logo
This week's must-watch TV: Wimbledon, property glow-ups and Fern Britton

This week's must-watch TV: Wimbledon, property glow-ups and Fern Britton

Daily Mirror5 hours ago

BBC's Summer of Sport is kicking off this week with Wimbledon making a return to screens. Elsewhere, Fern Britton makes a surprise ITV return and two C4 icons front a new show.
From Wimbledon to the Women's Euro, the TV landscape is prepping for a summer of sport, kicking off with the long-awaited tennis tournament this Monday (June 30).
Once again, the BBC will deliver its exclusive coverage of Wimbledon with Clare Balding in the lead and a series of expert pundits. But there's plenty of other programmes to suit everyone's needs.

Channel 4 has a multitude of new shows aligned this week. For starters, Scarlette and Stuart Douglas, best known for their Worst House on the Street antics, are helping desperate homeowners get their houses off the market in a new explosive show.

Over on Channel 5, royal drama is guaranteed with a deep dive into King Charles ' ongoing rift with Prince Andrew over the Royal Lodge, while Discovery + introduces a compelling documentary about a renowned sports scandal. Here's what you need to know.
READ MORE: 'Super well made' necklace so hard to break it's got a lifetime warranty for under £50
Diana's Dress
Saturday, 8:30pm, 5
She was only 20 when she married into royalty, but Princess Diana 's wedding dress made history. This stylish and intimate documentary unpacks the story behind the iconic silk and lace gown that captured the nation.
Featuring interviews with Elizabeth and David Emanuel, plus rare behind-the-scenes insight, it's a tribute to how one dress became a symbol of transformation - for Diana, fashion and royal storytelling. There's glamour, emotion and a fresh look at a defining royal icon.

The Battle for Royal Lodge: Andrew vs Charles
Saturday, 5
Once again, the Royal Lodge is once again at the heart of royal tension, with Prince Andrew refusing to budge as King Charles demands he vacate the 30-room estate.
This gripping documentary delves into the power struggling playing out behind palace walls, exploring the sprawling mansion's turbulent past and ties to the late Queen Mother.

Set on nearly 100 acres, it was once a childhood haven for Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Princess Margaret - but what secrets still lurk behind the iron gates?
7/7 Homegrown Terror
Sunday, Sky
Twenty years on, this gripping docuseries revisits the 2005 London bombings with rare access and a raw emotional core. Featuring interviews with survivors, families, witnesses - and even those once close to the attackers - it explores how four young British men came to commit an unthinkable act of terror.

With first-hand testimony and sobering insight, this three-part show isn't just about what happened; it's about how we got there and how the aftermath still reverberates across Britain today.
Crime Scene Cleaners
Monday, C4
Behind every crime scene lies a brutal mess - and a clean-up crew willing to face the unthinkable. This ten-part series follows real-life trauma cleaners in the UK and US as they scrub, sanitise and support victims' families through unimaginable loss.

From robberies to gruesome murders, it's gritty, graphic and gut-wrenching - but also deeply humane. With 24/7 call-outs and extraordinary compassion, Crime Scene Cleaners shines a light on the unsung heroes helping others start over - one horrific job at a time.
Shark Whisperer
Monday, Netflix
Dive underwater with the Shark Whisperer and marine conservationist Ocean Ramsey in this gripping docuseries. Follow a marine expert who interacts closely with sharks - tagging, tracking and uncovering their behaviour in vibrant ocean ecosystems.

Each episode blends breathtaking underwater footage with educational insights on shark conservation and human-wildlife coexistence.
It's a tense, beautifully shot adventure that breaks stereotypes and highlights our fragile relationship with apex predators. Ideal for wildlife-lovers and thrill seekers.

Wimbledon
Monday, BBC
The BBC serves up smashing coverage of Wimbledon from Monday, 30 June to Sunday, 13 July, with every match from all 18 courts streamed live on iPlayer and across BBC One and Two.
Clare Balding leads daily TV coverage with primetime highlights on Today at Wimbledon. Expect in-depth commentary from legends like John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova. With electronic line calls replacing human judges and exclusive interviews, this year's tournament is history in the making.

Rubiales and Hermoso: The World Cup Kiss
Wednesday, Discovery +
What should have been a celebration became a global reckoning. This two-parter unpacks the scandal that overshadowed Spain's win at the 2023 Women's World Cup, after Spanish football president Luis Rubiales kissed World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso on the lips without consent.

Rubiales speaks for the first time since the media storm alongside those closest to Hermoso, including teammate Laia Codina, as each side discusses their perspective. It's a hard-hitting look at consent.
Darby and Joan
Wednesday, U&Drama
Determined to clear his name in a haunting cold case, Jack Darby returns to screens in the second season of Darby and Joan, with Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi reprising their roles as the sharp ex-cop and kind-hearted nurse.

A year after fate threw them together, their bond is stronger than ever - so when Jack digs into the night that changed his life, Joan's right by his side. But as fresh mysteries unfold, their search for truth tests everything.
Can't Sell, Must Sell
Wednesday, C4

Property pros Scarlette and Stuart Douglas take on a handful of grim, unsellable homes, encountering bizarre decor, nasty odours, even creepy dolls.
Each week, the pair assemble a tramp of carpenters, designers and handymen to diagnose what's going wrong in live buyer viewings. Brutal feedback leads to dramatic makeovers inside and out - from peeling paint to family life hacks. Expect practical DIY tips, honest critiques and big before-and-after reveals that rescue homes and restore owners' hope.

Hill
Wednesday, Sky
Unpack the life of Damon Hill - 1996 F1 World Champion and son of legend Graham Hill - in this compelling documentary. Featuring candid interviews with Damon and his family, the film tracks his rise from living in his father's shadow to topping the podium.
Viewers get insider stories, personal reflections and incredible never-before-seen archive footage. Far more than a sports doc, it's personal, raw, unforgettable - and an unfiltered look at legacy, pressure and triumph on the track.

Women's Euros
Wednesday, ITV
The new season brings thrilling coverage of the Women's European Championship. Catch expert analysis, pre-match build-up and the latest tournament highlights on ITV.
Expect spotlight features on rising stars, tactical deep-dives and emotional player interviews. It's a high-energy celebration of skill, ambition and female empowerment on the international football stage. A perfect midweek fix for sports fans craving fresh stories and standout goals.

The Sandman
Thursday, Netflix
Dream is back - and this time, the stakes are higher than ever. In season two of The Sandman, Tom Sturridge 's brooding character is pulled between destiny and destruction as he fights to save the dreaming and the waking world.

With gods, monsters and ancient enemies closing in, forgiveness becomes Dream's greatest challenge. Expect gorgeous visuals, otherworldly dilemmas and gripping emotion in this dark fantasy series that keeps twisting fate, myth and morality.
Fern Britton: Inside The Vets
Friday, ITV

Fern Britton heads into The Grove Vets in Bristol, where the highs and heartbreaks of pet care are laid bare. Following husband-and-wife duo Amy and Andy Valenzia and the ever passionate vet Dr James Greenwood, this heartwarming series captures everything from dramatic emergency surgeries to emotional letdowns and joyful recoveries.
Fern gets stuck in as the team handles hundreds of pets every week - reminding us how much love, grit and skill it takes to keep Britain's beloved animals healthy.

First Dates
Friday, C4
After crafting lasting love in his own marriage, Fred Sirieix returns to guide a fresh batch of singles through heartfelt connections as the nation's most romantic restaurant.
Expect a rollercoaster of stories: a serial dater hunting for true commitment; a married mother bravely exploring same-sex dating, and mature, music-loving romantic hoping for a duet.
A widowed father, still bearing the weight of grief, seeks someone who truly understands loss. With Fred at the helm, this emotionally rich season proves love's transformative power - and reminds us that second chances can be the most meaningful.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Love Island fans accuse bosses of ‘fixing' public dumping to get rid of Megan after Conor drama
Love Island fans accuse bosses of ‘fixing' public dumping to get rid of Megan after Conor drama

Scottish Sun

timean hour ago

  • Scottish Sun

Love Island fans accuse bosses of ‘fixing' public dumping to get rid of Megan after Conor drama

It was an explosive evening in the villa last night 'FIX' ROW Love Island fans accuse bosses of 'fixing' public dumping to get rid of Megan after Conor drama LOVE Island fans have accused bosses of "fixing" last night's public dumping, in a bid to get rid of Megan after all the Conor drama. The latest episode saw Megan and Remell dumped after the public were asked to choose their favourite boy and favourite girl. Advertisement 4 Megan was dumped from the villa in the public vote Credit: ITV 4 It came after she was in the bottom three girls, along with Shakira and Toni Credit: ITV 4 It comes after Megan dumped Tommy for Conor this week Credit: ITV 4 Remell was also dumped from the villa in the public vote Credit: ITV In last night's show, Giorgio got a text and everyone was sent to gather at the Firepit. The bottom three girls were then revealed as Shakira, Megan and Toni. And the bottom three boys in the firing line were Ben, Harry and Remell. Shockingly, Megan and Remell received the least votes from the public and were then immediately dumped from the villa. Advertisement But Love Island fans have now got a theory about why Megan was the one to be dumped from the villa out of the girls. They think because of the public turning on Megan over the last few days, bosses were keen to see the Irish beauty leave the villa. Taking to social media, one said: "I'm guessing the producers didn't like Megan. "I bet they wouldn't have allowed the other Megan to go, had she been bottom. Advertisement "Sometimes they let the public votes decide other times they let the Islanders choose... either way it's very very manipulated." Another echoed this "Basically the producers were happy to let Megan go, otherwise they'd have had the Islanders pick. Seething Love Island fans slam 'vile' Ben and demand he's axed in public vote after explosive row with Yasmin "They would've 100% saved Megan. "I think they wanted to get rid of her once they saw her unhinged and abusive behaviour. Advertisement This week's drama in the villa saw Megan finally confirm that she and Tommy were over, after spending recent days ramping up her connection with rugby lad Conor. No sooner had she told a delighted Conor about the development, he suggested they spend the night in the hideaway. The explosive move came after they shared two snogs on the Terrace behind smitten Tommy Bradley's back, infuriating fans. Megan and Tommy had seemed to be one of the dating show's most secure couples until this week, when her head was turned by Conor - sparking other Islanders to brand the situation 'wife swap'. Advertisement Fans also turned on 'nasty' Megan after she gleefully called Conor and Tommy's row over her "brilliant".

BBC Wimbledon's Andrew Castle: ‘You have to know when to shut up!'
BBC Wimbledon's Andrew Castle: ‘You have to know when to shut up!'

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

BBC Wimbledon's Andrew Castle: ‘You have to know when to shut up!'

In 1990, at the European ­Indoor Championships in Berlin, ­Andrew Castle stumbled ­elegantly into a new career. Having been knocked out of the ­doubles in the quarter-finals by Goran Ivanišević and Petr Korda, Castle was invited by the BSkyB commentator Gerald Williams to be an analyst on a match between Luiz Mattar and Jean-Philippe Fleurian. He loved every minute of it. For two years, Castle moonlighted as a Sky commentator in between tournaments, before being offered a full-time position in 1992. The former British No 1 and Australian Open mixed-doubles finalist, then aged 28, did not hesitate to retire from playing: 'Do you want to travel halfway around the world to lose your second match against somebody that you should beat, and not get paid very much? Or would you like to talk about it, get paid, and then go home and sleep in your own bed?' More than three decades on, ­Castle is now one of the voices of the British summer, having commentated on the Wimbledon Champion­ships for the BBC since 2002. When we speak, he is at home in Cobham, Surrey, preparing himself for another full day at the Queen's Club tournament, surrounded by notes, boning up on Carlos Alcaraz's quarter-final opponent, Arthur Rinderknech [Alcaraz went on to win the title last Sunday]. It's all good prep for the hectic Wimbledon fortnight. After so many years at SW19, Castle has his rhythm. 'I go in on the motorbike – public transport from here is just brutal – I park in the same place. I put my head down and get on with it. It's a place of work for me. I'll come home on the motorbike, eat, and it'll be time for bed. And then repeat.' The commentators, it seems, have to be as disciplined as the players. 'Not a single blowout,' confirms Castle. 'There's plenty of time the rest of the year for that.' When Sue Barker left Sky for the BBC in 1993, Castle – tall, handsome, smooth – was promoted to presenting across various sports, from golf to Nascar. It was a role that he took to slightly less naturally than jumping into the commentary box. 'I'd have running-order dreams,' he says. 'The hours, the days I spent preparing for my first time on air. I was so uptight, so nervous and, no doubt, extremely sweaty.' By 2000, he had mast­ered the art form and left Sky to become co-host of the ITV break­fast show, GMTV, where he rem­ained until 2010, interviewing ­everyone from Vera Lynn and Tom Cruise to Tony Blair and Benjamin Netanyahu, while also enjoying a memorable app­earance on Strictly Come Dancing – where he lost in a dance-off to M People's Heather Small (his samba lacked bounce) – and hosting a couple of short-lived game shows. Following that, in 2013, came a 10-year stint on the talk-radio channel LBC. Throughout it all, however, has been tennis. Despite having no intention of going back to the sport after he left Sky, Castle could not resist the lure of the BBC and Wimbledon. Soon, he was fronting the men's final, as Roger Federer beat Mark Philippoussis in 2003 to win the first of his 20 major titles. 'It was only my second Wimbledon and they told me on the Friday I'd be doing the final [on the Sunday],' he says. 'I'm sure plenty of people thought it was too early. I remember very distinctly the executive producer, Dave Gordon, came up to me by the tea urns – where we had polystyrene cups, those were the days – and he said, 'I just want you to know, I didn't want you for this job.' I said, 'Oh, thanks, Dave, any other words of encouragement?' He said, 'Just remember. This isn't a tennis match. It's an event.' And he was right about that.' Now it is Castle who dispenses the wisdom, having racked up 21 Wimbledon men's singles finals, sharing the booth with John McEnroe, Tim Henman, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker and more. The key to good sports commentary, says Castle, is simple: 'Know your audience. Know the rules. And know when to shut up!' Knowing how to handle your co-commentators is a skill that Castle has learnt, too, though last year's Wimbledon threw up a new challenge in the shape of tennis's enfant terrible, Nick Kyrgios. The previous year, the Australian had called Castle a 'clown' on X and he didn't hold back in 2024, either, dubbing his new colleague 'dis­res­pectful' and stating he 'probably never played tennis at a high level'. How does Castle assess these spats between him and Kyrgios now? 'Me and him? It wasn't me and him. It was him,' he says firmly. 'I didn't say or do anything, sorry. Look, he tweeted something and my life wasn't very easy for a while. And he said, 'Sorry, mate.' And that was it. We don't have an issue.' ­Castle des­cribes Kyrgios's talents as a commentator as 'absolutely superb' and would welcome the chance to work with him again – although the BBC has opted not to employ Kyrgios this summer. Castle does have an issue, however, with social media, and left it in 2021 on the advice of his family. 'It's a bear pit,' he says. 'I certainly wouldn't go anywhere near Twitter again. It's incredible how the discourse has become so base. It's a dangerous time.' Having hosted phone-ins on the often pugilistic LBC for many years, he is familiar with bear pits. During his time on air, he got into heated tussles with trans-rights advocates, net-zero campaigners and pro-Palestine activists. He also received death threats, which he describes as 'par for the course'. There was much speculation in 2023 when Castle was no longer on air at LBC. It was, he says, his decision. 'The final straw for me was the October 7 attacks. We were on air when it was unfolding. That, plus the invasion of Ukraine – I just got to the point where I thought I wanted to step away. Not just from social media, but from consuming and broadcasting these traumatic events.' While Castle was stepping away from social media, a certain other BBC sports presenter was using it more and more. How does Castle reflect on the demise of Gary Lin­eker's BBC career? 'I've known Gary a long time,' he says. 'I was amazed that he suddenly became so outspoken on various issues and it made things very difficult, clearly, for a lot of people at the BBC. But it's a changing landscape – what's acceptable and what's not. I've got to be honest, I was more than a little surprised, as a news journalist, when I saw him making comparisons between the language used in the British government's immigration policy and Germany in the 1930s. This is very, very provocative stuff and it has to be dealt with. Listen, we have freedom of speech in this country and Gary is allowed to have his say. And he still has a very successful broadcasting career, so he hasn't lost much.' For Castle's part, he's delighted to be 'sticking to tennis', being able to dedicate himself to the sport he loves without becoming embroiled in the heat of political debate. As for Wimbledon, he can't look beyond Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for the men's singles title, but highlights Britain's Jack Draper as one who could muscle in. |He would also love to see a run from Emma Raducanu: 'She's a little bit special, she's capable of great things.' After the grass-court season, it will be time to unwind and have some 'blowouts', one of which will be the wedding of his daughter Georgina, a musical-theatre star who is in Mean Girls in the West End. 'Where did her voice come from? I have absolutely no idea. I told her when she was 15, under no circumstances should she pursue this career. There you go – never ­listen to your parents.' The wedding, Castle admits, will be 'quite stagey'. Perhaps the father of the bride will brush up on that samba. 'It was a moment of electricity': Andrew Castle's best Wimbledon moments 1975: The first trip The first time I was at Wimbledon, 1975, the Arthur Ashe year. I remember walking onto Centre Court and up the steps with my mum, and I just thought, 'Oh my god, this is the place to play'. I saw Ashe, Niki Pilić, Chris O'Neil, Chris Evert… I went over to No 2 Court just to watch Ilie Năstase. There was a glamour and an otherworldliness to the stars of sport in those days, an air of mystery, before every tournament was covered by cameras. So to witness up-close, as an 11-year-old, the brooding nature of Năstase. To see his three-stripe Adidas and his big quad muscles, watching him swear and then hitting some shot that I could only dream of hitting. These were the days when the love started for the sport. 1986: Stepping onto court My first match was against the Australian Brod Dyke, and I could see my mum on the other side of Court 6. I was wearing white Pumas. I remember looking down and seeing the stripe against the green of the grass. That was a moment of electricity. Swiftly followed by when Brod hit a return of serve into the net, and I had won a match at Wimbledon! At the press conference, [the tennis correspondent] Neil Harman said to me, 'You do know who you play next, don't you?' Six months prior to that, I'd been living in a low-rent place in Wichita, Kansas, wondering what I was going to do with my life. I was going to try and be a tennis player, but I had no real clue. And six months on, I was at Wimbledon about to play [the French Open champion] Mats Wilander. 1986: Getting a pep talk from a great The Centre Court anteroom is quite a bare place, nothing much more than a couple of benches. The royal box is above. You just sit there and wait. It's like you're about to be executed. And then, in walked Chris Evert. I mean, it's me – and Chris Evert [who had just won her 18th major at the French Open]. She just leant over and said, 'You'll be fine once the knock-up starts.' And I thought, 'Thanks, Chrissy'. I've never spoken to her about it, but it was a great moment for me. I should thank her for such kindness to a nervous 22-year-old. 2005: Sharing a commentary box with the bad boys of tennis I once commentated with both Jimmy Connors and John ­McEnroe. They weren't supposed to get on and it was deemed to be some sort of titanic battle between these Tyrannosaurus rexes. But they greeted each other with warmth and something approaching love for everything we've been through together. We had the most wonderful afternoon, most of it spent with the microphones off, chatting – or, more accurately, me listening to them. To sit in the box with Connors and McEnroe? You've got to be kidding. 2013: Andy ends 77 years of hurt The 2013 final. Andy Murray versus Novak Djokovic. Murray went 40-love up and then Djokovic made a fight of it. We couldn't believe it – 10 or 11 minutes later, they were still going. The camera guys did a great job – I remember there was this gentle push in, to Novak's eyes and to Andy's eyes, and I wrestled briefly with myself whether I should say what I was about to say: 'Sporting ­immortality doesn't come easy.' I've watched Murray since he was a child and here he was about to achieve this wonderful thing. I was pleased to find a line that summed it up. I also remember, right after Novak hit the winning point, Tim Henman jumped to his feet and hit me in the head with his elbow. So the memorable line for this historic moment could well have been very different... Wimbledon begins on the BBC on Monday; follow the Women's Summer of Sport across BBC Sport

Wimbledon 2025: Coco Gauff is just 21 but already thinking about what to do after tennis
Wimbledon 2025: Coco Gauff is just 21 but already thinking about what to do after tennis

The Independent

timean hour ago

  • The Independent

Wimbledon 2025: Coco Gauff is just 21 but already thinking about what to do after tennis

To be clear, Coco Gauff didn't bring up the word 'star' during a recent interview with The Associated Press; the reporter did. So as Gauff began to answer a question about balancing her life as a professional athlete with her off-court interests, she caught herself repeating that term. 'I definitely didn't know how it would look like,' she began with a smile, 'before I got to be, I guess, a star — feels weird to call myself that — but I definitely did want to expand outside of tennis. Always. Since I was young.' She still is young, by just about any measure, and she is a really good tennis player — Gauff owns the Grand Slam titles and No. 2 ranking to prove it as she heads into Wimbledon, which begins Monday — but the 21-year-old American is also more than that. Someone unafraid to express her opinions about societal issues. Someone who connects with fans via social media. Someone who is the highest-paid female athlete in any sport, topping $30 million last year, according to with less than a third of that from prize money and most via deals with companies such as UPS, New Balance, Rolex and Barilla. Someone who recently launched her own management firm. And someone who wants to succeed in the business world long after she no longer swings a racket on tour. 'It's definitely something that I want to start to step up for post-career. Kind of start building that process, which is why I wanted to do it early. Because I didn't want to feel like I was playing catch-up at the end of my career,' said Gauff, who will face Dayana Yastremska in the first round at the All England Club on Tuesday. 'On the business side of things, it doesn't come as natural as tennis feels. I'm still learning, and I have a lot to learn about," Gauff said. "I've debated different things and what paths I wanted to take when it came to just stimulating my brain outside of the court, because I always knew that once I finished high school that I needed to put my brain into something else.' In a campaign announced this week by UPS, which first partnered with Gauff in 2023 before she won that year's U.S. Open, she connects with business coach Emma Grede — known for working with Kim Kardashian on Skims, and with Khloe Kardashian on Good American — to offer mentoring to three small-business owners. 'Coco plays a key role in helping us connect with those younger Gen-Z business owners — emerging or younger entrepreneurs,' Betsy Wilson, VP of digital marketing and brand activation at UPS, said in a phone interview. 'Obviously, she's very relevant in social media and in culture, and working with Coco helps us really connect with that younger group.' While Grede helped the entrepreneurs, Gauff also got the opportunity to pick up tips. 'It's really cool to learn from someone like her,' Gauff said. 'Whenever I feel like I'm ready to make that leap, I can definitely reach out to her for advice and things like that. ... This will help me right now and definitely in the long term.' ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store