Kevin Bridges: In Search of the Beautiful Game
Sunday, BBC One, 10.30pm
Scottish comedian Kevin Bridges remembers the last time Scotland competed in the World Cup. It was 1998, and Scotland were knocked out in the first round, but the joy Bridges felt during that World Cup has stayed with him ever since. Now, as Scotland qualify for the competition for the first time in 28 years, Bridges goes on a personal journey to learn if that footballing joy can still be found. Scotland will be facing Brazil once again in the opening round, and Bridges meets Brazilian football legend Cafu, mingles with São Paulo ultras and US soccer fans, and goes back to his old school in Clydebank to meet Scottish football legend John McGinn, who is a former pupil of the school.
BackStory
Monday, RTÉ One, 8.30pm
There’s a whole new generation of Irish people whose parents immigrated from Africa, South America. Asia and Eastern Europe, and who may have never visited their ancestral home. In this new series, four young Irish people go back to their roots, visiting their parents’ home country, and reconnecting with their own heritage and history. First up is Siobhan McClean from Athy in Co Kildare, who was five years old when her family moved here from Zimbabwe. Now 30, McClean is better known as the singer-songwriter Shiv, whose CV includes performing in Other Voices and opening for Lana Del Rey in the 3Arena. Accompanied by her mum, Tambu, McClean travels to Zimbabwe to explore the country’s rich culture and traditions, its spectacular landscape, its food and – of course – its music.
Pitch Invasion: How the USA Changed Soccer
Monday & Wednesday, BBC One, 10.40pm
In the 1970s, British football was in a dire state, riven with hooliganism, with stadiums in disrepair and a grim atmosphere prevailing. Meanwhile, in the US, the North American Soccer League 9NASL) was growing, and adapting the game to appeal to families and the American appetite for large-scale entertainment. Gone was the stoic weekly trudge to matches in crumbling stadiums, with the ever-present threat of violence; the US version featured mascots, cheerleaders and a sense of occasion. Celebrity players were brought in, including Pele, George Best, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer, and, for the first time, players’ names were proudly displayed on their shirts. This two-part documentary, narrated by Patrick Kielty, looks at how the NASL helped make the game beautiful again and sparked a stateside resurgence of interest in football, leading to such superstars as David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Lionel Messi signing up for US clubs.
Total Football
Tuesday & Thursday, RTÉ2, 5.30pm
The Republic of Ireland failed to get a place in this year’s World Cup, but that won’t stop RTÉ from providing coverage of the competition for the fans, and part of that coverage is the return of Total Football to our screens. Want exclusive access to the elite players and coaches in the world of football and insights into the biggest stories in the sport? You’ve come to the right place. Sports broadcaster Aisling O’Reilly and YouTube creator DavidMC are the presenters, and they’ll be joined by a team of young reporters along with celebrity guests and influencers to discuss the hot-button topics of the game. In the first episode, young reporter Luke takes us into the heart of the Men’s National Team’s training camp, and League of Ireland legend Pico Lopes is the special guest.
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Britney: In Ten Pictures
Thursday, BBC Two, 9pm
Britney Spears rose to fame at just 16 with the provocative pop anthem ... Baby One More Time, and this documentary, the latest in the In Ten Pictures series, gives a snapshot into her life and career through 10 unforgettable and sometimes uncomfortable visual milestones.
Spears lived out her highs and lows in the glare of the media, but was a victim of exploitation, and ended up fighting for control over her music, her public image and her private life. She was hounded by paparazzi while sexualised images of her were splashed all over lads’ mags and tabloids to satisfy a voracious appetite for Britney pics, and the relentless attention soon took a toll on her mental health. From her early photoshoots as a Mickey Mouse Club alumnus on the verge of superstardom to her risqué Rolling Stone photos by David LaChapelle, this programme charts the rise and fall of Spears through 10 defining images.
Rivals: Messi v Ronaldo
Thursday, BBC One, 10.40pm
It was the Blur v Oasis of football, but played out on a much bigger arena. In the noughties, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo emerged as two of the world’s most talented and celebrated players, and found themselves at the centre of a great football rivalry, and at the forefront of a golden era for the game.
As part of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, Messi redefined the role of the forward, while Ronaldo brought goalscoring to new level with Real Madrid under José Mourinho. This programme examines one of sports’ most gripping and rivalries, as both the Argentinian and the Portuguese pursued their paths to glory with relentless focus and ambition and pushed each other to ever-greater achievements on the pitch, completely transforming the game in the process.
Queen James
Friday, BBC One, 9pm
The son of Mary Queen of Scots and cousin of Elizabeth I, James was just 13 months old when he was crowned King James VI of Scotland in 1567. On the death of Elizabeth I, 36 years later, he became king James I of England, the first monarch to rule England, Scotland and Ireland, but was quickly nicknamed Queen James because of his peace-seeking foreign policy and also because of the many men he brought into his close circle and – in some cases – into his bed chambers. This documentary, hosted by Belfast-born historian Gareth Russell, explores James’s life and affairs, including his commissioning of the King James Bible and his patronage of playwright William Shakespeare, and looks at his huge influence on the island of Ireland as the monarch who instigated the Plantation of Ulster.
Streaming
Norway: The Dark Horse
From Tuesday, June 9th, Netflix
While the Republic of Ireland have seen their World Cup hopes dashed despite a late resurgence, Norway have finally managed to qualify for this summer’s tournament in North America, marking a return to big international tournaments after 26 years of hurt and heartache. This is in no small way thanks to a new generation of Norse goalscoring gods, including Martin Ødegaard, Alexander Sørloth, Antonio Nusa and the mighty Manchester City star Erling Haaland. This two-part documentary charts the team’s renaissance under head coach Ståle Solbakken. Can Norway get out of their group of death with France and Senegal and go all the way to the final?
Every Year After
From Wednesday, June 10th, Prime Video
The sun is out, the mercury’s up, the summer is beginning and love is in the air. But something’s missing – and you know what that is: with no new season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, we’re facing a teen-romance drama drought. Fear not, because here’s another tumescent adolescent tale, this one based on the bestselling novel Every Summer After, by Carley Fortune, and set around the idyllic lake resort of Barry’s Bay. There’s even a dream girl with a funny name – Percy – and no shortage of hunks to deliver smouldering looks in her general direction. The series follows Percy’s summer visits to Barry’s Bay over six years and asks: what if your first love was actually the one? Look away now, Mom and Dad.
