Douglas Is Cancelled
Episode 1
Sunday 1 December 8.00pm
TV presenter Douglas faces the backlash of a sexist joke made at a wedding, as his co-host Madeline accidentally amplifies the situation. But was it an accident?
Douglas Is Cancelled introduces us to middle aged, and greying, current affairs news anchor, Douglas Bellowes, a respected broadcaster and raconteur who loves the life he’s created with his newspaper editor wife, Sheila.
Whilst an experienced broadcaster for Live At Six, behind the scenes Douglas surprisingly needs constant reassurance from his sharper, younger, tech savvy, social media aware co-anchor, Madeline, who appears to be able to wrap him around her little finger.
His life is privileged as he’s regarded as a national treasure and apparently, can do no wrong, until he makes an ill-advised joke at his cousin’s wedding, which is overheard by a fellow guest, who threatens to expose his comments on social media.
Speculation is rife and during the on-going hysteria and digital storm, Douglas’s alleged indiscretion is dissected, analysed and blown out of all proportion. Everyone appears to have an opinion and Douglas is struggling to escape the controversy. It’s a chaotic and unmanageable situation, but can Douglas count on the support of his agent and colleagues? What will Douglas do next?
Is he a casualty of ‘cancel culture’? With 2 million followers, what is Madeline’s motivation to social post on Douglas’s behalf? Friend or foe? That is the question.
Production credit: ITV
The Kingdom: The World’s Most Powerful Prince
Episode 1 of 2
Monday 2 December 8.30pm
The story of the extraordinary rise to power of the man who runs Saudi Arabia and whose control of oil affects us all. How he outwitted hundreds of rivals to become Crown Prince.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia – known as MBS - is heir to the throne of the most powerful absolute monarchy in the world and the largest exporter of oil.
MBS’ aged father is ailing and rarely seen - the Crown Prince is effectively already in charge. His story and the decisions he makes are crucial for us all, yet he is just 38. Saudi Arabia’s influence over global oil and the Middle East mean MBS could impact our lives for fifty years. This two-part series tells the extraordinary story of MBS’ rise and rule.
The first episode of the series reveals how MBS went from being just one of hundreds of junior Princes in Saudi Arabia, to seizing power. It hears from friends and advisers, Western Spies and diplomats who have seen him up close, and from those who had been in the inner circles of the Saudi court.
It explores the tension between his desire to reform one of the most conservative countries in the world and his seeming willingness to suppress opposition mercilessly. Above all it reveals how MBS outwitted rivals with a combination of ambition, brains and ruthlessness to become the effective leader of the Kingdom.
Production credit: Rogan Productions 2024
Solar System with Brian Cox
Episode 3 STORM WORLDS
Tuesday 3 December 8.50pm
Join Professor Brian Cox on a journey to the storm worlds of our solar system and explore the weird weather that plays out in the atmospheres of distant planets and moons. Visit landscapes etched by giant dust devils, mountains coated with a strange metallic frost, and experience monsoon rains on a moon 1 billion kilometres from Earth. These are among the most dramatic and violent worlds ever discovered.
Shetland - Season 8
Episode 5
Friday 6 December 8.30pm
A Met detective returns to Shetland on the trail of a vulnerable witness. DI Ruth Calder teams up with Tosh on a case that will test their fragile, new partnership.
Calder is packing her bags to leave when there is a knock from two officers at her hotel door. At the roadside, Sandy tries and fails to keep her from the horrifying sight.
Tosh asks the Sadats if Ellen’s struggles may have been related to Akmal’s death. They see no connection. Ellen barely knew Akmal and wasn’t present the day he drowned. But after Tosh leaves, Farida begins to unravel.
A voicemail from the night before places Calder’s suspicions firmly on Bobby. Tosh resists Calder’s demands to make an arrest and asks Sandy to look after her. But when Sandy finds evidence of drug dealing at the Innes house and James points the finger at Neil Bain, Calder is back on an investigative footing.
The Sadats’ lawyer accuses Tosh of harassment. A horrified Harry asks Tosh to back off, but the warning shot only deepens her suspicion. She combs through the case file and discovers evidence which challenges the official version of Akmal’s death. Harry and Donnie beg Tosh to tread carefully, but she has picked up the scent.
Calder persuades a reluctant Sandy to put the heat on Neil Bain. Under pressure, a panicking Neil squeals on Bobby’s interest in his drug dealing. When Calder and Sandy look further into Bobby’s life, they discover a recent trip to London. Calder wonders why Bobby would have kept such a trip secret, until shocking intelligence from her Met colleagues puts Bobby Bain in an entirely new light.
Tired of pretending, Farida admits the heart-breaking truth behind Akmal’s death. Tosh must put her sympathy on hold to investigate a compelling new motive for the murder of Ellen Quinn.
