
Must-watch TV this week: Karen Pirie returns, SWAT's final chapter and The Assassin
Drama is all the rage this week on the box, with a string of new shows guaranteed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
For starters, BBC2 is airing a gripping show, Unforgivable, set to explore the impact of abuse with a star-studded cast. On ITV, Outlander star Lauren Lyle returns to Karen Pirie, ready to face a new cold case on-screen.
Amazon Prime, on the other hand, is gearing up for some gritty scenes with The Assassin, starring Keeley Hawes and The Good Doctor's Freddie Highmore.
And while there's plenty more on streaming platforms, Sky viewers will soon wave goodbye to one of their all-time favourite series as Shemar Moore fronts SWAT for the last time.
Lip Reading the Royals: The Secret Conversations
Saturday, 5
Ever wondered what Prince William whispers to his wife, Kate Middleton, during royal events? Lip Reading the Royals: The Secret Conversations reveals the monarchy's most private exchanges, caught on camera at weddings, funerals and formal occasions.
With expert lip reading and royal insiders on hand, this eye-opening documentary decodes the hidden dialogue of the royal family - from knowing glances to tense exchanges - offering a rare glimpse behind palace walls. It's the Crown, unfiltered.
Krays: London's Gangsters
Forget the movie mythos, this two-part documentary unpacks the real Reggie and Ronnie Kray. Featuring never-heard-before recordings from the brothers in prison, this film digs deep into the psychological bond that kept London's East End crime lords together.
Through expert insights and interviews, this series explores their brutal reign, their unwavering loyalty and descent into popularity. Shedding the Hollywood sheen, this is the raw and unfiltered truth behind Britain's most renowned gangsters.
SWAT
Sunday, Sky
Shemar Moore leads SWAT into its explosive eighth and final season as Hondo confronts his most personal mission yet. When a school bus carrying students and his former football coach disappears, the team races against the clock.
Meanwhile, tension mounts with new recruit Devin Gamble, whose criminal family ties raise serious red flags. Balancing action-packed sequences with emotional stakes, this season promises high-risk takedowns, moral dilemmas, and a powerful send-off for the elite unit that's kept L.A safe for seven years.
The Veil
Sunday, C4
Elisabeth Moss trades Gilead for global espionage in this gripping thriller series. She stars as MI6 agent Imogen Salter, tasked with uncovering the truth behind Adilah El Idrissi (Yumna Marwan), a woman suspected of orchestrating a deadly terrorist plot.
As secrets mount and loyalties blur, both women engage in a psychological game of chess spanning Paris, Istanbul and London. It's tense, atmospheric and rich in twists, exploring trust and the veil between fact and fabrication.
Karen Pirie
Sunday, ITV
Lauren Lyle is back as cold case specialist DI Karen Pirie in this gripping adaptation of Val McDermid's A Darker Domain. The second season tackles the 1984 kidnapping of heiress Catriona Grant and her toddler son Adam.
Their disappearance has rattled Scotland but when a body and Catriona's car keys resurface in a remote quarry, Karen must untangle a web of secrets, betrayal and hidden romances. With its dual-timeline and Karen's razor-sharp wit, there's more deadpan banter, bold deductions and emotionally charged revelations.
Mandy
Monday, BBC2
Diane Morgan dons the leopard print as Mandy Carter in the fourth season of the gloriously daft BBC comedy. This time, the loveable oddball finds herself in increasingly surreal misadventures and bizarre job trials. But don't expect her to learn anything new - she's still up to her old tricks.
Every episode is short and savage and packs absurdist laughs and deadpan brilliance, keeping the cult following firmly on board. There's plenty of chaos in store for Mandy but in her world, disaster is always part of the plan.
Cold Case Forensics: The Cheesewire Killer
Monday, 5
George Murdoch's brutal 1983 murder - committed with a cheesewire has haunted Aberdeen for decades. Now, this gripping forensic documentary reopens the chilling case with cutting-edge analysis and fresh leads.
Presented by Kirsty Ward and narrated by Unforgotten 's Nicola Walker, the film retraces the night of the crime, the botched early investigation and what new DNA technology might uncover. With emotional interviews, and detailed insights, this show explores whether justice for George is finally within reach.
Critical: Between Life and Death
Wednesday, Netflix
From the producers of 24 Hours in A&E, this Netflix docuseries offers unprecedented access to London's Major Trauma System. Cameras follow paramedics, surgeons, nurses and patients across four hospitals - St George's, Royal Londo, St Mary's and King's College - as they tackle life-and-death emergencies.
Shot in real time, Critical: Between Life and Death delivers raw and unfiltered moments from the frontline. Brace yourselves for harrowing injuries, emotional recoveries and the incredible teamwork that keeps Brits alive against the odds.
Acapulco
Wednesday, Apple TV
The sun-drenched dramedy Acapulco returns for its fourth and final season as Maximo Gallardo faces the past - and the future. In 1986, young Maximo (Enrique Arrizon) tries to reclaim the top hotel title after a shock defeat.
Meanwhile, present-day Maximo (Eugenio Derbez) works tirelessly to revive Las Colinas before its grand reopening. Acapulco's final chapter wraps up loose ends with heart, humour and the show's trademark neon charm. Expect generational reflections and heartfelt growth for this last dip in Acapulco's glamorous poolside chaos.
Mr Bigstuff
Thursday, Sky
Danny Dyer is back as loudmouth Lee in Mr Bigstuff's second season, fresh off a 2025 TV BAFTA win for his performance in the bonkers Sky comedy.
This time, family drama ramps up when Lee and younger brother Glen (Ryan Sampson) discover their supposedly dead father may still be alive.
But as tensions rise between them - and with Glen's fiancee Kirsty (Harriet Webb) keeping huge secrets - old wounds reopen. Guest stars include Fatiha El-Ghorri and EastEnders icon Linda Henry. With brawls, breakdowns and belly laughs, season two dives deeper into dysfunction with twisted humour and heartfelt honesty.
Unforgivable
Thursday, BBC2
Jimmy McGovern delivers a gripping new BBC Two drama with Unforgivable, where he delves deep into the emotional wreckage left by grooming and abuse within a working-class family.
Anna Friel leads the cast as Anna McKinney, a mother desperately trying to keep her family together, while Bobby Schofield plays Joe - a man sent to rehabilitation after his release from prison, seeking redemption with help from a former nun (Anna Maxwell Martin). It's gut-punch storytelling at its finest.
Tom Kerridge Cooks Spain
Thursday, ITV
Tom Kerridge swaps British classics for Iberian delights in this six-part travelogue series. Journeying through Spain's most flavour-packed regions, Tom samples all kinds of delicacies - from sherry vinegar aged since 1896 in Andalusia to anchovies in Santoña and explores seafood culture in Valencia.
Made in partnership with M&S ' Farm to Foodhall campaign, this series offers rich local insight, culinary history and vibrant visuals. Expect a mouth-watering tour of tapas, tradition and technique, filled with Tom's trademark warmth and love of food. You won't want to miss a bite.
A Normal Woman
Thursday, Netflix
Marissa Anita commands the screen in this taut, psychological Indonesian drama where she plays Milla - a privileged housewife on the brink of madness after convincing herself she's contracted a mysterious and incurable illness.
Her body feels alien, her family's dismissive and, soon enough, reality starts to blur. As her seemingly perfect life teeters on the edge, Milla has to confront uncomfortable truths or cling on to delusion. Dark and unflinching, A Normal Woman explores identity, repression and the cost of being believed.
The Assassin
Friday, Amazon Prime
Keeley Hawes stars as Julie, a retired hitwoman whose peaceful life in Greece is upended when her estranged son Edward (Freddie Highmore) arrives - unearthing secrets that put both of their lives at risk. When enemies from Julie's shadowy past surface, the duo are forced to collaborate for survival.
Created by Harry and Jack Williams (The Tourist), this six-part thriller blends emotional depth, covert manipulations and sun-soaked suspense. Expect sharp twists, explosive action and a gripping exploration of legacy, family and redemption.
Whitstable Pearl
Friday, U&Alibi
Kerry Godliman returns as Pearl Nolan, the food-loving, crime-solving seaside sleuth in Whitstable Pearl's third season. In six new episodes, Pearl balances running her restaurant with investigating a string of mysterious deaths across Kent's coastal community.
With DCI Mike McGuire (Howard Charles) complicating things both professionally and personally, Pearl finds herself in deeper waters than ever.
Get ready for local secrets and emotional tension as the amateur detective tackles love, loss and layered cases in this quietly compelling Brit drama.
Here We Go
Friday, BBC2
The Jessops are back for the third season of Here We Go - and they're just as chaotic as ever. This time, the lovable family faces everything from disastrous holidays to awkward jobs - even baby bombshells - all with their usual mix of mishaps and mayhem.
Created by Tom Basden and starring Jim Howick and Katherine Parkinson, the hit BBC comedy continues to capture the hilarious ups and downs of everyday life. Expect more laughs, heart and more family m havoc.
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Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Jeff Stewart: Actor who played Reg Hollis in The Bill helps police arrest shoplifter
The actor who played PC Reg Hollis in hit TV series The Bill has been praised by officers after helping them arrest a shoplifter. Jeff Stewart stepped in when a thief attempted to escape on a bicycle in Southampton on Wednesday. In a statement, a Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: "The thief, 29-year-old Mohamed Diallo, fell off the bike during his attempts to flee, before officers pounced to make their arrest. "To their surprise, local TV legend Jeff Stewart, who played PC Hollis for 24 years in The Bill, came to their aid by sitting on the suspect's legs while officers put him in cuffs. "In policing you should always expect the unexpected, but this really wasn't on The Bill for this week." The Bill was broadcast on ITV between 1984 and 2010 and featured the fictional lives of police officers from the Sun Hill police station in east London. Mr Stewart, who was among the original cast, appeared in more than 1,000 episodes as PC Hollis. In praising Mr Stewart's actions, the force said: "Long since retired from Sun Hill station - but he's still got it." Police from the Bargate Neighbourhoods Policing Team were alerted by staff at a Co-op store in Ocean Way to a suspected shoplifter on Wednesday. Mohamed Diallo, 29, of Anglesea Road, Southampton, was subsequently charged with five offences of theft relating to coffee, alcohol and food from the Co-op and two other Sainsbury's stores on three dates in April and July. He pleaded guilty at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Thursday and was bailed to be sentenced on August 29.


Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Unforgivable on BBC2: Shocking but powerful, this was even tougher to watch than Adolescence
Don't say you weren't warned. As if the title weren't stark enough, the opening scene of Unforgivable served notice that writer Jimmy McGovern was intent on piling horrors upon miseries. Anna Friel, as harassed single mother Anna McKinney, arrived at her teenage son's school to be informed the boy had broken another pupil's jaw. We never learned why, because Tom was refusing to speak. While she was pleading with the head teacher not to suspend her son, Anna's father phoned to say her mother had just died. Far worse was to come, as she discovered her estranged brother, Joe, was about to be released from prison on probation - after serving his sentence for sexually abusing Tom. Traumatic family dramas that tackle deeply upsetting, taboo topics are dominating the market for serious television this year, following the success of Adolescence on Netflix. But Adolescence featured the familiar elements of a police thriller, with gripping interviews that slowly led us to a shocking truth. Anna Maxwell Martin, pictured, played a nun, Katherine, who gave Joe a room in a hostel for repentant sex offenders, and tried to help him come to terms with his past Unforgivable was much more difficult to watch. We discovered early on that Joe (Bobby Schofield) really had groomed and assaulted the boy, and that the grief and shame of it had driven his mother to an early grave. Bare backside of the night It's been quite a week for naked behinds on telly. After the acres of rear ends in BBC1's The Narrow Road To The Deep North, Danny Dyer discarded his bath towel on Mr Bigstuff (Sky Max). But did he use a stand-in? Was that a stunt bottom? The courage Schofield must have needed to play this part is remarkable. Gradually, we realised Joe had experienced abuse himself as a boy, at the hands of the local football coach who was also a family friend. As he unburdened himself of this secret to therapists, he wept and shook with self-loathing - earning a degree of sympathy, but never becoming likeable. It was a powerfully brave performance, but Joe remained sullen, self-pitying, manipulative and disloyal, unable to think of anything but the suffering he had both caused and endured. Anna Maxwell Martin played a nun, Katherine, who gave him a room in a hostel for repentant sex offenders, and tried to help him come to terms with his past. When she revealed she had breast cancer, he seemed barely interested. McGovern didn't seem to care that much either: we learned next to nothing about her treatment or her prognosis. Given the general tone of despair throughout the hour-and-three-quarters of the one-off episode, I suspect it didn't end well for her. The only note of hope was that Joe's father, Brian (David Threlfall), lived to the end of the story. That never seemed likely: grey-faced and breathless, he looked like a heart attack dressed up in a shirt and trousers. Threlfall is used to making himself look ill for roles. For nine years, he played the walking cadaver Frank Gallagher in Shameless. It's an odd thing that, however sick and seedy his characters appear, Threlfall always survives to the credits... whereas Sean Bean, the epitome of burly Northern health, is invariably killed off. Work that one out.


Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Keeley Hawes is a foul-mouthed James Bond in slick thriller The Assassin
The Assassin is a fast-paced thriller interwoven with family drama Kicking off with a high-energy opening sequence packed with fight scenes and cinematography that could rival a James Bond film, The Assassin certainly delivers, reports the Express. The six-part series centres around retired hitwoman Julie Green (portrayed by Keeley Hawes), who is reluctantly pulled back into the game for one final, potentially fatal job. However, there's a significant hitch: Julie's estranged journalist son Edward (played by Freddie Highmore) has decided to visit her for the weekend after four years, under the impression that she's a simple head hunter. What ensues is a thrilling, fast-paced drama intertwined with family dynamics as Julie and Edward truly reconnect. This series marks a distinct shift in pace for Hawes, who earlier this year portrayed Cassandra Austen in PBS and BBC's tranquil period drama Miss Austen. In fact, Hawes' last venture into Greek territory was as Louisa Durrell in ITV's heartwarming family series The Durrells, set on the picturesque island of Corfu. However, with her impressive performances in Spooks, Line of Duty and Ashes to Ashes, Hawes certainly has the action credentials to portray Julie convincingly. The Assassin sees her reunite with writers Harry and Jack Williams, following her appearance in the second series of their International Emmy-winning show, The Missing. Her on-screen partnership with Highmore is a match made in heaven as the contrasting pair compete in a battle of wits. The chemistry between the two actors is palpable, forming the beating heart of the show. Highmore effortlessly steps into the role of investigative journalist and vegan Edward, portraying his struggles while on the run with ease. The former child actor is no stranger to intricate on-screen mother-son relationships, having previously played a young Norman Bates in the modern Psycho prequel, Bates Motel. Other notable members of the cast include Jack Davenport, Alan Dale, The Tourist's Shalom Brune-Franklin, and David Dencik from Top of the Lake. However, this isn't your typical thriller - there's a wickedly dark strand of British comedy woven throughout the storyline. The sharp one-liners flow effortlessly between mother and son, showcasing the Williams brothers' razor-sharp writing skills. From Julie being dubbed a "menopausal James Bond" to Edward being cautioned that his search for his biological father "isn't Mamma Mia", The Assassin is loaded with as many witty remarks as it is with gunfire and expletives. Sometimes you'll find yourself uncertain whether to chuckle at the over-the-top scenarios, but the formula works brilliantly. The Williams duo have struck gold once more with The Assassin - this is a genuine winner. Whilst their previous series The Tourist delivered nail-biting tension, The Assassin balances the drama with considerable humour and wit, creating the perfect British action-thriller with a darkly comic twist.