The Gone
Sunday, RTÉ1, 9.30pm
An Irish detective must co-operate with New Zealand police to solve the mystery of a missing Irish couple in this crime thriller set in Aotearoa. Richard Flood stars as Dublin-based detective Theo Richter, who is sent to a small town on New Zealand’s North Island to investigate the disappearance of Sinéad, the daughter of a prominent Irish judge, and her companion Ronan. Irish crime family the Fallons are suspected to be involved in the couple’s disappearance, and Richter must work with a fiery young Maori detective, Diana Huia (Acushla-Tara Kupe) who, like Richter, is battling a few demons from the past.
Living with Lucy
Sunday, Virgin Media 1, 9pm
Serial lodger Lucy Kennedy is back, looking to move in with another batch of celebs and snoop on their day-to-day lives. Over the course of the sixth series, Kennedy will be embedding herself in the homes of RTÉ sports presenter Des Cahill, Corrie star Simon Gregson, Geordie Shore’s Charlotte Crosby, comedian Andrew Maxwell, soccer pundit and mental health advocate Richie Sadlier and – be still my beating heart – former glamour model Katie Price, whom Kennedy was originally supposed to live with last year until other commitments got in the way.
Union with David Olusoga
Monday, BBC2, 9pm
How has Britain fared since the signing of the Act of Union in 1707? In this fourth and final part of the documentary series, historian David Olusoga looks at how the aftermath of the second World War brought a sense of national unity to the disparate parts of the United Kingdom, but shows how that unity was deeply shaken by the economic crises of the 1970s and 1980s. He also looks at the dramatic events that led to partition in Ireland and the creation of Northern Ireland.
Al Murray: Why Does Everyone Hate the British Empire?
Monday, Sky History, 9pm
Britain once ruled the waves, but these days, many are asking, “What have the Britons ever done for us?” Rather than stand idly by and watch the empire crumble, however, comedian and historian Al Murray aka the Pub Landlord sets out to learn just what it is that Britain has done so wrong that no one wants be its loyal subjects any more. He teams up with local comedians in India, Jamaica, South Africa and Australia to find out where it all started to go pear-shaped. This follows on from his previous historical series Why Do the Brits Win Every War? and Why Does Everyone Hate the English? Well, it’s ‘cos they win every war, innit?
Beauty & the Beast review: On the way home, younger audience members re-enact scenes. There’s no higher recommendation
Matt Cooper: I’m an only child. I’ve always been conscious of not having brothers or sisters
A Dublin scam: After more than 10 years in New York, nothing like this had ever happened to me
Patrick Freyne: I am becoming a demotivational speaker – let’s all have an averagely productive December
My Body Fix
Tuesday, RTÉ1, 8.30pm
Would you jump at the chance to see deep inside your own body using virtual reality imaging? No? Some of us may feel a bit queasy about Kathryn Thomas’s new show, which features real people with real serious medical conditions about to undergo critical surgery. Before they go on the operating table, though, these six patients get to see their bodies’ inner workings in full 3D using the latest technology, and see exactly what’s going on. Episode one features Dubliner Frank Walsh, who has coronary heart disease. After getting a detailed look inside his own ticker, Frank realises the urgent need to get a heart bypass.
The Hidden Children of Ruinerwold Farm
Tuesday, BBC4, 10pm
In 2019, a bedraggled young man named Israel walked into the local pub in the Dutch village of Ruinerwold, and recounted an extraordinary tale. He had escaped from his secluded family farm, where his father – a self-proclaimed prophet – had kept him and five of his siblings locked away for years. The children were told that doomsday was coming soon, and their existence was kept hidden from the rest of the village – they never even went to school. This four-part series tells a story of deception, derangement and abuse as the children are deprogrammed and the father is brought to trial.
An Gúna Bainise
Wednesday, TG4, 8.30pm
Remember the dress you wore when you said “I do”? Was it a frock to die for or was it a fright? In the second part of this series looking back fondly on the nuptial fashions of yesteryear, we meet people from different parts of the country who tied the knot in the noughties, and they recall the dress they wore and how they celebrated the day that was in it. Each dress featured tells a big story of family, friendship and (hopefully) true love, and this week we hear a tale of teenage love in Belfast and we learn all about what happened when two Clontarf teachers met.
100 Bliain de Thithíocht – Géarchéim Gan Deireadh
Wednesday, TG4, 9.30pm
Ireland’s housing crisis is nothing new – ever since the birth of the State, governments have struggled with conundrum of creating affordable houses for its citizens to live – and not every initiative has been a success. This film looks at housing initiatives through history, from the creation of flatland in the 1930s to the building of high-rise tower blocks in the 1960s, and from the notorious bungalow blitz of the 1970s and 1980s to the property bubble of the noughties that contributed to the financial crash.
Heated
Thursday, RTÉ1, 8pm
Are you sick of constantly hearing how the Government is failing to meet its climate targets? Tired of hearing the same recycled platitudes about sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint? Meet the Irish entrepreneurs taking real climate action and making small differences that can add up to a better future for the environment. In this new series, presenters Hanna Quinn Mulligan, Michelle McKeown and Rónán Ó Dálaigh bring us stories of local communities setting an example for the world, from a peatland restoration project driven by 30 farmers in Offaly to a mattress recycling company in Longford.
Storyland: The Cousin
Thursday, RTÉ2, 10.30pm
Dan is a talented young artist with a dream of getting in to art college, and when he submits his project to a top institution, he’s delighted when they accept him in to their hallowed halls. But there’s just one thing Dan has to do before he can push ahead with his plans: for some reason he needs to get the blessing of his cousin to take his place in this college. Why does his cousin hold the power over Dan’s education choices? Has it anything to do with his project, an installation featuring portraits of local people who have moved on or passed away? All will no doubt be revealed in this latest drama in the Storyland strand.
A Ring and a Prayer
Friday, RTÉ1, 8pm
As Ireland becomes a multicultural society, it follows that more couples from different nationalities are getting married, but how do these couples navigate the tricky terrain of bringing their two disparate cultures and faiths together and living in harmony? In this new series, we meet six couples from diverse backgrounds as they prepare for their wedding day. First up this week are Cassandra from South Africa and Limerick man Sam, who are getting married in an evangelical ceremony, and Emma from the Philippines, whose wedding to Dubliner Gavin will be officiated by a Filipino priest.
Uncanny
Friday, BBC2, 9pm
Danny Robins presents the last of three creepy stories of real-life paranormal events, and if you haven’t been scared out of your wits by the first two tales, this one might give you the heebie-jeebies as you start your weekend. Back in the 1990s, three theology students at Oxford were convinced that the house they were sharing was haunted by an evil spirit, and after several spooky events the trio decided they had to call in an exorcist. But could all three of the students have been suffering from a shared delusion? Robins and his team set out to learn just how terrifying the imagination can be.
