Telly Today: Botox, babies and 100 women

March 7, 2018

Mid-Week Telly Today sees ATV Today Editor Doug Lambert pick his best shows for March 7th.

One to Watch: One Born Every Minute, Channel 4, 9pm

The award-winning documentary series moves to Birmingham Women’s Hospital, highlighting the extraordinary highs and lows of a maternity ward where parents’ lives change forever as they welcome new babies into the world.

This series reflects Birmingham’s rich cultural mix as viewers get to know a new batch of soon-to-be parents. Samantha, who’s 25, was determined not to marry into the army, but when she met military man Tony, who’s 29, love blossomed. Having had leukaemia as a child, Samantha struggled for years to conceive, and heartbreakingly the couple lost their first child at 25 weeks.

They return to Birmingham Women’s Hospital hoping to welcome their new baby in to the world, but, with Samantha’s complicated medical history, the birth isn’t without challenges. Meanwhile, 44-year-old Rav didn’t plan to meet someone at work. Sharon, who’s 33, is part of a higher caste according to Indian tradition, so it took Rav a while to win over her relatives, but he’s a family favourite now.

They’re expecting their second child together, and Sharon’s sister hopes to be a birthing partner this time. But will she make it in time? And 26-year-old Rhiana and 30-year-old Lee have known each other since childhood, but it was only when he stopped being a bad boy that they finally got together. They’re expecting their second son and are hoping for another textbook water birth, but childbirth rarely goes to plan.

Ellie Undercover: The Botox Bust, BBC Three, from 10am today

Investigative journalist Ellie Flynn uncovers crimes and injustices against other people her age in the UK. In this episode, she’s on the trail of medics who may be wrongly providing botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, and the beauticians who either don’t know the strict rules or are choosing to ignore them. Researchers suggest that as many as 100,000 Botox injections are carried out each year in the UK, and campaigners report* an astonishing trebling in botched treatments since 2016.

Ellie’s investigation takes her all over the UK to visit beauticians who – she discovers – are happy to give her Botox without her having a valid prescription. She has to tread a very fine line to avoid her cover being blown. Some of these beauticians may be connected, and Ellie has to artfully excuse herself during every appointment to avoid the possibility of being injected unlawfully with Botox.

She speaks to someone who was left physically disfigured and unable to speak, eat, or drink as a result of unlawfully acquired Botox, and goes out in search of a doctor who was struck off and is supplying Botox on the basis of telephone conversations.

Sam and Billie Faiers: The Mummy Diaries, ITVBe, 9pm

Every now and again we love something a little lowbrow, even when it is trying to be a bit more oo-la-la. ITVBe never fails to disapoint with this kind of programming.

Billie joins sister Sam in opening up her home and sharing her day to day life and experience of being a mother. Sam is pregnant with her second child and has just moved into her dream home, a mansion in Hertfordshire. Her son Paul is now walking and talking and Sam’s businesses are all thriving.

Sister Billie and her partner Greg are making plans for their dream wedding whilst adapting to life with new baby Arthur. Billie wants to get married in the Maldives but Greg isn’t convinced as he thinks it will be too expensive. Greg is also enjoying spending more time with daughter Nelly when Billie is kept busy with baby Arthur and Billie has asked Greg to up his game around the house.

Also in this episode, Billie and Sam attend a beauty awards evening where one of their Minnie beauty products is up for an award. Sam takes photos at a fashion shoot for her new clothes collection which she has designed herself. And her and Paul celebrate their third year anniversary by spending a night together in a London hotel away from baby Paul for the first time.

100 Women, Sky News, 4pm

On the eve of International Women’s Day, Sky News airs a one-off special live debate 100 Women will hear from women from all walks and stages of life, as they discuss the gender pay gap, the true nature of feminism, and whether or not we really have equal rights for men and women in Britain today.

The hour-long programme will be presented by Kay Burley in front of a live studio audience of 100 women from across the UK. Kay will also be joined by a panel of guests; women from the worlds of entertainment, business, and politics to further explore the issues that are most pressing to women today.

Sky Data will be conducting bespoke polling into attitudes to women which will form the basis of much of the discussion. Viewers will also be asked to join in the conversation on social media. 100 years on from the first votes for women, as the world marks International Women’s Day, 100 women give their verdicts on gender
equality today.

My Violent Child, Channel 5, 9pm

Behind closed doors, parents are facing a terrifying rise in violence from their own children. In this series, child psychologist Laverne Antrobus helps families to understand
what is causing children to behave as they do, and what can be done to help. Laverne meets six-year-old Demi and her 29-year-old mum Lisa, who live with Lisa’s parents, Sharon and Pete. The family agree that ‘Good Demi’ is a sweet and affectionate little angel, but when ‘Bad Demi’ takes over, she becomes a child possessed, and it is Lisa who bears the brunt of her extreme violence.

Laverne joins them at home, and the first thing she notices is that it’s not clear who is in charge—Lisa or Sharon. Laverne tries to raise Lisa’s confidence as a mum, by asking Sharon to take a step back. Keen to find out what triggers Demi’s switches, Laverne attempts to understand why Lisa seems resigned to being hurt by her daughter. In doing so, she uncovers some past trauma.

When Laverne leaves the family to practice some new parenting techniques, things don’t go smoothly. Sharon is very upset, doesn’t trust Laverne, and believes Demi is not just naughty but has a medical problem. Laverne helps Lisa to realise that having fun with your child is part of being a good parent, before she gets to the root of Sharon’s mistrust.

Gomorrah, Sky Atlantic, 10pm and 11pm

It’s the final episodes of the critically acclaimed Italian crime drama’s third run with two back to back episodes from 10pm.

As those close to him are targeted by his enemies, Genny is forced to put a plan into action with an endless number of outcomes. If the slightest thing goes wrong, he will lose everything.

Even as the chance for peace on the streets of Naples looks to finally be achievable, something happens that proves peace obtained with blood will only carry more blood.