Time to be afraid?

174 Pages·2017·43.09 MB·English

Thıs week
14—20 JANUARY 2017 RADIOTIMES.COM
CLAIM YOUR
SHERLOCK BOOKS
see page 12
ON THE COVER
From the editor Martin Freeman
10
The star reveals his relationship with Benedict
What makes a quiz show Cumberbatch — but will Sherlock be back?
great? I ask because this week
Pointless
16
Pointless notches up its
Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman’s
1,000th episode. It joins a
hit trivia quiz is celebrating 1,000 episodes
select band of shows like
University Challenge, Who Trump v Putin 22
Wants to be a Millionaire?, Weakest Link What are the two world leaders really like?
and Mastermind that will be part of our BBC reporter John Sweeney has met both…
television landscape for ever.
Antiques Roadshow
24
But Pointless is different. We don’t sit at
Natasha Kaplinsky introduces a special
home in awe or envy at the winners – we’re
edition of the programme to mark
too busy joining in. Pointless is the most demo-
National Holocaust Memorial Day
cratic of quiz shows. People aren’t often stumped
for an answer. Its joy is that everyone hazards a Modern antiques 27
guess, jollied along by those charming hosts, Could you be sitting on a fortune?
Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman. Check out these everyday objects
And if you ever wondered about the
Lemony Snicket
28
passions fired by television quizzes, don’t miss
Netflix is bringing the macabre series
Alison Graham’s furious column on page 49.
of children’s books to television
I suspect she speaks for many.
Stephen McGann
30
Ben Preston
The Call the Midwife star tackles the
BSME Editors’ Editor 2016 dilemmas that shape the drama
[email protected] Johanna Konta
33
She’s Britain’s best woman tennis player
— can she win the Australian Open?
Eddie Mair
FREE NEXT WEEK 125
I’m turning into my grandparents
100 POINTLESS Gillian Reynolds My person to
The Alexander Armstrong
SSIE and Richard Osman watch in 2017
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RadioTimes 14–20 January 2017 3
Thıs week…
14—20 JANUARY 2017
UNMISSABLE TV, FILM
WHAT I’M WATCHING…
SATURDAY 14 SUNDAY 15
RICHARD OSMAN
n The Brits Are Coming New Call the Midwife:
‘I’m so glad that Uncle is back o 6.00pm ITV the Casebook
for a third series on BBC3,” says i Craig David, Olly Murs and 5.05pm BBC1
s
the Pointless host. “I i Christine and the Queens Stephen McGann (right, Call
v perform at the announcement the Midwife’s Dr Turner)
loved the fi rst e of this year’s nominees. hosts this documentary that
l
two series e Emma Willis presents. tells the history of midwifery
T
— and explains how the
so much. Beautifully
Let It Shine drama was conceived.
written, beautifully 7m.00p m BBC1 Endeavour
acted, lots of It’s the nice talent show
— and Dannii Monogue 8.00pm ITV
very funny dark
(below) and the other judges Morse and WPC Trewlove
moments, but with couldn’t be more encouraging (Dakota Blue Richards,
so much heart.’ to the young hopefuls. below) investigate the
death of a man that could
be linked to the antics of a
ROBIN INCE
druggy rock band.
‘Neil Brand is a wonderful
historian of modern music, so I’m
watching his programme Sound
of Musicals on BBC4,” says the
comedian and presenter. “I’m
also enjoying Taboo with Jonathan Pryce on
Imagine...
BBC1. I’m not sure when the new series of Listen to Me Marlon
Inside No 9 starts, but it’s my favourite thing 9.00pm BBC2
A wonderful, warts-and-all
on TV – utterly brilliant, creepy, bizarre,
insight into the life and work
hilarious and sometimes very moving.’ of one of the great actors.
Walking the Americas
Taboo Drama of the Week
8.00pm C4
9.15pm BBC1 Nothing much scares Levison Sherlock
Saturday nights on BBC1 Wood — but even he’s a little 9.00pm BBC1
have never been this strange nervous as he walks through All too soon, series four
and dark. Now Mark Gatiss the most dangerous city in comes to an end. No clues,
joins the brooding thriller as Central America. no spoilers. Just watch.
a well-padded Prince Regent.
SATURDAY starts p52 (cid:2) SUNDAY starts p62 (cid:2)
m
i Bad Neighbours ★★★
il j 9.00pm C4
F
Neighbours. Everybody
needs good neighbours.
Especially new parents
SOUND OF MUSICALS Seth Rogen and Rose
This Friday on BBC4, Byrne. But unluckily for
West Side Story comes them, frat boy Zac Efron
under the spotlight On the Waterfront and his crew move
5g 10.40pm BBC2 in next door.
Following tonight’s Imagine
profi le, Marlon Brando gives
one of his best performances
as a brooding misfi t in the
Oscar-winning crime drama.
o
Meet the creators and stars of TV’s i Drama: April in Paris Drama on 3:
d
best-loved shows at London’s BFI 2.30pm Radio 4 Rosmersholm
a
Southbank from 7-9 April. To book R Playwright John Godber and 9.00pm Radio 3
his wife Jane star in his Ibsen’s most complex play
tickets and for more information go to
endearing comedic study stars Helen Baxendale
of a long-married couple (right) as a revolutionary
bfi .org.uk/radiotimestvfest
transfi xed by their fi rst trip tempting a widowed pastor
abroad — to Paris. out of his emotional stasis.
4
& RADIO FOR YOU TO WATCH AND RECORD
MONDAY 16 TUESDAY 17 WEDNESDAY 18 THURSDAY 19 FRIDAY 20
Pointless Martin Clunes: Death in Paradise
5.15pm BBC1 Islands of Australia 9.00pm BBC1
The trivia quiz hits its 1,000th 8.00pm ITV At a hotel on an island off
episode with a treat: Osman Clunes forages for food in Saint Marie, Humphrey and
and Armstrong swap hosting a mangrove forest on the Martha have their romantic
roles for a funny and Towi Islands — and almost dinner ruined — by his next
topsy-turvy celebration. loses one of his famous ears murder case announcing
on the Ningaloo Reef. itself with a loud scream.
President Trump:
the Inauguration
Our Dancing Town
9.00pm BBC2 4.00pm BBC1/ITV
Choreographer Steve Elias
is charming his way across
Yorkshire. Now the folk of
Skipton give themselves up
Documentary of the
to the power of dance.
Week Hospital
9.00pm BBC2
New Idris Elba: Fighter
As a man waits patiently for
10.00pm Discovery
a vital op on his aneurysm,
He’s punched all sorts of
we witness medical gridlock
people in all sorts of places
in St Mary’s Hospital. It’s
The Halcyon tense, revealing and sad. Horizon —
9.00pm ITV
No Offence
an appetite for the ladies 9.00pm C4 9.00pm BBC2
Paul Abbott’s female-led cop Are food fads
drama careers along at good for your
90mph with turbo-charged
Williams, above). dialogue and lashings of plot.
Keep up if you can.
James May: the Sound of Musicals
10.00pm BBC2 Reassembler Unforgotten with Neil Brand
The format about famous 9.00pm BBC4 9.00pm ITV 9.00pm BBC4
people with the same A 1960s record player Brilliant Brand deconstructs
Expect revelations as
name (this week: Mary) reappears before our eyes as the cream of mid 20th-
detectives Stuart and Khan
is the launch pad for Mr May potters and tinkers century musicals — among
(Nicola Walker and Sanjeev
excellent ad libs and and refl ects on what we can them Oliver!, West Side Story
Bhaskar) diligently sift
bizarre trivia. learn from machines. and Fiddler on the Roof.
through the evidence.
MONDAY starts p72 WEDNESDAY starts p92 (cid:2) THURSDAY starts p102 (cid:2) FRIDAY starts p112(cid:2)
The Grand Budapest Hotel The Flight of the Phoenix i Alice through the
★★★★j 9.00pm Film4 ★★★★g 11.00am More4 Looking Glass ★★★g
Ralph Fiennes delights as Temperatures and tempers 8.00pm
a crooked but charming rise after a plane is downed in Sky Premiere
concierge in another the desert and an A-list cast Johnny Depp and
exquisitely crafted fi gures out how to get airborne. Helena Bonham
confection from Carter return as
Wes Anderson. Elysium ★★★j Get Him to the Greek the Mad Hatter
9.00pm 5STAR ★★★★j 9.00pm ITV2 and the Red
Jodie Foster puts in a great Russell Brand stole his scenes Queen in another
“queen of mean” turn as the as a rocker in Forgetting phantasmagorical
boss of an exclusive future Sarah Marshall, and bagging head trip from
world, as Matt Damon readies the lead in this cheeky the writings of
to rain on her parade. spin-off was his just reward. Lewis Carroll.
The Infi nite Monkey Comedy Club: Delve Radio 3 In Concert Inconspicuous Tony Blackburn’s
Cage 11.30pm Radio 4 Extra 7.30pm Radio 3 Consumption Golden Hour
4.30pm Radio 4 Enjoy an all-star comedy cast A live concert from St John’s, 11.30am Radio 4 7.00pm Radio 2
The most mundane actions, (Brenda Blethyn, Harry Smith Square, London, with Movies and munchies seem Now fi rmly re-established
like making a cup of coffee, Enfi eld) as Stephen Fry plays 18th-century Italian music to be inextricable, but has it back on Radio 2, Tony
will never appear dull again! an investigative reporter specialists La Serenissima. been ever thus? Peter Curran Blackburn resurrects a
Read Robin Ince’s illuminating working on an exposé of Featured composers include examines our desire to snack show he pioneered at Radio 1
piece on page 122. British defence spending. A Scarlatti, Leo and Durante. as we watch fi lms. back in the 1970s.
m Recommended family viewing: check programme descriptions for age suitability 5
14—20 JANUARY 2017
Idris Elba: Fighter Tuesday 10.00pm Discovery
He’s a knockout
E
ver since I was a kid, I remember trying not to show fear. Not
letting people know I was scared,” says Idris Elba. “I grew up in
Canning Town in London’s East End, which was a National Front
area. At any time you could see street violence or tear-ups going
on, and it was race-related.”
It was a childhood that prepared him for tough-guy roles in TV series
ATTENBOROUGH — THE SEQUEL The Wire and Luther, but in Elba’s new three-part documentary series,
Planet Earth II was one of the TV smashes of we’ll see the actor face his most demanding undertaking of his career —
2016 — and those iguana-chasing racer snakes training to become a professional kickboxer.
a top TV moment of the year. And 2017 promises “The first thing most people say when they hear I’m doing this is, ‘What
more goodies for nature lovers. One ace up about your face? What about your acting?’ ” But for Elba, 44, facing up to
BBC1’s sleeve is a series about the Galapagos another man in the ring is “the ultimate test”. The climax will be a face-off
Islands fronted by Countrywise’s Liz Bonnin against a seasoned pro — a daunting prospect, even after a year’s worth
(above). Galapagos, scheduled for later this year, of training — but Elba is unfazed. “Pain only spurs me on.” SARAH CARSON
is produced by Anthony Geffen, the whizz behind
Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough.
PLANET WEATHER
BBC1 is also hard at work on its “landmark”
series for 2020 — Perfect Planet, which is being
overseen by another Attenborough collaborator,
Alastair Fothergill. The series will look at the
forces of nature and their effects on the Earth,
and will include time lapses from space. Fothergill
says: “A lot of people have made weather shows,
but nobody has photographed it in an absolutely
beautiful, landmark way.”
THE NEW STEVE IRWIN
Remember Steve Irwin? The Australian
naturalist who got up close and personal with
dangerous animals — a pursuit that cost him
his life in an encounter with a stingray in 2006? TOUGH CLIMB
Well, the Aussies have taken our very own Idris Elba training in
Steve Backshall to their hearts. His popularity Kyoto with his coach
is mainly down to his CBBC series Deadly 60, Kieran Keddle
broadcast in 157 countries, but it’s the Aussies
who love Backshall most, likening him to the late
great Mr Irwin. “He’s still a massive cultural hero
out there and every single show I do people
N
STOmake the comparison,” Backshall tells RT.
N
H
O
Y JCLUNES ALERT
K
NICGreat news, Doc Martin fans! Martin Clunes
(left) is returning for an eighth series
as the uptight GP, but RT hears it’s
no longer expected to be the last.
Clunes assures us there will be a
ninth run — and then that really
will be it. “We start making
series eight in spring and it’ll
probably be on air in the
autumn.” This year’s series,
he insists, is the “second
to last”. BEN DOWELL
FIRST AMATEUR FIGHT
6 Idtrhise ( Rriegphtto) nla Cnldusb a in p uLnocnhd oant
7

Viewpoint
FANTASY TV
BY TIM DOWLING
SARFRAZ MANZOOR
CONFIDENTIAL MEMO
To Producers, crew of The Jump
What’s in a name? Subject Safety and series four
As you know the last series
earned us the nickname “The
Most Dangerous Show on
Television” after seven
Labour is only the start of the agony…
contestants got hurt, some
seriously. This prompted a full
review, and as a result several
Giving birth has never been straight- changes were made to ensure
forward, as Call the Midwife: the the health and welfare of all
Casebook (Sun BBC1) reminds us this participants. We are not, after
week. But as a father I can tell you that all, in the business of injuring
once the baby has been born, the hard minor celebrities for the sake of
work begins. entertainment. Not any more.
We knew we were having a boy in June, and our son We’re reviewing safety protocols
was born in November. You would think that five for the following new events.
months was quite enough time to choose a name for
THE SNOWCROSS
the little fellow but we didn’t finally settle on a name
until four weeks after he was born. I wasn’t expecting it PAIRS CHALLENGE
to be such an epic struggle – we had named our daugh- Basically jousting on
ter Laila within a fortnight – but it was a total night- snowmobiles, which has raised
concerns from our insurers. The
mare and even now I’m not fully certain we did the
armour is effective, but not very
right thing.
warm, so frostbite could be an
It’s an awesome power to name another human
issue. Contestants have also
being. My wife Bridget and I had three tests that any
BIG DECISION been practising with mittens on
potential name had to pass. First, it had to be easy to
Call the Midwife: the the ends of their lances — they
say and spell. I have spent my entire life having to spell
Casebook doesn’t show the should be warned that it’ll be
my name out or trying to explain how to pronounce it toughest part of parenthood: pointier when we go live.
and I did not wish that on my child. Second, the name naming your baby
should have some history or meaning behind it.
Layla and Majnun is a 12th-century poem from ing we preferred was the Hebrew version. That worried
Persia that predates Romeo and Juliet and is said to me – it might not go down well in Lahore, or even my
have possibly inspired Shakespeare. That story also home town of Luton. They might have preferred a
inspired a classic Bollywood song called Laila O Laila, name that reflected the culture they’d come from. How
we anguished! I went on Twitter and searched for
‘ Should a name honour people called it and found that in Indonesia it was
considered a Muslim name, which was a bit helpful,
the past or reflect
but would have been more so if we were planning on
the present?’ relocating to Jakarta. THE SKIS AND TREES
O OFF-PISTE SCRAMBLE
n the day we were meant to be officially Obviously we’re using inflatable
which I remember hearing when I was young. I had naming our son, we still had not decided. In trees, but there was a worry that
loved the name ever since. desperation I called a friend who is an imam it might encourage young
So we needed a name that was easy to spell and had and Islamic scholar and who had officiated at our reli- people to indulge in copy-cat
a great meaning behind it, but that wasn’t all. I have gious wedding. His name is Usama, so he knows a little behaviour on the actual slopes.
Pakistani Muslim heritage and my wife is white about how names can have unhelpful connotations. Can we make them something
other than trees? Lamp posts?
Scottish. Our third condition was that the name Did it matter that our preferred name was not techni-
Doric columns?
needed to work across cultures. There are names that cally Muslim, I asked him?
have crossover appeal – Adam, Daniyal, Harris – but “There is no such thing as a Muslim name,” he said.
THE BLACKOUT RACE
they didn’t appeal to us. We wanted a name that was as “People think to have a Muslim name you need to have
A lot of people questioned the
quirky, cool and curious as we hoped our little boy an Arabic name but that’s not true – a Muslim name is
wisdom of letting relatively
would be. The questions we were wrestling with, we just any name that has a good meaning.” He then
inexperienced skiers race at high
realised, were whether a name should honour the past reminded me that my own name wasn’t Arabic.
speed on an unlit slope while
or reflect the present, and whether a name had to mean “Sarfraz is Persian,” he said. Emboldened by Usama we
wearing night vision goggles.
anything or just sound good. made our decision: we were unlikely to have any more
The head trainer says they’re all
We had one name we really loved. It was easy to say children so we would give our boy the name we most
so hopeless that it hardly makes
and spell, it was unusual and it meant “help”, which loved, the name that works best in this country, and
a difference whether they can
Y I was hoping he would offer when Bridget and I were worry less about the past or Pakistan. And that was see or not, but the nurse says
T
ET older. The only trouble was that it was, well, a wee bit how we came to name our little boy Ezra. different — she’s never been
G
MY; Jewish. It was the name of a prophet who appeared in busier during rehearsals week.
A
AL both the Old Testament and the Koran, but the spell- Follow Sarfraz Manzoor on Twitter @sarfrazmanzoor This one’s on hold for now.
RadioTimes 14–20 January 2017 9
Sherlock Sunday 9.00pm BBC1
‘Am I a good
person?’
Sherlock
In a candid interview, star Martin Freeman talks about
losing his on-screen wife – and real-life partner of 15 years
THE RT INTERVIEW BY DECCA AITKENHEAD
T
he frenzy of excitement that why they chose Potters Bar (“we could have a big brilliant as a woman and, yes, I love her. I will
greets each series of Sherlock garden and a loft and stuff like that while still always love Amanda, but, yes, we’re… you know,
usually concentrates around the being in striking distance, still get into Soho that’s what’s happened.”
ingenuity and secrecy of its new really quickly”) while I register what he has just As I begin another question, he intervenes.
plot twists. Everyone gasped said. So, I clarify, he’s no longer living at the “I’ll save you time. I won’t talk about it, but it’s
when Dr Watson’s wife Mary family home? just one of those things. It happens, doesn’t it?
died shockingly on New Year’s Day. “No, we split up a while ago. I mean, we’re But we’re cool.”
But the truly baffling puzzle of series four is very friendly and it’s all lovely and cool. Yes,
one its writers had nothing to do with. Days we’ve not been together for a while. I mean, we Later, after exhaustive Googling
before the first episode aired, fans were floored did the series not together.” Then his life has has established that their split has
by the news that Martin Freeman and Amanda changed dramatically. “Hmmm, it’s a difference, eluded the entire global media, I listen
Abbington – the real-life couple of 15 years who definitely.” back to the tape and marvel at the cool
play John and Mary Watson – had separated. How is he faring? “You know enough about way Freeman handled it. He and Abbington had
The mystery of how the pair had kept this secret me to know that I won’t talk about it, but I’m all always been one of the most scrupulously private
for almost a year, even while filming series four, right, yes. I mean, we’re honest to God doing it couples in showbusiness, but would have known
is anything but elementary. [separating] in about as civilised a manner as there was no way their secret could survive a
I meet Freeman before the news has broken, I’ve ever heard of, you know. I love Amanda’s new series of Sherlock. What better way to
and nothing in his manner betrays the bomb- work. I think she’s brilliant as an actor and she’s downplay the revelation than to present it as
shell he will drop. The 45-year-old arrives look- old news? Abbington has since mirrored
ing so relaxed that, after saying hello with a Freeman’s approach in interviews.
friendly, collaborative air, he gestures to a take- A good-natured separation is difficult enough
away meal in his hand. “Sorry about this,” he to pull off; how they kept it quiet is little short of
grins, plonking it on the table. “But would you miraculous. It’s a testament to their behaviour
mind if I eat while we talk? I’m starving.” on set that the rest of the crew were either
So he chomps away while talking about the oblivious to their split or hold the pair in such
birth of Watson and Mary’s daughter, and the affection that they were determined to keep
shock of Mary’s death. We are coming towards their secret.
the end of the interview when I happen to ask Keeping anything a secret in the age of social
why on earth he and Abbington decided to live media is a tall order, and it was scarcely any less
in Hertfordshire’s unglamorous Potters Bar. impressive that Mary Watson’s death in episode
“Well, the family home is in Potters Bar, but one at the new year didn’t leak out either. The
Amanda and I aren’t together any more. We intensity of public fascination with every (cid:3)
split up in the early part of this year, so that’s it.”
CIVILISED SPLIT
What? Freeman delivers the news so casually,
Martin Freeman and Amanda Abbington
TY I assume it must be common knowledge, and (left) at a reception in November 2015.
ET that somehow I have missed it. He goes on about Main picture: on the set of Sherlock, 2016
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10 RadioTimes 14–20 January 2017