Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Partly cloudyMagazine
The week ahead: going back in time to Christmas
Conrad Astley7/ 4/2006
THE return of the Time Lord is so important, it is completely
justified to write about it before the series begins.
It's still a fortnight before David Tennant returns to our screens
as the tenth doctor, but we can whet our appetites with
Doctor Who Night (Sunday, BBC3).
There's a repeat of The Christmas Invasion, and a special Doctor
Who Confidential giving us a sneak preview of some of the new
baddies Billie Piper and the Doctor will be up against.
But a pretty girl knocking around with a geeky bloke who's obsessed
with science? Surely that'd never happen!
Well, think again.
Stardate: Mysteries of Venus
(Wednesday, BBC2) sees one of the more unexpected presenting
partnerships of recent years - old Etonian Adam Hart-Davis and
former Hear'Say star Myleene Klass.
Myleene, who no doubt hates being referred to as that - or as the
former CD:UK presenter - is an Open University astronomy student,
so is clearly not just there to provide some eye candy.
They will report live on a mission to send a fridge-sized
spaceship, built in Stevenage, to our neighbouring planet.
Given that the clouds on Venus are made from sulphuric acid, that
the surface is hot enough to melt lead, and recalling the success
of the last space mission the Brits had anything to do with, it's
probably not worth getting too excited about.
Back down here on Earth, Jimmy McGovern has written his first TV
drama in eight years.
Would you believe it?
The Street (Thursday, BBC1)
is a gritty tale of northern working class life.
And - no! - it stars Jane Horrocks, Timothy Spall, and Jim
Broadbent.
In the first episode, Jane plays a woman trapped in a loveless
marriage, who has a fling with a neighbour because they both like
Mars bars. Sounds reasonable.
We've always been obsessed with overnight rags-to-riches stories,
but never more so than over the last 12 years.
I've Won The Lottery (Tuesday, ITV1) looks at a
handful of winners, but as it only follows them up to the point
when they collect the money - and doesn't stay with them to see how
it affects their lives over the following months and years - it
promises slightly more than it delivers.
Oh, and apparently a Mrs Windsor has turned 80.
The Queen
At 80 (Sunday, BBC1) should put you in the picture.
Got an opinion you want to share?| Company | Typical APR |
| Platinum Exclusive Loan | 7.8% |
| AA | 7.9% |
| Sainsbury's Personal Loan | 8.2% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Lloyds TSB | 8.9% |
| Abbey Personal Loan | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Savings Account |
4.50% |
|
FIRST DIRECT Everyday e-Saver |
1.75% |
|
SAINSBURYS FINANCE Internet Saver |
2.25% |