The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
ENABLING WOMEN
TOP TV PREVIEWS
PICK A Special School – Monday, BBC Two, 7pm
Penarth’s Ysgol y Deri is Britain’s biggest special education school. It remained open during the pandemic to provide support for the children of key workers. In series two of this uplifting documentary, staff and pupils are preparing for their annual Christmas pantomime. They’re also about to enjoy the first school trip since 2019. This isn’t just a job for the staff, they’re devoted to the welfare and development of the children placed in their care. The head master, an abundantly kind and decent man, is moved to tears at one point. One of his colleagues sums up their commendable mission statement: “School is very structured, a safe place, but we want them to take those skills into the real world.”
Inside Our Autistic Minds – Tuesday, BBC Two, 9pm
In the second and final episode of this sensitive series, Chris Packham meets more people who are, like him, on the autism spectrum. His interviewees this week are an aspiring teenage rapper, and a teaching assistant who moonlights as a trance DJ. They both love music, but that passion triggers a certain set of problems. Packham assists them in the making of personal short films designed to educate their classmates, colleagues and us. This is how they see and hear the world. It’s a touching, candid exercise. Packham also spends some time with an expert in autistic hypersensitivity, and a doctor who helps our host to understand his own need for precise daily order.
The Dangerous Rise of Andrew Tate – Tuesday, BBC Three, 10pm
Andrew Tate is a misogynist influencer who commands a legion of radicalised male followers. Two months ago, in his adopted home of Romania, he was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking. This documentary follows journalist Matt Shea as he gains access to Tate’s Romanian compound. Tate has zero self-awareness, so presumably regarded this venture as another piece of cleverly controlled selfpromotion. Shea, in his quietly Theroux-esque way, encourages Tate to dig an even deeper hole for himself. Most importantly, we hear from some of the traumatised women who allege abuse by this toxic grifter. Tate’s empire may be crumbling, but what he represents is still frighteningly prevalent.
The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm
This fascinating series celebrates many of the great Scottish women who, over the last 50 years, have challenged the patriarchy. It’s a valuable social document in which our empathetic host Kirsty Wark traces an ongoing battle for equal rights. Her odyssey begins in the 1960s, when female footballers weren’t allowed to compete. From there we progress towards the pioneering efforts of feminist politicians, a group of slyly empowering journalists who worked on teen mag Jackie during its 1970s heyday, and the origins of Scottish Women’s Aid, a charitable organisation devoted to the prevention of domestic abuse. Societal attitudes have improved. Wark and co explain why that shift had to happen.
Untold: Help! My Home is Disgusting – Tuesday, Channel 4, 11.05pm
When Kwajo Tweneboa shared the nightmarish details of his social housing situation online – a miasma of cockroaches, mice, mould and overflowing toilets – he was inundated with responses from people struggling in similarly unacceptable environments. He is now a high-profile social-housing campaigner. In this documentary, he visits people living in various states of utter despair. Whenever they confront their landlords, they are ignored. Tweneboa’s report highlights the direct correlation between dismal living conditions and the tragic exacerbation of severe mental health issues. He also exposes the sheer number of complaints aimed against the biggest housing associations, who pay their top executives massive salaries.
The Supervet: Safari Special – Thursday, Channel 4, 9pm
Life and War: Ukraine A Year On –
Professor Neil Fitzpatrick, the Supervet himself, is one of television’s most benign and genuinely helpful resident experts. Should your domestic animal friends ever find themselves in times of trouble, Fitzpatrick is the softly-spoken physician you’d want by their side. In this Very Special Episode of his long-running vehicle, he ventures off to South Africa. Renowned for neurosurgical and orthopaedic innovations, Fitzpatrick has improved the lives of countless small animals, but he’s never dealt with anything on this scale before. While working and learning alongside a dedicated South African team who deal with big cats daily, he emphasises the importance of preserving the welfare of these magnificent creatures.
Thursday, STV, 9pm
ITV’s Global Security Editor Rohit Kachroo has witnessed the invasion of Ukraine first-hand. In this report, he interviews civilians, medics and soldiers, all fighting for survival. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the country mobilised to defend itself. It was not, as Putin presumably expected, immediately overcome. Millions fled the country, but many more stayed to face their invaders. Preview copies of this programme weren’t available, so I’m obviously not qualified to comment upon its specific contents. But I don’t need to stress why I’m bringing it to your attention. ITV, self-evident faults and all, is rightfully renowned for its sober detours into investigative journalism.