TV guide: 12 of the best new shows to watch, beginning tonight

Mammals

Sunday, BBC One, 7pm

The unstoppable David Attenborough teams up with the BBC’s Natural History Unit for this new series, and it’s another visually breathtaking celebration of the beautiful and fascinating creatures we’re lucky enough to share our planet with. The series traverses the world to get up close with a dizzying variety of warm-blooded species, from the doughty star-nosed mole to the mighty hunting tigress. The first episode in this epic six-part series focuses on creatures of the night, as the team delve into the dark to learn about the lives of nocturnal animals, and how their heightened senses help them survive.

This Town

Sunday, BBC One, 9pm

Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight brings the drama back to Birmingham, but this time we’re in the early 1980s, amid a backdrop of rioting, IRA bombings and the rise of the ska and two-tone music scene. This new six-part series tells the story of a disparate group of disillusioned young people who find a new momentum when they start up a ska band and set out to conquer the world – or at least get on Top of the Pops. Levi Brown plays aspiring urban poet Dante, who discovers his words can really fly off the page when set to a skankin’ beat. Ben Rose plays band member Bardon Quinn, who is torn between a music career and going into his dad’s business: the IRA. Michelle Dockery from Downton Abbey also stars, and the soundtrack features songs specially written by Kae Tempest and producer Dan Carey, plus plenty of ska classics from the era.

MasterChef

Monday, BBC One, 6.30pm

Series 20 of the amateur gourmet contest opens the kitchen door, and for the next 24 episodes, 58 budding chefs will battle to create incredible dishes that will tickle the taste buds of judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace. The knockout stages begin with six hopefuls all vying to nab an exclusive MasterChef apron and secure their place in the quarter-final. But there’s a new challenge cooked up by Torode and Wallace. In Basic to Brilliant, contestants have to take a bog-standard ingredient and turn it into a heavenly dish.

Anton & Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain

Monday, BBC One, 8pm

It’s the final episode in this three-part odyssey through Spain featuring Strictly dancers Anton du Beke and Giovanni Pernice, and this week they’re in the Basque region in the north for an emotional reunion with Anton’s wife, Hannah; their kids; and Anton’s mum, Conchita. But first comes a visit to foodie paradise San Sebastián, where the pair sample such culinary delights as Basque cheecekake and pintxos, small snacks that are very popular in this part of the country. It all ends with a bang as the pair arrive in Bilbao in time for the huge Semana Grande festival.

Tuesday, RTÉ One, 8.30pm

The search for the best gaff around continues as three more houses join the list of potential candidates for home of the year. The choice this week is between a 300-year-old cottage overlooking a lake in Co Wicklow, modernised and extended and given a big splash of colour by its owners Elaine Mackenzie-Smith and Kevin Coughlan; a 1920s terraced house in Dublin that has been given a deep retrofit by its owner, Eugene McCarthy; and a self-build in Co Louth that has been given a bold, colourful and eclectic design by its owners Olivia and Peter Phillips.

The End of the World with Beanz

Tuesday, RTÉ One, 7pm

As the world teeters on the brink of climate catastrophe, comedian, writer and Traveller Martin Beanz Warde goes on an epic journey around the globe to learn how people are facing up to the challenges of sustainability, and making huge changes in their lives for the greater good of the planet. This week he’s joined by Roz Purcell for a visit to the remote Scottish island of Gometra, where they meet a family who live happily off the grid. Back on home soil, Beanz meets eco-friendly undertakers in Navan and learns how to do his own bike repairs in Galway.

Rising Tides: Ireland’s Future in a Warmer World

Wednesday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm

It’s getting hot out there, and sea levels are only going in one direction. What can we do? Philip Boucher-Hayes traverses our beleaguered planet to learn how we can adapt to new climate realities, including raging wildfires, shrinking coastlines and that perma-melting ice. Boucher-Hayes meets people from different parts of the world who are coming up with innovative ideas to deal with the catastrophic effects of climate change, but soon learns that, just like that mythical king, we can’t hold back the rising tide with just a gesture.

Vanderpump Rules

Wednesday, Virgin Media Two, 10.15pm

If you were glued to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills back in the day, you’ll know and love the flamboyant Lisa Vanderpump. No surprise that she didn’t just sashay off into the sunset after that show ended, but went on to become a huge “reality” TV star in her own right. In this show she is launching her exclusive new Hollywood restaurant and lounge, and she and her family are pulling out all the stops to make this new venture the talk of the town.

The Complaints Bureau

Thursday, RTÉ One, 7pm

Eoin McGee is the taskmaster in this consumer watchdog show, dishing out assignments to his crack team of consumer journos: Conor Pope of The Irish Times, Amy Molloy and Siobhán Maguire. Their mission is to come to the aid of people who have endured shoddy service, dodgy deals and uncaring customer care. This week, Amy tackles the case of a log cabin that didn’t get finished, Conor counsels a couple whose wedding trip to Spain was sabotaged by Covid, and Siobhán helps a travel veteran who has been going through the hoops to get an airline gift voucher validated.

Other Voices Finale

Thursday, RTÉ2, 11.10pm

This series of Other Voices has seen its share of legendary performances, but we’re not done yet. There’s more fine music in store for this grand finale in St James’s Church in Dingle, with performances by Aoife Ní Bhriain, Catrin Finch and Villagers, and a turn by Qbanaa in the Imro Other Room. And just to finish up on a high, the show will be brewing up a musical and lyrical storm with a knockout performance by Kae Tempest.

Tracks and Trails

Friday, RTÉ One, 7.30pm

With 10 series under its belt, Tracks and Trails has already covered a huge swathe of Ireland’s landscape, but there’s more to explore, and series 11 will see six more presenters trekking their way through counties Monaghan, Offaly, Tyrone, Kerry, Kilkenny and Tipperary and picking up relatable insights along the way. In episode one, crime journalist and podcaster Nicola Tallant will be visiting Co Waterford and taking on a very challenging hike: the Boolas Loop in the Comeragh Mountains. It’s a 10km loop that will bring her along a steep and rocky route, dotted with hidden mountain lakes called boolas. Then she goes on a coastal cliff trail from Dunmore East, and hears tales of smugglers and pirates.

Avoidance

Friday, BBC One, 9.30pm

Romesh Ranganathan returns as a man with multiple phobias – among them commitment, conflict and actually making life choices. But in this new series, Jonathan is a changed man, transforming himself into a Mamil and sporting lots of Lycra. He dreams of winning back his ex, Claire (Jessica Knappett) and being a proper dad to his son, Spencer (Kieran Logendra), but reality gets in the way in the form of “hot furniture guy” Brett (Matthew Lewis), who Claire has taken a shine to, and Megan (Aisling Bea) who has won Jonathan in a school fundraising auction, and is keen to claim her prize.