One to Watch: On Assignment, 10.45pm on ITV and UTV. 11.05pm on STV.
ITV’s award-winning international current affairs series returns with powerful and thought-provoking stories from around the world. This time, James Mates returns to Greece, three months on from the devastating fires which killed almost a hundred people in the holiday resort town of Mati. Rohit Kachroo is in Serbia attending a Russian inspired ‘military patriotic’ youth camp that hopes to strengthen ties between the former Yugoslav state and close friend and ally, Russia. And Charlene White travels to Budapest, home of this year’s ‘EuroSkills Championships’, to meet the British joiners, engineers and restaurant staff competing to be the best in Europe.
ITV News Europe Editor James Mates revisits Greece three months on from the devastating fires which killed almost 100 people and destroyed 1,000 homes in the holiday resort of Mati. The tragedy, caused by suspected arson, was the worst fire to hit Greece in a decade and the country and its people are still in mourning. James, who reported on the fires at the time, returns to find out how Greece is putting Mati back together again, meeting survivors, volunteers working to help the displaced and families suing the Greek authorities in a class action lawsuit.
In August this year a ‘military patriotic’ youth camp, an export from Russia, opened its doors in Serbia for the first time. Children as young as 11 were taught to prepare for war, via survivalist exercises involving replica weapons. The small country in the Balkans is an easy target for Russian soft power; the deep historical and cultural ties shared by the two countries have been leveraged by Vladimir Putin, who is looking to consolidate his influence in the Balkans. Security Editor Rohit Kachroo travels there to explore Russian soft power tactics in the context of the camps, the media and other areas of public life.
Have you ever been to a hairdressing competition? Or seen 13 plumbers battle to install a toilet the quickest? These are among the professions contesting the EuroSkills Championships, in which hundreds of young people compete in more than 60 disciplines to be crowned the best in Europe. Charlene White travelled to the competition, this year in Hungary’s capital Budapest, to meet the Brits fighting to win gold and to ask whether, as we prepare to leave the EU, the UK can plug its skills gap.
On Assignment airs after Scotland Tonight on STV.
 Inside the Tower of London, 9.15pm, Channel 5
It’s the first episode in the six part series tonight of this historic documentary that takes Channel 5 viewers inside all areas of The Tower of London, along with its current operations the team also head into the archives to discover forgotten facts and events at the capital landmark. It’s been a prison, home to the royal mint and exotic animals. Today it probably is most famous for being the home of the Crown Jewels.
Tonight viewers go behind the scenes at the castle, exploring its 900 years of history with this edition focusing in on the iconic Yeoman Warders, or Beefeaters, following their daily routine and the appointment of a new Chief Beefeater. Plus, a look at the tower’s origins in the reign of William the Conqueror and a new exhibition dedicated to the infamous story of the princes in the tower.
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Tracey Emin: Where Do You Draw The Line?, 10.45pm, BBC One
Art, it’s a funny old world. I mean money for old rope a lot of the time? That’s just my opinion. However someone who has long caused that divided opinion is the subject of Imagine this evening.
This year has been an extraordinary year for Tracey Emin. With large-scale commissions catapulting her from London’s St Pancras station to the streets of downtown Sydney – only pausing for breath with exhibitions in Hong Kong and Brussels along the way – she has proven yet again that she packs a punch like no other.
But as she turns 55 and enters what she likes to call the “last stage” of her life, is it time for a more mature, reflective Tracey? Following the death of her mother in 2016, she has decided to return to her home town of Margate and convert a derelict print works there into a new studio where she can live and create.
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Taggart, 9pm, True Entertainment
From time to time I do like to pluck out a classic and there is no denying this Scottish Television crime saga is just that. Taggart sadly went off air in 2010, following a bit of a disastrous revamp, but its glory years linger long after the final murderer was caught. Of course the best episodes are those with the late Mark McManus, but after his death in 1994, the show went on – just differently – and just as watchable.
For those new to this saga, the series basically brings to screen murder and Glasgow. Originally lead by Jim Taggart (McManus) the series later became an ensemble cast. And its this era we join tonight as True Entertainment brings us the second episode of series 20. A recently released prisoner is suspected of murdering a witness whose testimony put him behind bars – but his alibi proves watertight. Forensic evidence places the victim’s mistress at the crime scene, but she denies killing him, and Ross is inclined to believe her. Crime drama, starring Blythe Duff, John Michie and Alex Norton.
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Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh, streaming from today on Netflix
So many different ways we can describe Mr Sandler. American actor, comedian, screenwriter and film producer to name only a few. Born in New York in 1966 he first came to stateside viewers via Saturday Night Live as one of their regular comedy cast members, from those telly beginnings Sandler went on to star in many Hollywood feature films. He is best known for roles in movies such as 1995’s Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore in 1996 and 1998’s The Waterboy.
He’s also starred in 1998 released The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy a year later and Mr. Deeds in 2002. Add to the list of talents voice over artist and you’ll also know he’s been the voice of Dracula in the Hotel Transylvania film franchise. Where is all this Sandler praise leading? Well to a Netflix stand up special actually…
Adam takes his comical musical musings back out on the road, from comedy clubs to concert halls to one very unsuspecting subway station in the now streaming Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh.
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Martin Lewis: 10 Things Your Kids Need To Know, 9pm, ITV, STV and UTV
In this new hour-long documentary special for ITV, Martin Lewis steps away from his live studio for a one-off programme in which he returns back to his childhood home in Cheshire, and reveals some of the life lessons he has learned which he hopes will help parents to help their own children.
During the show, Martin reveals what he believes every family needs to teach their children to protect their futures, reflecting on his childhood and how it influenced his later career. In 2003, Martin set up MoneySavingExpert.com for £100, which rapidly became the UK’s biggest consumer site, and now according to the Sunday Times Rich List he is worth £125 million.
In the programme Martin also explores what has driven him to become a campaigner for social equality and financial justice, founding the Money & Mental Health Policy Institute charity, and funding a financial education textbook which will be sent free to all state schools.
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ITV is back On Assignment with Rageh Omaar, tonight at 10.45pm ITV, UTV and 11.05pm STV.
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