'Watch out Graham Norton - Alison Hammond is coming for your crown'

Daily Mirror

16-05-2025

The weather may be hotting up outside, but there's every reason to stay in for a night on the sofa with thrilling new dramas, hard-hitting documentaries and shiny talent shows on our screens. With so much to choose from, I have handpicked the best of the box from big broadcasters like BBC and ITV, as well as streaming services - from Netflix to Prime Video.
Tonight, Alison Hammond is a hit on her new celeb chat show, Alexander Skarsgård plays a murderous robot and there's a revealing flashback in Corrie.
See below for my top telly picks.
Alison Hammond forges on as the deserving darling of British telly with this up-close celebrity chat show. With her infectious cackle, passion and love of an innuendo, Alison manages to pull off that extremely hard task of making everyone want to be her mate. So it's a great shout to let Alison interview celebs, including Luke Evans, Jimmy Carr, Sir Lenny Henry, Mel B, Tony Bellew and this week Perrie Edwards.
First to get a visit from Alison is popstar Perrie, beginning at her stunning home, which she shares with her partner, footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and their son Axel. There's a tour, showing off everything from the home studio to the walk-in wardrobe and a rummage through her Little Mix memorabilia.
Perrie opens up to Alison about fame, her relationship with former bandmate Jesy Nelson (they haven't spoken since Jesy left), memories of childhood and medical issues as a child and her battle with anxiety and panic attacks. Perrie reveals she took an over-the-counter caffeine shot in Vegas and it triggered a panic attack that hospitalised her. She said: 'It was so scary and then they kept coming. My arms and legs go limp, I can't see anything and then my heart goes and I can't breathe. I became a bit of a recluse for a while.'
Alison makes the perfect interviewer - not afraid to ask anything, always up for a laugh (she slides down the stairs when no one's looking), and instantly likeable. Watch out Graham Norton, there's a Queen of Chat in the mix…
There's plenty of priceless heritage hidden behind the velvet ropes at some of the country's historic houses. Every year millions of us flock to the National Trust's grand residences, but out of sight is a hidden world where an army of experts battle to save treasured objects. As another fascinating series kicks off, cameras follow conservation work at the retreats of three literary legends.
At Hill Top in the Lake District, the countryside escape of Beatrix Potter, there's a collection upstairs that inspired one of her beloved books - her doll's house, home to 70 miniature objects, many of which feature in The Tale Of Two Bad Mice. Clouds Hill, a woodland cottage in Dorset, which was once refuge to T E Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, houses a painting of a young soldier on a Cornish beach which has sparked much debate over the figure's identity. Finally, at Lamb House in Rye, Sussex, once home to Henry James, his writing room has a damp problem.
Meet Murderbot, the most conflicted, sarcastic deadpan robot in existence. Played by Alexander Skarsgård, this is a sharp sci-fi thriller comedy about a security robot which manages to hack himself and disable the 'governor module' that makes him obey orders. He names himself Murderbot - which is worrying. Murderbot, who gives a constant (complaining) internal monologue, says: 'I was built to protect and obey humans. And humans are idiots. But now that I've hacked my programming, I can do whatever I want - as long as they don't find out.'
Murderbot thinks all humans are complete morons and just wants to be left alone to watch space-set soap operas. Unfortunately, he's given a new assignment and his clients seem desperate to connect emotionally. 'All that human stuff is disturbing,' he says, fully creeped out by feelings. There's another problem - someone has noticed some anomalies. Can his clients trust him? 'I wouldn't trust me,' says Murderbot. With slick opening credits and tight half-hour episodes, this is futuristic, fresh and funny.
Moira discovers the leak. Then John is delighted when Mack is blamed for everything that has happened. But they all feel incredibly guilty when Cain reports that the slurry has affected the main water supply for the village. An ambulance pulls up and young Harry is rushed to hospital after having drunk some of the contaminated water and falling ill. After Ross and Lewis finally had a conversation, Moira wonders if Ross has had second thoughts about the Lewis situation.
As Bernie calls at Kit's flat, hoping he'll open up to her about what's bothering him, this special flashback episode focuses on Kit's childhood. Scenes show a young Kit finding himself on the wrong side of the law and uncovers what made him the man he is today. Three young actors take on the roles of Kit, Mick and Lou as the action flicks between their teenage years, the secrets that bind them together and their life as it is today.