WTW – what to watch this week

Cornwall: The Great Guide
BBC Two, Saturday 1 May at 8pm

In the first episode of this eight part series, Tessa Dunlop and Neil Oliver present the ultimate guide to the Cornish coast, from the River Tamar to Tintagel Castle, telling the stories that make this stretch so unique.

Puccini’s La Rondine
The Metropolitan Opera website, Sunday 2 May at 7.30pm

Puccini’s achingly beautiful score charmingly conveys the plight of Magda (the “swallow” of the title) who unexpectedly finds true love with the handsome young Ruggero. Nicholas Joël’s 2008 production, is being streamed on The Metropolitan Opera website. Buy tickets here.

Selena: The Series
Netflix, Tuesday 4 May

The next installment of the two-part series on the American singer-songwriter has arrived. The nine new episodes will see Selena juggle family life, her career and her love life while featuring her classic hits such as Dame Un Beso and Dulce Amor. The trailer shows a reporter asking Selena, “When you’re gone, how do you want to be remembered?” She replies: “As somebody who gave it their all.” 

Makeup: A Glamorous History
BBC Two, Tuesday 4 May at 9pm

This glossy docu-series concludes this week. In the final installment, make-up artist Lisa Eldridge explores her favourite era for beauty and glamour – Britain in the 1920s. She visits the British Film Institute archives to look at the impact Hollywood film had on classic British looks before meeting with pharmacist Szu Cheng Wong to recreate iconic looks from the period. 

The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness
Netflix, Wednesday 5 May

One of 1970s America’s most  notorious serial murderers David Berkowitz is largely forgotten. This programme examines one of his most infamous killings, which journalist and Ultimate Evil author Maury Terry was convinced was connected to a satanic cult. Filmmaker Joshua Zeman uses new archival footage and testimony to bring watchers down into this complex rabbit hole. 

The Battle for Britney: Fans, Cash and a Conservatorship
BBC Two, Wednesday 5 May at 9pm

Pop star Britney Spears has been under a controversial conservatorship for the last thirteen years. Journalist Mobeen Azhar attempts to understand the inner workings of the relationship she has with her father. He delves into one of the most passionate fan bases in celebrity culture by embedding himself into the Free Britney movement. 

Johnny Vegas: Carry on Glamping
Channel 4, Wednesday 5 May at 10pm

Staycations and glamping are on the rise in Britain. Some are converting their old vehicles into boutique hotels on wheels. This new documentary follows comedian Johnny Vegas on his quest to repurpose a vehicle and create a camping site to trump them all. 

Ian Wright: Home Truths
BBC One, Thursday 6 May at 9pm

The famous footballer-turned-broadcaster investigates what it is like for a child to grow up in an abusive environment, including psychological trauma and violence. He meets social workers to find out how they have coped under the stains of the pandemic and adults who have been affected by growing up suffering abuse. It is also a personal mission for Wright, as he shares a complex relationship with his stepfather which shaped his formative years. 

The Abduction of Milly Dowler
Channel 5, Thursday 6 May at 9pm

This true crime documentary on the case of Milly Dowler looks in detail at the role of the media, the police investigation into her disappearance and the impact they had on convicting her killer Levi Bellfield. It seeks to resolve long-unanswered questions, including why the police neglected Bellfield as a suspect for so long? And, what was the real motivation behind the tabloids’ hacking of Dowler’s phone?

Monster
Netflix, Friday 7 May 

Starring Jeffery Wright and Jennifer Hudson, Monster tells the story of 17-year-old student and aspiring filmmaker Steve Harmon. He gets good grades, respects his family and loves his girlfriend. Unfortunately, his life is turned upside down when he gets involved in a robbery which results in a murder and he is accused of being an accomplice. Now on trial and painted as another young black criminal – a monster – Harmon must battle the legal system that failed him in the first place.