Next week we've got Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning dark comedy drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, romance is in the air on First Dates and possibly not in Married At First Sight and on Bake off? It's bread week.
What To Watch Next Week: Our definitive guide to the best telly, on air, next week.
Monday 5th October
999 What’s Your Emergency? - 9pm on Channel 4
With the country more divided than ever, it's our emergency services that witness at first-hand the reality of how life is really lived in modern Britain, as they struggle to cope with the ever-increasing demands on their resources. And feeling the strain more than any are the police. This episode, filmed before lockdown, focuses on the demise of the great British high street. It was once the heart and soul of bustling communities, but rising overheads and competition from online shopping and retail parks mean that 20% of shops on British high streets now lie empty - and this before Covid struck. Many town centres are at risk of becoming no-go zones - hotbeds of antisocial behaviour, crime and violence. Staff in Northamptonshire's 999 emergency control centre receive more than 20,000 reports of antisocial behaviour every year, and in the past half decade Northamptonshire police have seen a 78% increase in the number of arrests for carrying knives and other weapons. When PCs Louise O'Sullivan and Sean Whelan attend a call from a distraught homeless man, who has taken refuge in a shop after being threatened with a knife, it is no surprise to PC Sean Whelan: 'Going back 15 years ago, the town centre was the heart of the community. For me now, it's somewhere I don't go.The void left has been filled with street drinkers and that's where the violent element comes from.' The officers must also deal with a vicious attack on students and a takeaway owner who needs urgent protection from a violent drunk. And, on the outskirts of town, two constables are forced to call for urgent emergency back-up when they're attacked with a pool cue by a man who's refusing to leave a pub.
Adult Material - 10pm on Channel 4
Brand new four-part adult drama - written by Lucy Kirkwood and starring Hayley Squires, Kerry Godliman and Rupert Everett - which delves inside the porn industry in modern Britain, from the perspective of a woman who has been working in it her entire adult life. Legendary porn star Jolene Dollar (Squires) - real name Hayley Burrows - has seen the industry grow from an illegitimate backroom enterprise into a mainstream and highly profitable business. Juggling her on-set persona with motherhood and home life, Jolene is a poster girl for the industry and the proud breadwinner in her family. But her seemingly happy world is shaken when she learns that a dark figure from her past, American porn kingpin Tom Pain (Julian Ovenden), is coming to the UK to collaborate with her oldest colleague and close friend, Carroll Quinn (Everett). Jolene's uneasiness grows when she meets Amy (Siena Kelly), the new girl on set, and learns the unsettling extremes that she has been pushed to on her first day. Back at home, Jolene's daughter, Phoebe (Alex Jarrett), is upset and confused by her boyfriend's disturbing behaviour, prompting Jolene to offer some catastrophic advice...
The whole series is available to stream or download for free on All 4 following the transmission of the first episode, on Monday 5 October.
Tuesday 6th October
The Great British Bake Off - 8pm on Channel 4
The Great British Bake Off is back but this time, under exceptional circumstances and with some changes. Brand new host Matt Lucas joins Noel Fielding, and as we all adapt to the challenges 2020 has brought us, 12 new bakers form a bubble and enter the iconic white tent to tackle new challenges set by judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith. It's Bread Week, and the remaining bakers have a lot to prove with three tough challenges. There's a sweet and savoury Signature, a Technical that honours the NHS, and an ambitious, artistic Showstopper where the bakers must render decorative designs in bread. Who will be named star baker, and who will leave the tent for good?
Married At First Sight - 9.30pm on Channel 4
Married at First Sight returns for a brand-new series, as four new brave single people marry a complete stranger who they meet for the first time on their wedding day. Having been selected from over 7000 applicants and after undergoing rigorous interviews and psychological tests, the four singletons put their trust in a brand-new panel of elite matchmakers to find them their perfect partner. This new panel of experts includes two of the world's most experienced professional matchmakers who, between them, have successfully paired thousands of couples: American dating guru Paul C Brunson, known as the real-life Hitch and Oprah's 'Love Doctor', and leading UK matchmaker Gen Gresset. They're supported by insight and analysis from clinical psychologist Dr Angela Smith. In this opening episode, the four singletons receive the exciting news that they have been matched by the experts. But it doesn't go down well with one mother-of-the-bride, when primary school teacher Michelle reveals all to her family. Will it work out for better or for worse when she walks down the aisle and marries IT sales manager Owen at first sight? The big day also looms for divorced dad-of-two and businessman David, who's been paired with mum-of-three and events manager Shareen. They're both looking for lasting love second time around. Will they find it on their unconventional wedding day?
All episodes of this series will be available to stream or download for free on All 4 from 6 October following the transmission of episode 1.
Wednesday 7th October
DIY SOS: The Big Build - 9pm on Really
Nick Knowles takes on ambitious home renovations. With the help of his trusty team and the community, he transforms whole properties to give families with heart-breaking circumstances a home they can be proud of. In this episode Nick and the team return to a veteran’s community in Manchester, where there is one last house to renovate.
Live At The Apollo - 10pm on Dave
Two of the funniest men on the observational comedy scene take to the stage. Jason Manford hosts, while Michael McIntyre is his very special guest.
Thursday 8th October
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri - 9pm on Film 4
Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning dark comedy drama from writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges) starring Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson, about a mother who just wants the cops to finally solve her daughter's murder. But how to do it? Three precisely worded billboards on the road into town, that's how. It's been months since Mildred Hayes's (McDormand) daughter was raped and murdered and Chief Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) has made no arrests in the small town of Ebbing, Missouri. But how can a grieving mother get the police to do their job? Driving into town, she sees three dilapidated billboards and an idea forms - she'll shame the cops into action. But, instead of supporting Mildred and directing their righteous anger against the police, the townsfolk get their knickers in a twist about the billboards. This sets off a chain of events that sees Mildred drilling a little hole in the dentist, kicking high schoolers in the crotch and lobbing the odd Molotov cocktail. The theory is that the longer you keep a case in the public eye, the better the chances of getting it solved. But will it end in justice for Mildred's daughter? Also starring Sam Rockwell. Co-produced by Film4.
First Play on Film4.
First Dates - 10pm on Channel 4
As we say au revoir to summer and bonjour to cosy nights in, a new crop of singletons hope to find their special someone on a real blind date. Filmed before lockdown in the familiar London restaurant, maître d' Fred Sirieix and his team of cupids make sure that love is at the top of the menu. First into the restaurant is Aryeh, a 22-year-old student who struggles to find someone who can take on his overwhelming personality. His date is 24-year-old Jack, a performance art student with a matching bold shirt. Meryl, a 60-year-old widow from the Wirral, is looking for someone 'with a pulse', who can keep up with her when she goes clubbing. Experiencing a new lease of life since his hip replacement, 60-year-old Andrew may well be the man to keep Meryl on her toes. Sisters Claire and Louise have come together to provide moral support for a four-way date with 41-year-old Mathew and Scott from Epsom. There's confusion over who's dating who: 'this is like a swingers party,' says Scott, as a bit of bromance blossoms between him and Matt.
The whole series is available on All 4 for free, to stream or download, following the transmission of episode 1, on 1 October.
Friday 9th October
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice - 8pm on Channel 4
As The Great British Bake Off triumphantly returns to our screens, An Extra Slice is back to bring us more treats from the tent. Each week Jo Brand welcomes a panel of celebrity Bake Off fans to unpack the best bits from the show, as well as unseen footage and an exclusive interview with the baker who's leaving the competition. As the smell of dough fades from Bread Week in the Bake Off tent, Jo is joined by judge Paul Hollywood, presenter and comedian Judi Love and comedian Aisling Bea to discuss the best bits from the week and take a look at some exclusive unseen footage from the show. Plus, the latest baker to leave the competition tells all and Tom Allen invites a select group of home bakers to show off their skills, while Jo rifles through photos of the curious monstrosities viewers have created in their kitchens. Who rose to the sweet and savoury Signature challenge? Will the panel be clapping the NHS inspired Technical? And did the bakers prove themselves in an ambitious decorative Showstopper?
Gogglebox - 9pm on Channel 4
Britain's sharpest armchair critics return for a 16th series, to share more of their insightful, passionate and sometimes emotional critiques of the week's biggest and best shows.
Saturday 10th October
Guy Martin’s World Speed Records - 7pm on Channel 4
In the 10 years Guy Martin's been making TV, he's never actually watched any of his shows. 'Why would I watch them? I already know what happened, because I was there!'. Now, with a bit of time on his hands, Guy's decided to sit in his shed with a cuppa and look back at some of his proudest achievements. His box set this time includes shows where he helped build and pilot five amazing machines to five amazing world records: the world's fastest toboggan; furthest distance covered in a two-man recumbent bicycle in 24 hours; the world's fastest gravity racer; the world's fastest tractor; and the highest speed ever achieved on a wall of death. Guy also tells the fascinating stories behind the record attempts. Prod Co: North One
Alongside this episode, three more new programmes are available to stream or download for free on All 4 first, following the transmission of this programme, on Saturday 10 October.
Sunday 11th October
Formula 1 Eifel Grand Prix Highlights - 6.30pm on Channel 4
Steve Jones and David Coulthard present highlights from the Eifel Grand Prix in Germany. Sebastian Vettel won the last Formula 1 race at the Nürburgring with his championship winning Red Bull in 2013, but he'll need a miracle if he wants to win in a Ferrari that hasn't performed well this season. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton will be looking to extend his championship lead in a race where he could take the record for most wins.
The Bridge - 9pm on Channel 4
Twelve strangers come together on a lakeside in the beautiful British countryside to try to win a life-changing sum of money. They know nothing about the epic challenge that awaits them or what they'll need to do to win the cash. A prize of £100,000 lies on an island in the lake and the 12 must build an 850-foot bridge by hand within 20 days to reach it. It may sound simple, but a series of twists and turns bring moral dilemmas, spark rivalries and test their ability to work together as a team. In the first episode, the 12 get to know each other and we meet Billie, the daughter of TV presenter Trisha Goddard, Covid-19 survivor Tara, and the oldest member of the team, 60-year-old Sly. The team attempt to come up with a plan to build the bridge, but tempers quickly fray over who should lead the group. Plumber Luke and hotel entertainer Maura forge an alliance when they're sent on a secret mission to collect supplies, but their good intentions are tested when they have to choose between helping the whole team by bringing essential bridge-building tools back to camp or secretly stealing a cut of the prize fund.
