TONIGHT’S TV PICK
The Big Steam Adventure (C5, 8pm)
STEAM enthusiasts John Sergeant, Peter Davison and Paul “Piglet” Middleton are back for a second run of their series. They’re setting off on a new selection of adventures, and not just by train – paddle steamers and traction engines are added to their vehicular list this time. Future episodes see the trio explore Dorset, the Highlands and the Isle of Wight but they begin in the Lake District where a narrow-gauge steam train takes them from close to the base of Scafell Pike, England’s tallest mountain.
Michael Portillo’s Long Weekends (C5, 9pm)
HE may wear famously colourful clothing but fashion and design are not what instantly spring to mind whenever Michael Portillo is mentioned. Nevertheless, he’s heading to Milan, home of such things. He gets up close and personal with a classic 1960s Lambretta before a personal shopper advises him on all things sartorial. Also on the agenda is a climb to the top of the Duomo Cathedral, a look at an unusual take on a Leonardo da Vinci drawing and a lesson in making the perfect risotto.
ITV Studio Sessions (STV, 10.45pm)
ITV is launching a brand new music show which promises to get viewers in the mood for letting their hair down over the weekend. Clara Amfo, who has interviewed the great and the good of the music world, takes charge of all six episodes. Across the run, she’ll introduce to the stage Becky Hill, Cat Burns, Tom Walker, Yungblud, Sekou and, in the first edition, Jess Glynne, who performs a selection of new songs, old favourites and covers, interspersed with chat in which they discuss their inspirations.
Boy George: This Cultural Life (BBC4, 11pm)
JOHN Wilson chats to the singer about his cultural influences, during which he reveals how he went from Eltham schoolboy George O’Dowd to becoming one of the most instantly recognisable people on the planet after hitting the top of the charts with Culture Club. Among the figures he discusses are David Bowie, who had a profound impact on young George’s life in the 1970s, club promoter Philip Sallon, Quentin Crisp and Andy Warhol.