Saturday’s TV tips
Disney breaks with tradition and casts its first ever African-American princess in this enchanting reworking of the Grimm brothers’ fairytale, set in New Orleans around the time of the First World War.
Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) is turned into a frog after kissing a smooth-talking amphibian, and has to embark on a perilous quest to get herself turned back into a human.
One thing you can always guarantee with Disney is that whatever tale they tell, they tell it well.
This is a prime example – it’s a fine story, loosely based on ED Baker’s novel The Frog Princess, well executed by cast and directors alike.
Eight morning TV stars try to come up with the most obscure answers to win cash for their chosen charities.
They are Good Morning Britain duo Kate Garraway and Richard Arnold, former This Morning presenter Fern Britton and The Wright Stuff’s Matthew Wright, and four BBC Breakfast anchors past and present – Dermot Murnaghan, Natasha Kaplinsky, Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty.
Alexander Armstrong is in charge, while Richard Osman is the man with the facts, and if there are any technical problems, half the contestants can pass the time by swapping stories about their appearances on Strictly Come Dancing.
Ant and Dec present the third audition show, as the judges – Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon – hope to uncover more of the nation’s talent.
Queuing up to take the stage, acts of all ages and abilities are determined to prove they are worthy of the £250,000 cash prize and a slot at this year’s Royal Variety Performance, but while some of them will be deserving, others will undoubtedly hear the dreaded sound of the red buzzers just seconds into their performance.
Ashley and Nathan Hawkes are both 16 and obsessed with Irish dance. As identical in appearance as they are in they their passion for the sport, they rehearse countless hours a week, and are ranked 17th and 18th in the world.
But Ashley and Nathan aren’t twins: they’re triplets. And their brother Francis is the reason they both train and compete so fiercely.
Francis was born with cerebral palsy. He was in hospital until he was a year old and is wheelchair bound, but he has never missed a single one of his brothers’ competitions. No one cheers louder than Francis when Ashley and Nathan win, and as Ashley puts it: ‘Every time I win, it’s for him.’
Docu-drama telling the story behind the ’Gallipoli Letter’, which was written in September 1915 by Australian journalist Keith Murdoch for the prime ministers of Australia and Great Britain, and exposed the harsh realities of the First World War campaign in the Turkish peninsula.
The film examines how the ambitious reporter became embroiled in a scheme to evade the military censor and explores the political struggle that ensued.
Featuring interviews with Keith’s son Rupert Murdoch, as well as historians Max Hastings and Hew Strachan.
While making Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost came up with the idea of a couple of British mates on a road trip in the US who pick up an ET.
For some it might have remained a pipe dream, but they were given a green light to pen the script and play the leads in this often hilarious comedy.
The weight of the movie rests on the credibility of its eponymous alien, and a winning mix of CGI and Seth Rogen’s voice sell the premise.
There is a cringe-worthy scene which looks like its taken from a 1970s comedy in the first act, but when things settle down, Pegg, Frost, Rogen and Kristen Wiig prove a great team.
As a new shift starts at Holby, Connie wakes up in a police cell, desperate to prove her innocence in the Alfred case – but she reckons without Rita’s interference.
Two teenage lovers are brought in after a house fire that is suspected of being arson, although things soon get confusing when the girl’s mum appears and no one seems to be telling the truth.
A young woman catches Lofty’s eye when she comes in with an infected tattoo. Watch out for a guest appearance by former Sugababes singer Jade Ewen.
George Clooney plays a loveless man who earns his living by flying around America and making total strangers redundant in Jason Reitman’s comedy drama. Having no time for family or emotional ties, he finally meets his match in fellow jetsetter Alex (Vera Farmiga).
George gives a mesmerising portrayal of a corporate middleman, who loathes the prospect of standing still and is now almost numb to the anguish he wreaks.
Clooney and Farmiga ooze sex appeal, while there are some intriguing travel tips for frequent flyers.
Beautifully directed by Reitman, and with a fine cast including Anna Kendrick and Jason Bateman, this is easily one of the best films of the week.
NYPD hostage negotiator Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) enjoys living on the edge.
He has been accused of stealing 140,000 dollars and is keen to prove his mettle to colleagues who believe he is guilty.
Alongside his partner Detective Bill Mitchell (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Frazier’s resourcefulness is tested during the tense stand-off between police and wily bank robber Dalton Russell (Clive Owen), who has taken staff and customers hostage.
In a series of tense telephone conversations, Frazier and Russell attempt to size each other up, engaging in a frenetic game of cat and mouse with the lives of the hostages as the ultimate prize.
Spike Lee’s assured direction, and good support from Jodie Foster and Christopher Plummer, make this slickly executed heist thriller a must-see.
