What's on? Top 10 TV and streaming tips for Friday

January 31, 2025
What's on? Top 10 TV and streaming tips for Friday

There's celebs and chat on The Late Late and Graham Norton shows, Danny Robins returns with more Uncanny tales, there’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – and the opening game in rugby’s Six Nations . . .

Pick of the Day

Mary McAleese and Mary Kennedy will be among Patrick Kielty's guests and the two hosts of the Changing Times podcast "have a lot to say".

Actor and comedian Pat Shortt joins Patrick to talk about his career highs and to share his memories of the late, great Jon Kenny and their beloved comedy act, D'Unbelievables.

Home from the world's toughest row, Team Power of 1's John O'Driscoll, Conor McCarthy, Daragh Kelly, Enda McNicholas, and Roger McMorrow will also be on the show.

The first-ever Irish Gladiator, Cyclone, will also be in studio, while Fermanagh's The Tumbling Paddies make a return to perform Night on the Town.

New or Returning Shows

Death in Paradise, 9.00pm, BBC One

It’s the 14th season of this cosy, murder-solving drama, starring Don Gilet (below) and Don Warrington. At this stage it’s amazing that there’s anyone left alive on Sainte Marie.

Though the team members are looking forward to welcoming a new recruit into their midst, Mervin, in contrast, cannot wait to get away from the island.

But before he catches his flight, he becomes embroiled in the murder of a young man whose body has been recovered from a ravine. The case becomes more compelling when it is discovered the victim has left behind a mysterious message.

Uncanny, 9.00pm, BBC Two

Return of the show spun off from the BBC Radio 4 series in which Danny Robins (below) investigates real-life stories of seemingly paranormal encounters and things going bump in the night.

I remember interviewing Danny before a show in Dublin and he was hugely entertaining. And I’d be hugely sceptical of the paranormal.

In the first case of this second season, Danny is joined in the studio by Liam, who grew up on a remote farm near Bury.

His happy childhood was marred by ghostly sightings of a little boy and an overbearing, oppressive presence, making him so terrified that, even as an adult, he refused to go upstairs in his house alone.

Danny’s investigation into the case uncovers decades of hushed-up, terrifying testimonies, both from Liam’s family and his close friends as witnesses.

As ever, the audience is invited to share their theories and help crack the case.

Followed at 10pm by Uncanny: Post Mortem, where Danny Robins takes a deeper dive into the haunting of Hollymount Farm, while Ghosts actor Kiell Smith-Bynoe shares his take on the case.

New to Stream

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Sky Cinema Premiere

Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth star in George Miller’s much-anticipated return to the iconic dystopian world he created more than 30 years ago with the seminal Mad Max films.

Miller now turns the page again with an all-new original, standalone action adventure that will reveal the origins of the powerhouse character from the global smash Mad Max: Fury Road.

As the world fell, young Furiosa (Taylor-Joy) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great biker horde led by the Warlord Dementus (Hemsworth).

Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel, which is presided over by The Immortan Joe.

While the two tyrants battle for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.

The Snow Girl, Netflix

Season 2 of this Spanish drama opens with a message: "Do you want to play?"

This question written on an envelope containing a polaroid with a gagged young woman is the beginning of a macabre game, the Game of the Soul, in which journalist Miren Rojo (Milena Smit) will bet her life and even her own sanity.

Following the events of the first season of La chica de nieve, Miren investigates this time an elite school that seems to be at the center of the disappearance and murder of two young girls.

She will do it together with Jaime (Miki Esparbé), an investigative journalist who arrives at the Sur newspaper fleeing from his past and trying to recover his lost reputation. Mysteries, secrets, lies and characters as full of wounds as the protagonist herself.

Don’t Miss

The Graham Norton Show, 10.40pm, BBC One

Graham is joined by double Oscar-winner Renée Zellweger (below) and upcoming British actor Leo Woodall, who are starring in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

Also appearing is This Is Us star Sterling K Brown, now in the Disney+ thriller series Paradise.

Plus, stage and screen star Anthony Mackie, currently wielding the famous shield in Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World, appears alongside pop icon Cyndi Lauper, promoting her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour.

The Last Leg, 10.00pm, Channel 4

Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker are joined by Scottish actor and all-round legend Brian Cox (below) and comedian Michelle Wolf for a comic review of the significant moments of the past seven days.

As usual, the hashtag #isitok paves the way for the gang to round up, examine and explain the leading and most entertaining news stories of the week.

Travel Man: 48 Hours in Malmö, 8.30pm, Channel 4

Joe Lycett is joined this week by comedian and actress Rose Matafeo (below) for a two-day stay in Sweden's third city, Malmö.

After checking into their circus-themed hotel, the pair make use of the complimentary bikes to discover the city.

Attractions include The Disgusting Food Museum, where the tickets double as sick bags as they challenge the notion of what is and isn't edible.

Next day, the duo appreciate the 19th-century splendour of the Ribersborg Kallbadhus, enjoying a sauna fand an icy dip in a seawater pool.

They then hotfoot it to Folkets park for a round of Malmö-themed mini golf.

Monty Don’s British Gardens, 8.00pm, BBC Two

This week’s episode might be of interest to the many fans of The Beatles who are out there.

The presenter explores the most densely populated part of Britain, London and the home counties. He visits some of the UK capital's gardens, including a special one on a barge.

He also visits a beautifully restored plot close to where he grew up in Hampshire – which was actually developed by the late George Harrison (above) - and some gardens known for their different and personal styles of planting.

Sport

Live: Guinness Six Nations, 7.30pm, Virgin Media One

It’s France v Wales (KO 8.15pm) in the opening match of the Six Nations championship, held at Stade de France in Paris.

In last year’s game between these two, Les Blues ran in five tries as they left the Principality Stadium with a 45-24 bonus point win.

Wales will want to avenge that defeat with victory in Paris, but they come into this match as huge underdogs.

Coach Warren Gatland's (above) side are on a run of 12 consecutive Test defeats, with their last win coming in France when they beat Georgia during the Rugby World Cup pool stages in 2023.

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