TV Weekly: From darts to stonemason arts

Telly picks for the coming week…

Every year Britain’s poshest shops and department stores pull out all the stops to wow us with their spectacular window displays.

In London from Harrods to Fortnums, Selfridges to Hamleys their festive displays are made to make the window scenes a wow-factor. In this hour-long programme Channel 5 compare and contrast 2024’s most opulent Christmas windows. The documentary will also unwrap the tricks of the window dressing trade; indulge in a spot of childhood nostalgia; take a peek into the history of the most famous stores and observe a talented teamwork around the clock to deliver a magical window display.

For those in the North East of England the Woodhouse Department Store became legendary for its Christmas storytelling window, which used stage-like settings to create an annual festive story. When the store burned down in the run-up to Christmas 1969 its festive display – along with the entire store – was destroyed.

In 1970 across the street Fenwick stepped in and have every November and December ever since offered their own story-telling window which has seen everything from Shaun the Sheep to festive aliens, the talking (and singing) Fenwick tree, the classic Twelve Days of Christmas and Beatrix Potter to name just a few of the fifty-four Christmas windows the Northumberland Street department store has created.

Channel 5, Sunday, 8pm

Game of Throws: Inside Darts is a celebratory access-all-areas documentary series tracks the action from pre-tournament preparation to the final and beyond, following up-and-coming hopefuls to top-seeded players – the likes of Michael van Gerwin, Luke Humphries and darts wunderkind Luke “The Nuke” Littler.

Dartsmania is sweeping the nation, the much-loved pub game made famous by ITV’s Bullseye on telly, has returned to the spotlight in recent years and now the world of professional darts sees the stakes and its popularity higher than it’s ever been.

In a three-part documentary series Game of Throws: Inside Darts Sky goes behind the scenes at London’s Alexandra Palace as 96 pro players battle it out to win the £500,000 top prize and be crowned the World Champion.

Sky also spend time with the families who support them to achieve their dreams, as well as those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to create this global phenomenon. This series charts what it’s really like to be a darts player in today’s world: the ups and downs, the humour, the camaraderie, as well as the sacrifices they make to win the biggest prize in the game.

For players, managers, and families, the pressure is on. 2023 is the year that changed everything as millions tuned in to watch the tournament as an unknown 16-year-old teenager took the darts world by storm. Luke Littler became a global phenomenon.

SKY Documentaries, today (Saturday Nov 30) at 9pm

In this brand-new programme, Denise Van Outen goes on a mission to discover how we can heat our homes for less this winter.

With energy prices on the rise again and pensioner winter fuel payments cut for many, Denise sets out to debunk myths and discover the savviest tips to save us money on our bills. And putting all the expert advice and hacks into practice, families across Britain take part in our Bill Busting Challenge to stay warm and save money this winter.

The programme could be titled ‘Labour are trying to freeze pensions to death this winter to save money, but you can help avoid this…’

Channel 4, Thursday, 8pm

Bill Bailey’s Master Crafters: The Next Generation is returning for a third series this week on Sky Arts. Bill and the show will continue to shine a spotlight on heritage crafts in the UK.

Across the series the crew follow twelve talented early-career craftspeople as they engage in tailor-made masterclasses aimed at honing their skills in their respective fields, including mosaics, letterpress printing, blacksmithing and stone masonry/carving.

In this second episode of the series novice stone carvers Emily Guest, Thomas Stainer and Goke Adegoke are working under the watchful eye of tutor Simon Smith, a renowned master stone carver who has been working with the medium for over 30 years.

He served his apprenticeship as a stonemason at Woburn Abbey, going on to study Stone Carving and Sculpture at the City and Guilds of London Art School and from his London studio he has been commissioned by Liverpool City Council, The Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster Abbey, the V&A and the National Trust.

Bill visits Salisbury Cathedral which supports Britain’s tallest stone spire, where he meets the masons and carvers who keep this incredible testament to stone masonry and carving standing. The juniors also experience the specialised craft of stone carving when they visit Lisi Ashbridge. In 2011, she set up her own studio, with commissions ranging from public art to house signs, and many memorials. Learning this technique will be another skill in our juniors’ arsenal.

SKY Arts, Tuesday, 8pm

The Primrose Railway Children is a “modern reimagining” of Jacqueline Wilson’s novel inspired by E. Nesbit’s timeless classic.

Filmed in and around Glasgow, the dramatic Scottish Highlands and heritage railways, the story follows Phoebe, her older sister Becks, younger brother Perry and their mum Sarah (Nina Toussaint-White) who are living a comfortable life in Glasgow.

When their dad (Kevin McKidd) mysteriously disappears, the Robinson family are uprooted from their lives and find unexpected excitement, adventure and a new sense of belonging. It is a story about growing up, being displaced, and finding your way in a community that seems alien.

CBBC, Sunday, 5.30pm