This week's best telly includes the highly anticipated return of Marcella on ITV, an emotional BBC One documentary following Katie Price and son Harvey and another cooking competition returns, this time with a celeb twist!
Here are 7 TV shows you can't miss this week...
1. Pls Like
Sunday 24th January from 6am on BBC Three
BBC Three's hit comedy about a struggling documentary maker, Liam Williams - played by Liam Williams - returns as this time he investigates how the influencer industry has been changed by an unprecedented pandemic.
Once again, Liam teams up with online talent agent, and self-professed 'influencer tsar' James Wirm, played by Tim Key, to find out what it takes to become a successful influencer in a post-pandemic world.
Hoping that what he learns can help him attract a younger audience for his politically charged passion project, a time-travel movie called Squad Coals, Liam undertakes a series of challenges, including helping a greasy spoon appeal to hip Instagrammers, saving a struggling art gallery with a TikTok exhibition, and commentating on a huge YouTuber boxing match.
But as Liam proceeds with his tasks, he is distracted by the cosy relationship developing between Wirm and the government's new Minister for Influencers, Mungo Slate, played by Graham Dickson, as well as rumours of a scandal involving a TikTok mega-star and senior British politician.
1-6/6 All episodes available at launch
2. Katie Price: Harvey and Me
Monday 25th January at 8.30pm on BBC One
As Harvey Price turns 18 and becomes an adult, this deeply personal film follows Katie Price and her disabled son in a crucial year of his life. It’s an exciting milestone for them both, but for some disabled young adults like Harvey it also brings a daunting uncertainty as the people and places that have cared for him as a child are about to change.
With tough decisions to make on Harvey's behalf, such as where he will live and what his future will look like, Katie must also learn to let go. Together they explore the options of further education colleges and meet other families with disabled young adults as Harvey reconnects with an old friend who has been through his transition year and is now flourishing in college. And his mum gives Katie some sound advice.
Forced to face what could be at stake if she makes the wrong decision, Katie meets Isabelle, whose autistic son Matthew was sectioned at 15 years old and discovers that there are over 2,000 people with autism or learning disabilities currently kept against their will in assessment and treatment units.
Harvey was born with septic optic dysplasia, a rare disorder that affects brain function, hormones and vision, and affects one in 10,000 births. As he moves into adulthood, it marks a transition into unchartered territory as there are no other adults known to have Harvey’s combination of conditions.
In this documentary, through Harvey and his relationship with his mum, we get to know a very different Katie to the one so often seen in the tabloids. We see her as a mum having to deal with issues that so many parents of disabled children and young adults face.
1/1
3. Celebs Go Dating: The Mansion
Monday 25th - Friday 29th January at 9pm on E4
Celebs Go Dating returns for its ninth series on E4 this week and this time there's a Covid-enforced twist. For the first time ever, cameras will be following a new group of celebs 24/7 as they and their potential matches all bed down together in one very plush mansion for four weeks, under the ever-watchful eyes of dating experts Paul C Brunson and Anna Williamson.
This series, looking for love are Ibiza club owner Wayne Lineker, TV presenter and former Strictly runner-up Karim Zeroual, dancer and former Love Island contestant Curtis Pritchard and superstar DJ Tom Zanetti. Also looking for love, are Geordie Shore's Chloe Ferry, Made in Chelsea star Sophie Hermann and former Corrie star Kimberly Hart-Simpson. Oh and Joey Essex turns up later in the series.... because, of course he does.
This series promises to be bigger, bolder and sexier than ever with dates, drinks, drama and most importantly, nowhere to hide! In the first episode, the boys are thrown into the action straightaway at the very first Mansion Mixer, while the girls watch on. But there's difficult decisions to be made as the agents reveal just six single girls can be invited to move into the Mansion.
Also back are Junior Client Coordinator and celeb confidante, Tom Read Wilson and voiceover extraordinaire, Rob Beckett whose inimitable commentary is always a series highlight! And let's face it, if you're still missing Celebrity Big Brother, this has to be the next best thing!
1-5/20 Continues nightly
4. Celebrity Best Home Cook
Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th January at 9pm on BBC One
After two series of Best Home Cook, the cooking competition returns to BBC One this week as for the first time ever 10 celebrities and keen home cooks serve up brilliant and tasty food which they hope will impress judges Mary Berry, Angela Hartnett and Chris Bavin. And as ever, Claudia Winkleman will be on hand to offer plenty of socially-distanced support and encouragement.
Hoping to be crowned 2021's Celebrity Best Home Cook, are comedians Desiree Burch and Ed Byrne, actors Ruth Madeley, Shobna Gulati, Strictly favourites Ed Balls and Karim Zeroual, journalist Rachel Johnson, reality TV favourites Ferne McCann and Tom Read Wilson and former Welsh rugby captain Gareth Thomas.
In each episode, the celebrities will face two rounds: Mary’s Ultimate challenge - where contestants serve up their tried and tested dishes for special occasions, and Chris' Rustle Up challenge - where they're given one star ingredient and one hour to make it shine!
And for those who haven’t impressed by this stage, Angela’s Eliminator round sees them go head-to-head as they follow one of Angela’s recipes to a tee. The result of this dish alone, judged blind, will determine who stays in the competition and can return to cook another day.
1-2/8 Continues Tuesdays and Wednesdays
5. Marcella
Tuesday 26th January at 9pm on ITV
Back in 2016, Hans Rosenfeldt, the man responsible for Nordic noir The Bridge, brought us Marcella, a new ITV drama about a London detective played by Anna Friel who wants back in on the serial killer case she first worked on in 2005.
After several twists and turns, and a dramatic conclusion almost three years ago, Marcella returns to ITV this week for a third series as we rejoin Friel's character who's now living a new life in Belfast as an undercover detective.
Having taken on the identity of Keira, she has infiltrated the infamous Maguire family. But as she investigates their criminal operations, questions come to the fore about how much she has embraced Keira’s persona and personality and left Marcella behind.
As she inhabits the character of Keira, Marcella’s quest for the truth puts her in danger and others in harm’s way. Her undercover role makes her take risks, but will her old life eventually catch up with her?
Read my interview with Anna Friel here.
1/8 Continues weekly. All episodes available at launch
6. Dead Pixels
Tuesday 26th January at 10pm and 10.35pm on E4
Dead Pixel, the E4 comedy about a group of hardcore gamers - obsessed with a popular fantasy game called Kingdom Scrolls, returns this week and after eight long months of waiting, the arrival of a new expansion pack excites the gaming fanatics.
Only their excitement doesn't last long, after they discover that the game they love so much, has been commercialised and overrun by a younger generation of players. Meg, played by Alexa Davies, wonders whether it’s time for her to grow up and move on whilst Sargon Yelda's character, Usman, goes to increasing extremes to hide his gaming from his wife.
Elsewhere, Nicky, played by Will Merrick, falls for a girl online who he invites to come and stay. Which definitely doesn’t cause any issues between him and Meg, because they definitely don’t have feelings for each other! And Alison, played by Charlotte Ritchie, tries to convince Meg to be healthier after she finds evidence of her physical deterioration.
1-2/6 Continues weekly. All episodes available at launch
7. It's A Sin
Friday 29th January at 9pm on Channel 4
lf the launch episode of It's A Sin left you wanting more of Russell T Davies' sensational 1980s-set drama about the AIDS crisis, then chances are you’ve either already watched ahead or are planning to, as all episodes were made available.
But if you haven't chosen to watch ahead, then you've got another episode to enjoy this week as the story moves ahead to December 1983. Whilst Ritchie and Jill struggle to become professional actors, Colin takes a trip to New York.
And when Gloria asks Jill for a strange favour, she’s trapped in a world of lies as the shadow of AIDS gets closer.
Read my interview with Callum Scott Howells here.
2/5 Continues weekly. All episodes available now
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