a spectacular display to Edinburgh.
The Indian Naval Band bring bangra to the battlements marking the 70th Anniversary of the Independence of India, and, celebrating the ‘Auld Alliance’, the Fanfare Band of the 9th French Marine Infantry Brigade visit from Poitiers. The United States Naval Forces Europe Band, based in Naples, join the show, as do the much loved Shetland Fiddlers who this year celebrate their distinctive Viking heritage. The Tattoo Highland Dancers provide their usual high standard of massed dancing and also show their versatility by seamlessly changing from Highland to Hornpipe and from Ballet to Bollywood as they support the international contingents.
Wonderful music, heritage and spectacle are all packed into this highlights programme, with of course the Massed Pipes and Drums and lone piper on the battlements of Edinburgh Castle rounding off a unique event.
Channel 4 has a serious investigation courtesy of Dispatches. (7.30pm) With new forms of finance driving Britain’s thriving new car market, Morland Sanders investigates whether the bargains on offer in the showroom are all they seem in Secrets of your new Car.
Finance schemes are making cars more affordable to more drivers than ever before. But as concern grows around household debt levels Dispatches asks whether the deals on offer are making the second biggest purchase you’ll ever make a liability for your bank balance.
Sanders asks if the car industry is being entirely straight with customers. Undercover filming exposes questionable sales patter and confusing advice. Sanders also talks to one driver who says she was caught out by the small print in her car finance deal. And the programme reveals one little-known way to get the car of your dreams at a lower price than the one quoted by most sales staff.
ITV brings us their bank holiday movie with The Theory of Everything (9pm, also on UTV and STV). Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones star as Stephen and Jane Hawking in this network TV premiere, which details the real-life love story between the world renown scientist and his first wife. Redmayne’s portrayal of the accomplished scientist in this award-winning film gained him the Best Actor Oscar.
Stephen meets fellow student Jane in the 1960s, while studying at Cambridge University. When he is 21 years old the cosmology student discovers he has motor neurone disease, and the doctors tells him that he will probably only live for another two years. Jane marries him despite this and the pair began to make a life with each other, including having three children. After developing his theories about black holes, Hawking is propelled to fame. As his success increases so does Jane’s dissatisfaction with her own life. She sacrifices her own academic potential to benefit Stephen, and dedicates her life to his achievements.
In an effort to discover her own identity she joins a choir, where she meets choir leader Jonathon. As Stephen’s disease progresses, Jane hires Elaine (Maxine Peake) to care for him. As his disease and fame put pressure on their relationship, Jane and Stephen begin to drift away from each other. Also starring David Thewlis, Emily Watson and Charlie Cox.
Channel 5 keep to their summer of repeats with another chance to see, in the week of that major incident in August 1997, 20 Moments That Rocked the 90s . (10.30pm). In this rerun of a clip show Helen Baxendale oversees proceedings.
The countdown looks at the death of Princess Diana, political storms and financial disasters to the birth of iconic entertainers, ratings-smashing TV shows and sporting triumphs, all the headline-grabbing events of the 1990s are recalled, many of which had an impact not just in the UK but across the globe.
Sky Atlantic has the final in the series of Game of Thrones tonight at 9pm. The huge penultimate season of the most epic show on television comes to an end and it’s been a long, cold, and bloody journey.
Many have tried to ascend to the Iron Throne, but have failed, never to try again, broken by the fall. Others only desired to avenge those who have fallen along the way, and others still looked past the throne to a greater threat that has grown stronger and closer as the rest of the kingdom succumbed to lust for power. Now as the record-breaking seventh series of Game of Thrones reaches its conclusion, we await to see what state the world will be left in as we begin the long wait for the series’ final chapter.
Before we bid farewell to the world of Game of Thrones for the foreseeable future, Sue Perkins and Jamie East will be there to wrap up and review all the action from the seventh season and look ahead to the series’ grand finale, as Thronecast makes one last stop in Westeros.
