Pick of the WeekMuseum of MeSunday, RTÉ One, 8.30pmIt’s the final episode of the series in which celebrities curate their own exhibition of objects that tell the story of their life and career. They’ve saved the best till last, as it’s the turn of comedian and actor Pat Shortt to showcase some of the items that have had huge meaning for him. Will they include his I Shot JR T-shirt from Father Ted? Or a jumbo breakfast roll from Killinaskully? Shortt will be digging deep into his early years building up his career on stage and on d’telly, with reminders of his best-loved characters, but also looking back at his family life, which has inspired him to dream big while keeping him firmly rooted in reality. Host Dermot Whelan will be encouraging Shortt to share some of the things that have inspired him as a performer and storyteller, and also as a father and family man. HighlightsHeart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan StoryMonday, RTÉ One, 9.35pmHeart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan Story.
Photograph: Janson Media Irish-born priest Fr Edward J Flanagan was a pioneering figure in childcare before the term childcare was ever coined. He believed in the innate goodness of children and founded Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska, a place for vulnerable boys at risk of falling into crime and violence. His work inspired the 1938 film Boys Town, starring Spencer Tracy. So successful was the Boys Town project that when many former residents the went to fight in the second World War, they put Flanagan down as their next of kin. This documentary, filmed in Ireland, the US, Europe and Japan, looks at how Flanagan’s nonjudgmental approach inspired a whole generation of childcare professionals. Harry WildTuesday, RTÉ One, 9.35pmRohan Nedd and Jane Seymour in Harry Wild. Photograph: Acorn TV Jane Seymour returns as the English professor turned detective Harriet “Harry” Wild in the fourth series of the crime drama set in Dublin, and in the first episode Harry is in at the deep end, investigating the case of a serial killer who for some reason leaves a coin in their victims’ mouths. Kevin Ryan returns as Harry’s Garda detective son Charlie, Rohan Nedd as Fergus and Rose O’Neill as Lola. The series is co-written by Irish author Jo Spain, who adds the authentic Irish touches to the series created by David Logan. How to Get Filthy Rich with Gary StevensonWednesday, Channel 4, 9pmHow to Get Filthy Rich with Gary Stevenson. Photograph: Channel 4 Author and YouTube star Gary Stevenson made a packet over a successful career in finance, but if you’re expecting tips on how to amass loadsamoney and live the high life, you’ve come to the wrong place. During his time a the top table in the financial industry, Stevenson saw the ever-expanding gap between the rich and the poor, and realised that the gap has become an abyss that threatens to engulf modern society. He believes the best way to drive change and tackle wealth inequality is to put a super tax on the super-rich and force these greedy moneybags to contribute to making the world a better place. In this 90-minute documentary, Stevenson explores the world of billionaires and oligarchs, who earn astronomical amounts of money and use their wealth to wield enormous political power and influence. He also travels around the UK and meets people at the cutting edge of economics and finance, and those at the sharp end of wealth inequality, who feel the skewed system has left them behind. Stevenson’s focus is on the financial system in Britain, but this will have resonance for a world in which all the wealth is being concentrated in the hands of a self-serving few. Katie Price: Nothing to HideWednesday, Sky Documentaries & Now, 9pmKatie Price: Nothing to Hide. Photograph: Sky Katie Price has a knack for turning her chaotic life into telly gold, with numerous documentary series detailing her day-to-day activities, plus ratings-winning appearances on I’m a Celebrity... and Celebrity Big Brother (which she won). The former page three girl, now approaching 50, is back with a new four-part documentary series telling the unfiltered story of her life and loves from her time as Britain’s most famous pin-up girl to her subsequent career as a popular media personality. We’re promised the full Price experience, with no holds barred, and no topic out of bounds, but can we handle it? The series is made by Louis Theroux’s Mindhouse company and directed by Paddy Wivell. The Girl in the WaterWednesday, RTÉ One, 9.35pmThe Girl in the Water: Kelly Lynch. Photograph: RTÉ On St Patrick’s Day in 2024, the body of 23-year-old Kelly Marie Lynch was found in the Ulster canal near Monaghan town. Gardaí at first treated her death as a tragic misadventure, but a subsequent forensic report found that she had been a victim of a violent assault, with multiple injuries, and her family are now seeking a full murder investigation. This documentary follows the Lynch family as they work through their grief and search for answers about what really happened to Kelly on that terrible day. Mackenzie Crook and Martin Freeman Remember The OfficeWednesday, BBC Two, 10pmMartin Freeman and Mackenzie Crook Remember ... The Office. Photograph: BBC Can you believe it’s been 25 years since The Office first hit our TV screens, bringing us into the world or Wernham Hogg and its supercilious, self-centred boss David Brent? The workplace mockumentary series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant became a global phenomenon, spawning a hit US version starring Steve Carell, but in this special edition of BBC’s Remembers strand, the focus is on the original version starring Gervais, Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook and Lucy Davis. Freeman and Crook, who played office workers Tim and Gareth, reunite for a fond look back at the series that made them stars, retelling stories from the making of the show, and recalling some of their favourite moments from the show that redefined cringe comedy. Streaming TryingFrom Wednesday, July 8th, Apple TVEsther Smith and Rafe Spall are back as the adoptive parents Jason and Nikki in the fifth series of the acclaimed comedy created by Andy Wolton. The series tracks their journey through a challenging adoption process as they try to convince authorities that they’re a suitable couple to adopt, and try to win over the children they hope to adopt, the siblings Princess and Tyler. This involves Jason, a Spurs fan, making the sacrifice of switching his allegiance to Arsenal, the team Tyler supports. But Nikki and Jason face another challenge, as Princess and Tyler’s biological mother, Kat, appears, bringing chaos and upending the painstakingly achieved equilibrium.Little House on the PrairieFrom Thursday, July 9th, NetflixGrowing up in Ireland in the 1970s, Little House on the Prairie was a Sunday staple, like Mass or boiled cabbage. Is Netflix streaming that original series for our nostalgic delight? Not a bit of it. This new adaptation of the semi-autobiographical books by Laura Ingalls Wilder features a new cast and a wider perspective, looking at the tough challenges facing people seeking a new life in the American west in the 1800s, and the tension and conflict between the settlers and the indigenous Osage Nation, who considered the prairie their territory. The series, which was created by the long-time Little House fan Rebecca Sonnenshine, stars Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls, Skywalker Hughes as her older sister Mary, and Luke Bracey and Crosby Fitzgerald as parents Charles and Caroline Ingalls. Get that cabbage on the boil and get settled back in with your favourite prairie family.
