By Pa And Sheena McGinley

Copyright independent

Pick of the week

Strictly Come Dancing

BBC One, 6.40pm

Although the 2026 season of Dancing with the Stars has yet to be officially confirmed by RTÉ, fans are hoping that it won’t be too long before they can start getting excited and it is announced which celebs will be taking part. In the meantime, Strictly is back, and as usual, there is an eclectic mix of stars setting foot on the dance floor.

Alex Kingston, Balvinder Sopal, Dani Dyer, Stefan Dennis, Lewis Cope, Vicky Pattison, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Karen Carney, Chris Robshaw, Ellie Goldstein, Ross King, La Voix, Thomas Skinner and George Clarke are all keen to follow last year’s winners Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, who return this week to show the new couples how it’s done. But before the celebrities learn their routines, they must find out which pro partner will be putting them through their paces. There’s also live music from Jessie J, who recently performed at Radio 2 in the Park.

Pick of the day

Ukraine 1933: Seeds of Hunger

The story of the Ukrainian famine between 1931 and 1933 through the words of Welsh journalist Gareth Jones, who alerted the world to the lies and manipulation of the Soviets. The full extent of the famine was kept quiet until 50 years later after the disintegration of the USSR.

Johnny Mathis at the BBC

BBC Two, 8.30pm

A selection of appearances by the American singer, including performances of Misty, Unforgettable and Let There Be Love, and duets with Lulu and Natalie Cole.

The Money List

RTÉ One, 8.30pm

Baz Ashmawy returns with the quiz in which two teams of strangers are challenged to fill in missing answers on a list for the chance to win €15,000. This week, John from Kerry and Eva from Meath take on John from Dublin and Denise from Galway.

The Super Mario Bros Movie

RTÉ One, 6.35pm

Moustachioed Brooklyn plumber Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) attempts to save a magical universe in this fun and colourful animated adaptation of Nintendo’s popular video-game franchise.

What’s Love Got to Do with It?

Romantic comedy starring Lily James and Shazad Latif. Film-maker Zoe begins shooting a documentary about her childhood friend Kaz, a British-Pakistani man who has agreed to an ‘assisted’ marriage.

Disney+, streaming now

You may have seen Lily James headbanging around The One Show set with Michael Palin over the last week or so – and here’s why. She stars as a recent grad who defies tech industry norms to launch no less than two game-changing dating apps. Based on the true story behind Bumble, it charts her rise as the youngest self-made female billionaire after a turn at Tinder. The Reluctant Traveler

AppleTV+, streaming now

Armed with his bucket list, Eugene Levy is becoming increasingly more open to travelling to far-flung destinations – like the US, which, for a Canadian, is pretty darn brave. Other destinations this season include Austria, Canada, England, India, Mexico, South Korea and even little ol’ Ireland.

Haunted Hotel

Netflix, streaming now

Kicking off spooky season, this animated comedy features a mum juggling hotel management and hauntings from her ghostly brother – voiced by Will Forte.