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WHAT TO WATCH 17-23 October

This week's best telly includes the highly anticipated return of Strictly, a new era for Celebrity Juice and the start of a new BBC One political thriller for Sunday nights starring Hugh Laurie.


Here are 7 shows you can't miss this week...


1. Strictly Come Dancing

Saturday 17th October at 7.50pm on BBC One


After a bit of a delay, Strictly Come Dancing is FINALLY back. And whilst it's a shorter series, with less celebs, I have no doubt that it's going to be the show we all know and love at a time when those who love it need it the most.


Kicking off with a pre-recorded launch show, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman welcome this year's 12 celebrities to the Strictly ballroom for the very first time as we discover which professional dancer they will be paired with.


With Bruno Tonioli stuck in LA, the judges in the studio this year will be Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse and whilst they'll be there this week, their judging paddles will be nowhere to be seen as the celebrities and professionals take to the dance floor for a spectacular group dance.


But how will this year's series work, I hear you ask. Here's EVERYTHING you need to know.


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2. The Million Pound Cube

Saturday 17th, Monday 19th - Friday 23rd October at 9pm on ITV


After five years away from our screens, hit ITV game show The Cube is back for its tenth series as Phillip Schofield returns and this time the stakes are even higher as the highest possible prize has been increased from £250,000 to £1,000,000... hence the rebrand to The Million Pound Cube.


Another change this series, is that instead of solo contestants, pairs of contestants, from the same household, will be taking on The Million Pound Cube taking part in solo games and brand new two player challenges. But as ever, they'll be given nine lives and have to attempt seven seemingly simple tasks within the high-pressure confines of the iconic Perspex box.


With each round seeing them move closer to the million pound jackpot, players must overcome extreme nerves and frustration as they take on deceivingly simple tasks such as throwing a ball into a container, balancing on a beam or stopping a clock at precisely 10 seconds. But will they have what it takes to beat the mighty Cube?


Whilst the series is stripped across each night of the week, you won't want to miss the first of two celebrity specials on Saturday as comedians Jason Manford and Mo Gilligan take on the cube - Jason playing with his brother Stephen and Mo playing with his friend, actor David Ajao.


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3. Roadkill

Sunday 18th October at 9pm on BBC One


Hugh Laurie stars as self-made, forceful and charismatic politician Peter Laurence in BBC One's new Sunday night drama Roadkill. Positioned in the cabinet as Minister for Transport, we first meet Peter as he celebrates his win in a newspaper libel case.


Summoned to Downing Street to see Prime Minister Dawn Ellison, played by Helen McCrory, she reveals she is looking to promote him to an office of state. As Peter celebrates, disgraced journalist Charmian Pepper is fired from the newspaper by editor Joe Lapidus and proprietor Lady Roche after mysteriously changing her story in court, leading to Laurence’s success.


Despite Peter's public and private life seems to be falling apart, or rather picked apart by his enemies, he remains shamelessly untroubled by guilt or remorse. Summoned to Downing Street to see Prime Minister Dawn Ellison, played by Helen McCrory, she reveals she is looking to promote him to an office of state.


However events show just how hard it is, for both an individual and a country, to leave the past behind. With enemies so close to home, can Peter Laurence ever out-run his own secrets to win the ultimate prize?


The series also stars Sidse Babett Knudsen, Saskia Reeves, Sarah Greene, Patricia Hodge, Ophelia Lovibond, Iain De Caestecker, Katie Leung, Olivia Vinall, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Pip Torrens, Millie Brady and Danny Ashok.


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4. Out of Her Mind

Tuesday 20th October at 10pm on BBC Two


Comedian Sara Pascoe bursts onto BBC Two this week with Out of Her Mind, a comedy about family, relationships and biology. It offers a deliriously surreal journey into the mind of Sara Pascoe as she talks about heartbreak, family and how to survive them. And just why is everyone pairing up and having babies?


In the first episode, Sara reacts badly to her sister Lucy’s announcement that she is engaged to her boyfriend Stefan and attempts to justify her position of negativity with scientific evidence that what we call love is mere chemicals. But her analogy upsets Lucy even more and winds up her best friend Scoopy, who reminds Sara that she reacted in exactly the same way when she announced her pregnancy.


Lucy points out that Sara was also engaged once, but this doesn’t help. Scared she is losing her sister to marriage and her best friend to a baby, Sara attempts to make a new friend, Luna, who works in her local fast food cafe. But Luna isn’t that interested in having a new friend, especially one who doesn’t appear to know how cafes work.


Sara decides that it might be better to be pro-wedding, not in order to make up with her sister, but so she becomes a more likeable character for the audience.


1/6 All episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer straight after episode one



5. Don't Hate the Playaz

Tuesday 20th October at 10pm on ITV2


The first of two panel show returns for ITV2 this week is Don't Hate the Playaz, which is back for a third series as once again two teams must battle it out for the ultimate prize... bragging rights!


Team captains Lady Leshurr and Maya Jama must lead their teams to victory as host Jordan Stephens tests the teams' Hip Hop knowledge and ability - while DJ Shortee Blitz drops the tracks.


Joining them live in the studio this series will be a stellar line-up of team players including music legends, comedians and celebrity Hip Hop lovers, such as; Professor Green, Yung Filly & Chunkz, Katherine Ryan, Judi Love, Big Narstie, Munya Chawawa, MNEK, Mutya Buena & Wes Nelson to name a few.


Plus there'll be a few exciting surprises from across the pond and viewers will also be treated to exclusive performances from Dizzee Rascal, Ms Banks and Big Zuu.


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6. The Rap Game UK

Thursday 22nd October at 7pm on BBC Three


After a successful first series in 2019, The Rap Game UK returns to BBC Three as six artists from across the UK travel to Birmingham to be mentored by some of the biggest names in the business as they compete against each other for the chance to sign a single record deal.


The unsigned artists will once again move into a luxury penthouse and take part in challenges which showcase the skills you need to make it in the industry and it's down to DJ Target, Krept and Konan to decide the winner.


In episode one, straight after meeting one another, the artists perform for the first time to impress them and in an A Capella performance must show why they are a unique artist, but not all of them rise to the challenge. Later, the artists discover their next challenge, to write about a powerful moment that shaped their life.


Guest mentors this series include Aitch, Ms Banks, Rapman, Wretch 32, Young T & Bugsey, D Double E, JME, Deno, Yungen, The Fanatix, Ashleigh Jade, Ayishat Akanbi, Kenny Allstar and Tiffany Calver.


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7. Celebrity Juice

Thursday 22nd October at 10pm on ITV2


It's been on our screens since 2008, but the latest series of Celebrity Juice marks a new era for the show as host Keith Lemon is joined by TWO brand new team captains!


Emily Atack and Laura Whitmore replace Mel B and original team captain Holly Willoughby, who decided to leave the show, two years after fellow original Fearne Cotton called it a day.


As the show returns for its 24th series, Emily and Laura will be joined by Will Mellor, Clara Amfo, Tom Grennan and Jimmy Carr for all the chaos, mayhem and anarchy we've come to expect from Celeb Juice.


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