ITV

TV picks of the week: 30 April - 6 May

The Royal Wives of Windsor

Monday: ITV, 9pm

This is one of a score of documentaries commissioned by ITV to celebrate the forthcoming nuptials of Prince Harry to TV royalty Meghan Markle. This programme explores the impact that other consorts, including Princess Diana, Wallis Simpson and Camilla Parker Bowles, have had on the house of Windsor. Historians, journalists and palace insiders take a look back and offer up their thoughts. Part two airs on Tuesday.

 

ITV announces Royal Wedding coverage

(Credit: ITV)

Phillip Schofield commented: “Put your hat on, we’re going to have a party!”

Alongside Sir Trevor MacDonald, Julie Etchingham will also co-host Invitation to a Royal Wedding, which is expected to broadcast on 29 April at 9pm. This hour-long special will look at what goes on behind the scenes when planning and organising a royal wedding, and will look inside St. George’s Chapel, the venue for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day.

ITV announces new documentary The Queen’s Green Planet

The documentary will explore the creation of native forests and conservation initiatives put in place in 53 countries across Britain and the Commonwealth as part of the project set up by The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy.

The Queen's Green Planet will also feature a special conversation between Her Majesty and Sir David Attenborough in the garden at Buckingham Palace, which took place last summer.

Winners of the RTS Television Journalism Awards 2018 announced

The BBC News team with their award for International News Coverage (Credit: RTS/Richard Kendal)

Victoria Derbyshire took home two awards for Network Presenter and Interview of the Year for her powerful interview with football abuse victims.

Sky News won the News Channel of the Year award in a closely contested category, and was also presented with the Breaking News award for its remarkable coverage of the Manchester Terror Attack. CNN International was rewarded with Scoop of the Year for its courageous and enterprising storytelling about the Libya Slave Market.

Victoria Derbyshire takes on the Full Monty for breast cancer

The Real Full Monty: Ladies’ Night sees eight familiar faces come together for a show-stopping performance that will wow the audience and raise awareness of an issue very close to their hearts: breast cancer.

Victoria Derbyshire, Colleen Nolan, Emmerdale’s Sally Dexter and Megan McKenna are among the celebrities who will be pulling out all the stops to produce a show to rival the boys’ 2017 hit The Real Full Monty which raised awareness of prostate cancer.

Peter Bazalgette's TV diary

Peter Bazalgette at the RTS's 90th birthday party (Credit: Paul Hampartsoumian)

Up early to listen to radio news in the shower before I turn on for my daily dose of Good Morning Britain. Pay debates rumble on in the media kasbah.

The day after Carrie Gracie resigned as the BBC’s China editor, here she is presenting Radio 4’s Today, but barred from curating the news story about herself. A magnificent confusion worthy of Evelyn Waugh or David Lodge at their best.

The item itself is less than helpful, since the programme’s guest doesn’t seem to know the difference between equal pay and the gender pay gap.

Hit TV shows filmed in Northumberland are driving a local non-media industry

Vera

We are in the wintry Northumberland countryside to celebrate Burns Night with friends on the lakeside at Kielder Water – a vast man-made reservoir surrounded by dense forest. Surprisingly, the chatter is not about the imminent delights of haggis, bagpipes and single malt, or the excitement of gathering beneath the darkest skies in Northern Europe – so prized by stargazers.

Red Planet Pictures hunts for aspiring screenwriters

Red Planet Pictures CEO Tony Jordan also created Hustle (Credit: BBC)

Writers are invited to submit a spec script and the prize winner will receive a script commission and development opportunities with ITV.

The competition, which first launched in 2007, is designed to find the next generation of writing talent and entrants are asked to “think big, think bold, think how they can make their ideas stand out in a competitive marketplace.”