PICKS OF THE WEEK: 20-26 APRIL 2026, WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

Our picks of what to watch during the week ahead.

MINT

Monday, BBC One

At the heart of Mint is Shannon (22), the daughter of her area’s dominant crime family, who is desperately searching for romance in the shadow of her father, Dylan.

We’ll experience the obsession of first love as Shannon falls hard for Arran, a member of a rival crime family who has newly arrived in town. Their love story presents an undeniable connection that changes both of their lives for good, but not everyone in their lives sees it the same way.

 BALAMORY

Monday, BBC iPlayer

Warm, colourful and full of curiosity, the new series retains the heart and humour that made Balamory a household favourite, while introducing refreshed storytelling and playful adventures. The lovable community of quirky characters celebrate each day with rainbow-coloured comic adventures, filled with songs, friendship and fun.

 INTERIOR DESIGN MASTERS

Tuesday, BBC One

Alan Carr welcomes ten novice designers looking for their big break in the world of commercial interior design. Over eight weeks they’ll be competing to win a collaboration contract with the UK retailer to produce their own line of homewares. Design expert and former editor of Elle Decoration, Michelle Ogundehin, returns as the series judge.

 MASTERCHEF

Tuesday, BBC One

It’s the first heat of this year’s competition, and six talented cooks from all walks of life are in the wings, braced for culinary battle. Amongst the amateurs are an IT teacher, the MD of a construction company and a financial advisor who will certainly need their wits about them from the moment they enter the kitchen. Their first goal is to secure one of four gleaming white MasterChef aprons, their key to the adventure that awaits. With just four available, it’s only those who stand out among the pack that will succeed.

 CRIMINAL RECORD

Wednesday, Apple TV

In season two, when a young man is stabbed to death at a political rally, rival police officers June Lenker and Daniel Hegarty are forced into an uneasy alliance. But what starts as a hunt for a murderer escalates into an undercover operation to foil a far-right bomb plot in the heart of London.

 HALF MAN

Friday, BBC iPlayer

Richard Gadd and Jamie Bell are Ruben and Niall respectively. Niall and Ruben are brothers. Not related in blood but the closest you can get. One, fierce and loyal. The other, meek and mild-mannered. Inseparable youth. Brought into each other’s lives through death and circumstance, all they have is each other…

But when Ruben turns up at Niall’s wedding three decades later, everything seems different. He is on edge. Shifty. Not acting like himself. And soon, an explosion of violence takes place which catapults us back through their lives, from the eighties to the present day. Capturing 30 years in the lives of these broken men, Half Man explores brotherhood, violence, and the intense fragility of male relationships. After all, when things fall apart… it is sometimes the closest relationships which break the hardest.

 THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Friday, ITV1

The Neighbourhood will see real-life households from all walks of life move in side by side, finding themselves not only neighbours but also fierce competitors in the ultimate reality showdown.

This is a game the households will live as well as play.  They’ll be with each other 24/7, sleeping and eating in their houses, socialising between them - and then voting each other out.  The challenges they face in public will change the dynamics behind closed doors.  And to win, they’ll need to defeat their neighbours, while still staying popular on the street.

 THE CAGE

Sunday, BBC One

Leanne (BAFTA-winner Sheridan Smith) is the charismatic cashier at an inner-city casino who finds herself threatened with losing the family home and starts skimming cash from the casino safe to secure her family’s future.

When Leanne discovers her boss Matty (Michael Socha) is doing the same thing, their lives are set on a collision course; with each other, the local gangster they’re stealing from, and the police. As Leanne’s loyalties are pulled in different directions, Matty battles with his inner demons meaning the pair will have to play every hand perfectly...