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

February 16, 2025
What's on? Top 10 TV and streaming tips for Sunday

The awards season continues with live coverage of the BAFTAs, Escaping Utopia looks at a religious cult in New Zealand, it's Love week on Dancing with the Stars, and The Great House Revival heads to the Burren . . .

Pick of the Day

BAFTA Film Awards 2025, 7.00pm, BBC One

Just two nights after the IFTAs here in Ireland, the busy award season continues with Britain's big night out.

Scottish actor David Tennant (above) hosts the awards ceremony from the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall, with Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave and Emilia Pérez (whoops!) in the running for Best Film.

In the acting categories, nominees including Ralph Fiennes, Demi Moore, Timothée Chalamet and Cynthia Erivo.

The show also features musical performances from Take That and - maintaing the acting theme - the much-loved (and clearly multi-talented) Jeff Goldblum.

New or Returning Shows

Escaping Utopia, 9.00pm, BBC Two

This three-part documentary about a small and isolated cult located at Haupiri on the West Coast of the South Island in New Zealand.

Fifty years ago, travelling evangelist Neville Cooper, an Australian self-styled preacher, decided to create his own heaven on Earth.

Recruiting members from all over the world, he built a community based on literal interpretations of the Bible, with a set of strictly assigned gender roles.

This episode looks into the beginnings of the Gloriavale community and how it evolved from its socialist Christian beginnings to the extreme position it now occupies – a place where men hold all the power and women are expected to bear as many children as they can.

New to Stream

A Place Called Silence, Sky Cinema Premiere & NOW

Here’s a Chinese crime thriller, something we may need to get used to as an increasingly dominant China gradually takes over from the evidently decaying USA as a main source of international entertainment.

A middle school girl named Huijun falls to her death after being bullied, leading to a series of mysterious deaths among the bullies, and violence towards Huijun's best friend at school, Xiaotong.

As the investigation progresses, old secrets of concealment and corruption are about to be revealed.

The trailer looks great - though it's clearly not for the squeamish.

Don’t Miss

The latest run of the celebrity dance contest continues, with the competition moving into Love week.

And while love may be in the air, it won't save one of the remaining contestants - and their pro dance partner - from being the fourth to face elimination this season.

As ever, judges Brian, Karen, Loraine and Arthur (above) will be on hand to offer advice, analysis and criticism.

Miss Austen, 9.05pm, BBC One

This latest Beeb period drama has been hugely enjoyable so far, with a typically fine central performnce by Keeley Hawes as the older version of Cassandra Austen, Jane Austen's sister.

As the series resumes, Cassandra's fever is raging, and in her delirium, she nearly lets slip that she is in possession of Jane's letters

As she slips in and out of consciousness, she relives the dramatic events of a youthful summer in Sidmouth, where Mr Hobday's attentions were received with delight by the Austens, but presented her with an impossible decision.

Busy restaurateur Aoibheann MacNamara has waited years to find the perfect isolated cottage for the next chapter in her life, and finally she's found it.

Now she's embarking on an ambitious but sensitive restoration of an old Land Commission cottage in the middle of the protected environment of the Burren landscape in Clare.

With so many planning and environmental restrictions, Aoibheann has time to set up a full kitchen garden to service her restaurant in Galway City, as well as two tenants – Crunchie and Phoebe, two miniature ponies.

Aoibheann has a very clear vision in mind for her Burren retreat and has ambitions of creating an exceptional design that will belie the walls of the traditional cottage.

As Aoibheann’s progressive vision for her retreat spirals out of control, it inhibits her from making any decisions on her build, slowing down all work on-site.

Can her local builder, John Cannole, a no-nonsense, true blue banner-county man, bring her back to earth, and get the ronovation back on track?

Help Me Buy a Home, 8.00pm, Virgin Media One

As season two of this property-seeking show continues, Liz O'Kane (above, centre) tackles a tight budget for a young mother in Cork and helps a Crumlin family out of a crowded flat share.

Plus, Kevin Twomey and PJ Kirby (above) find out the toll buying a house has on mental health. No surprise, it hasn't been a positive.

Sunday Cinema

Not to be confused with the rather dull 2022 version from Kenneth Branagh, here’s an entertaining and star-studded Agatha Christie adaptation from the 1970s to fill in a dull Sunday afternoon.

It stars Peter Ustinov (above), Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, George Kennedy, Mia Farrow, Jane Birkin, Olivia Hussey, Angela Lansbury and David Niven.

You probably know the story, but here goes: Detective Hercule Poirot investigates a murder on board a paddle steamer in Egypt.

The victim was an unpopular heiress, whose outspoken manner put her at odds with most of her fellow passengers during their cruise on the Nile.

Sport

GAA Beo, 1.15pm, TG4

Here's another Sunday afternoon triple treat of GAA action.

First up it's Mayo v Tyrone (Throw-in 1.45pm) as Micheál Ó Domhnaill presents live coverage of the round three match in the Allianz Football League Division One, held at McHale Park.

That's followed at 3.35pm by another Division One game, this time at MacCumhaill Park, as Donegal play host to Armagh (Throw-in 3.45pm).

Then at 5.35pm Micheál Ó Domhnaill presents deferred coverage of a match from today's Football League Division Two fixtures.

Live League of Ireland, 1.30pm, Virgin Media Two
Bohemians begin their 2025 campaign against bitter rivals Shamrock Rovers (KO 2.00pm), with the Hoops just back from their historic win in Norway on Thursday, when 16-year-old Michael Noonan (below) scored the game's only goal.

The Premier Division match is the first to be staged at Aviva Stadium, which is home for the FAI Cup Final, with a record crowd of around 30,000 expected today.

Bohemians are looking to improve on last season's eighth-place finish, while Rovers will be looking to regain the title after their run of four successive league triumphs was ended last year by Shelbourne.

See here for TV listings

See here for more TV news