Here’s our TV tonight picks for Friday, August 8 (for more information about what’s on TV, see our TV Guide)…
Here We Go, BBC1, 9 pm
When Jessop gran Sue (Alison Steadman) learns uncle Eric’s died in her home town of Liverpool, leaving her a painting, and mum Rachel (Katherine Parkinson) suspects she’s been scammed out of a sewing machine she sold to an address in nearby Birkenhead, the whole family take a road trip to claim their property. Sue feels nostalgic returning to where she grew up, but lots has changed – not least her childhood home, which is now a fried chicken shop! Later, as the Jessops catch up with the ‘scammer’, Sue gets an unexpected blast from the past…
Maria, Netflix
The months following what would have been Maria Callas’ 100th birthday in December 2023 saw a number of works, including this biopic, released to honour her remarkable life, but you can’t help but feel that the iconic opera singer will be remembered long after that centenary. Here, director Pablo Larraín concentrates on Callas’ (Angelina Jolie) final days in Paris before her death, aged just 53, with flashbacks including her relationship with Aristotle Onassis (The Turkish Detective’s Haluk Bilginer). Jolie spent months learning her vocal technique, and the singing in the film is a blend of her voice and archive recordings of Callas.
Mrs Brown’s Boys, BBC1, 9.30 pm
Grandad (Dermot O’Neill) is so much of a fixture in Mrs Brown’s living room that it’s hard to imagine him anywhere else. But this week, Agnes (Brendan O’Carroll) discovers that her father-in-law has been preparing to move into a care home. Surely she won’t let him leave? Meanwhile, it’s the annual Stars of Finglas contest, with Buster (Danny O’Carroll) providing stand-up comedy – so bad it makes everyone want to stand up and leave – and Father Damien (Conor Moloney) and Trevor (Martin Delany) performing as Jedward. Winnie (Eilish O’Carroll), meanwhile, is one of two Elvises – although her impression comes with a sideline you’ll never have associated with the king of rock ’n’ roll.
MasterChef 2025, BBC1, 8.30 pm
The first quarter-final sees this week’s six most talented cooks battle it out for a place in the semi-finals by tackling a brief set by restaurant critic William Sitwell. They will each need to use either a sweet ingredient in a savoury dish or a savoury ingredient in a sweet dish. With just 90 minutes to impress, only the best will head into knockout week next week.
Whitstable Pearl, U&Drama, 9 pm
Tom (Robert Webb) plans to pop the question to Pearl (Kerry Godliman) when he whisks her away on an anniversary treat. But while they’re gone, disaster strikes at the restaurant when infamous food critic Paddy Sheedy (David Verrey) finishes his local reviews at the Whitstable Pearl – then promptly drops dead! As Ruby (Isobelle Molloy) fears her cooking is to blame, and the police shut down all the eateries, the list of suspects racks up – including Paddy’s husband Theo (Rufus Jones), who’s hiding a big secret, and the owners of nearby Roxy’s, who received a scathing review of their former London restaurant.