It’s really all about the Olympics this week, and we’ve told you all about what to watch. But if you’re not in a sporting mood, here are a few other things you may want to take a look at.
On TV, Londonist likes:
Tuesday, 12 August
Margaret the Tabloid Princess: Revealed (Five, 20:00-21:00)) Princess Margaret spawned the paparazzi appetite for photos of royals stumbling out of London nightclubs, and this documentary looks at her relationship with the tabloids, and how it changed how Britain views the Royal Family.
Don’t Blame The Builder (Channel 4, 20:00-21:00) Ah, builders. Dealing with them is surely the most joyful part of any renovations. In this episode, expert Jeff Howell tries to get Hampstead couple Vicky & Richard’s build back on track, after they’ve been waiting eighteen months for an extension which should have taken 12 weeks. Ouch.
Maestro (BBC2, 21:00-22:30) A celebrity competition to conduct a Prom? Fantastic. We’re in. This is the first episode of this series which finds eight celebs find out just how hard it is to stand in front of an orchestra and make them play pretty music. We hope the music won’t be too cringe inducing, but we’ll have earplugs at the ready, just in case.
Wednesday, 13 August
Lost Land of the Jaguar (BBC1, 20:00-21:00) Okay, this isn’t at all about London. But we find this series totally fascinating. This is the final episode, focusing on a team of scientists in the rainforests of Guyana, looking for endangered species. Although we find some of the scientists a bit annoying, this is absolutely amazing television. The animals and scenery are incredible, and really make us want to book a trip to visit the rainforest. But we’ll probably settle for watching this on telly. Less bugs.
Thursday, 14 August
Harley Street (ITV1, 21:00-22:00) This series is getting mixed reviews, but if you want to decide for yourself, check out the penultimate episode. It’s all doctors getting emotionally involved with their patients and races against time through London traffic over in Harley Street.
London Ambulance (ITV1, 22:40-23:10) Given the title, you’ve probably already figured out that this series follows the day-to-day activities of the London Ambulance. Wall collapses and falls from climbing frames are a few of the accidents the team have to deal with.
Friday, 15 August
Peter Ackroyd’s Thames (ITV1, 20:00-20:30) Ackroyd explores the history of the Thames, and this episode looks at the river as it features in art, and has a photographer use a Victorian camera to record the Thames at dawn. It’ll be very pretty, we’re sure.
