TV Weekly: Cold War, Food and Birds

Telly picks for the coming week…

New Series: The second series begins with ‘London: Peregrine Falcon’.

Jim Moir and his wife Nancy continue their ornithological  adventure, journeying to a different area of the UK in each episode to spot and paint the unique species of birds native to that region.

Along the way they meet ornithologists, local artists and a couple of Jim’s famous friends who will have a go at creating bird-inspired artwork. In this opening episode of this series, Jim and Nancy Moir go in search of London’s high-rise residents, the Peregrine Falcons, meeting local experts, artists, and painting with pals Justin Hawkins and Mary McCartney.

Sky Arts, 9pm Wednesday May 8th

The second episode in the three-part series: When breakthroughs are made in both murder cases, loyalties are put to the test – with brutal consequences for both police and criminals alike, as drama Granite Harbour continues.

After a dinghy linked to the Stolthet washes up on the beach, DCI Macmillan moves to have the cargo ship impounded. Meanwhile, Lindo and Bart bring Captain Nielsen in for questioning – with shocking consequences.

The Stolthet’s crew meet with their business associate to discuss the police heat on them and their ship. Sensing Axel’s growing unease, Elsa forces him to reveal the truth –  there was another stowaway on board and she escaped, presenting a threat to them all.

Elsewhere, Nazir tries to gather information about the drugs case but Mallick remains tight-lipped, quietly suspicious of his brother. As the team question the crew of the Stolthet, Grace does her own digging while her nephew, Duncan, moves to silence Mariam for good.

Back at the station, Mallick uncovers a disturbing discrepancy in the importation of Ketamine and the identity of the person responsible. The discovery leaves him stunned, throwing the case into further jeopardy.

BBC Scotland Channel, 10pm Thursday 9 May / BBC One, 9pm Friday 10 May

New Series: Three-part true crime documentary.

The disappearance of 22-year-old video blogger Gabby Petito gripped America and sparked the internet into a frenzy. For a time, she was the most famous face in the country and the most searched subject on the internet. Everyone wanted to know: Where is Gabby Petito? And what happened to her?

This definitive documentary series follows the twists and turns of the investigation, telling the story of a unique 21st Century mystery. Interviews with Gabby’s parents reveal the torment of being a family at the heart of such a case, while ITV hear from the internet sleuths who dedicated their online lives to solving her disappearance.

Brian Laundrie returned home from a holiday without his fiancee Gabby Petito and refused to discuss her whereabouts. Petito’s disappearance sparked a nationwide manhunt. Laundrie then disappeared from his family home on September 13, before Ms Petito’s body was found in September 19, 2021. A notebook found on his person contained an admission that he had killed Petito, and an investigation ruled he took his own life.

The mother of Laundrie wrote to her son saying she would help him “dispose of a body” in a letter that instructed him to burn it after reading. All episodes will be watchable on ITVX following the first episode airing on ITV on May 9th.

ITV1 and STV, 9pm Thursday May 9th

New Series: Produced in partnership with The Open University.

It’s Summer 1982 and KGB spy Oleg Gordievsky travels from Moscow to take up a post at the Soviet Embassy in London. East and West have a deep mistrust and misunderstanding of each other. As a result, the Cold War, which has been rumbling on for almost 40 years, is heating up.

The spying game and paranoia magnify the suspicion between superpowers. As Oleg Gordievsky turns double-agent and starts working for the British, an arms race brings the world to the brink of nuclear war.

This first episode includes rarely heard archive interviews with Oleg Gordievsky and the unpublished letters of Michael Bettaney, as well as interviews with former aides to Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and interviews with former KGB, MI5 and MI6 officers – some of whom have never spoken publicly before.

BBC Two, 9pm, Wednesday May 8th

New Series: Britain’s favourite daytime cooking competition with a twist returns for a new series, as more professional restaurateurs go head-to-head to prove that they have what it takes to win the £1000 prize.

The new series kicks off in and around Sheffield, where husband-and-wife duo Pansy and Jeremy are first to throw their apron into the ring at their seafood restaurant, Plesters.

It’s a night of international cuisine and the revelation of Jeremy’s missing appendages stuns the group. But Pansy and Jeremy are both shocked by criticism of their seasoning. The second hosts are Sam and Elliott of The Garrison, who are eager to show off their fun side. Manager Sam helps owner and chef Elliott create a fine dining menu, but what will their guests make of their romantic ramblings and a rugby revelation?

The bar’s set high for the final night, but front of house Rebecca and head chef Stephen of Butcher and Catch are feeling confident. But they’ve only worked together for four months; will their chance to bag the grand slip through the net?

Channel 4 weekdays at 5pm