TV Picks Of The Week By Lisa Jewell

Whether you’re staying in or hitting record, here are our top TV picks for the week ahead.

Reality – The Apprentice

Thursday 6 October, 9pm, BBC1

You know that autumn has truly arrived when the Beeb starts showing The Apprentice. The twelfth season of the reality show with a witty backbite kicks off with an episode titled ‘Collectables’ where the candidates have to sell off their wares at a car boot sale.

Amongst those vying to become Lord Sugar’s business partner this year are two candidates from Ireland – Grainne McCoy, who owns a make up studio in Northern Ireland, and Dillon St Paul, art director at a Dublin magazine (who eagle eyed viewers will remember as a caustic sidekick on Fade Street, the Irish version of The Hills that was weirdly compulsive viewing).

Let the games begin.

Film – The Sapphires

Thursday 6 October, 10pm, 3E

This 2012 film follows four young Australian girls who translate their singing skills into an all girl group in the 1960s and take off to entertain the US troops in Vietnam.

It’s an entertaining flick – along the lines of The Commitments – with some catchy tunes. The film hits home on the issue of racial prejudice but manages to do this without becoming preachy.

Chris O’Dowd turns in a good performance along with the Australian actors, who include Deborah Mailman and Jessica Mauboy, who gained fame on Australian Idol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJv1epnHKM4

Current Affairs – Second US Presidential Debate

Monday 10 October, 2am, BBC News 24

Okay, so technically this one is a Current Affairs pick but we nearly put Entertainment right next to it, judging by the very memorable first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton!

The orange one left the first debate on a bit of a cliff hanger, saying that he was going to bring up something damaging to Clinton (her husband’s lack of marital fidelity) but he wasn’t going to do it now. If he pulls it out of the bag this time, it will probably be interpreted as a sure fire act of desperation.

The format for this debate – in St Louis, Missouri – is that half the questions will be posed directly by members of the public in the audience and the other half will be asked by the two moderators (one of whom is Anderson Cooper from CNN).

We’ll see if Hillary’s email or Benghazi scandals will be brought up along with Trump’s tax affairs and his insults to women.

Whatever happens, please let The Trump say ‘Wrong’ into the microphone a million times again!