The BBC offers two new comedic heroes and a second serving of Belfast cop drama Blue Lights, while Stephen Mulhern returns with a variety of new mini games for In For a Penny.
Blue Lights
Monday
BBC One, 9.00pm
The first series of the Northern Irish cop drama followed newbie police officer Grace Ellis, played by Siân Brooke. When the 40-year-old mother and former social worker entered the Belfast force, she struggled with the demands of her new thrilling but dangerous job.
Her and the team managed to topple a major drug gang, but now lesser gangs are jostling to take their place, sparking more conflicts that the police have to get on top of. Meanwhile, in an interview with the RTS, creators Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn revealed that, since the flirtation between Grace and Stevie (Martin McCann, Calibre) “landed so well with viewers,” their relationship will continue to play a central part.
Dinosaur
Tuesday
BBC Three, 9.00pm
Self-described “neuro-funky” comedian Ashley Storrie writes and stars in Dinosaur as Nina, an autistic woman thrown into disarray by a change in circumstance.
When Nina’s sister, best friend and housemate Evie (Kat Ronney, The Royal Mob) has a whirlwind engagement, Nina only has six weeks to adjust to life without having her safe person beside her every step of the way.
Mammoth
Wednesday
BBC Two, 10.00pm
PE teacher Tony Mammoth (played by comedian Mike Bubbins) went missing after an avalanche on a school skiing trip in 1979. But now he is defrosted and back in 21st century Cardiff with a Magnum PI moustache and retro wardrobe to match.
The family friendly comedy sees Mammoth resume his former post as a teacher as a 90-year-old and a 40-year-old rolled into one. As Bubbins says of his character: Mammoth is getting a second chance at life, “even though he’s pretty sure he nailed it the first time around.”
The Circle US
Wednesday
Netflix
A perfect combination of social media and reality TV, The Circle sees a group of players from all ages and backgrounds move into a tower block of luxury apartments. The players never meet but communicate with each other through ‘the circle’ - a social media which displays their photos and bios, and allows them to chat privately with each other.
Players do not have be honest with how they present themselves online – a former UK series saw OG Gladiator ‘Hunter’ (James Crossley) present as an NHS nurse called Gemma. It is up to the players to ascertain who is real and who is catfishing. Players are blocked one by one, until the most liked player goes home with £100,000. In this series an extra layer has been added: for the first time ever, an AI bot will be playing the game as "the ultimate catfish."
In for a Penny
Saturday
ITV1, 6.00pm
Veteran presenter and magician Stephen Mulhern is back with his on-the-street game show with a series of varying challenges, with the strapline “in for a penny, in for a grand!”
The 2024 series introduces exciting new mini games including quite literally ‘diving for dosh’ in a swimming pool, a vacuum cleaner race called ‘hoover manoeuvre’, and a matchmaking game called ‘romance or showmance’, where the contestant must ascertain which couple is real, out of several choices. In for a Penny will continue travelling around to various UK cities, including Hull, Lincoln, Barry Island and Essex.
