What’s On TV Tonight? Our Pick Of The Best Shows: Friday 6th October

(Image credit: BBC Studios)

Here the TV Times team of expert reviewers highlight three of the best shows on telly tonight for Friday 6th October including Porridge

Here the TV Times team of expert reviewers highlight three of the best shows on telly tonight for Friday 6th October including the return of Porridge...

Porridge, 9.30pm, BBC1

Following the success of last year’s pilot, Kevin Bishop reprises his role as Nigel Norman Fletcher, the grandson of Ronnie Barker’s character from the 1970s, Norman Stanley Fletcher, as this prison sitcom returns for a full series. No one could ever fill Barker’s enormous shoes, so it was a relief when the show’s creators, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, opted for a sequel rather than a remake, and fans of the original should be pleased with this new if fairly familiar offering. Expect plenty of gags, canned laughter and a fine turn from Catastrophe star Mark Bonnar as Officer Meekie, a fan of the sort of regime 1970s stickler Mr Mackay would recognise. Rating: ****

Sing: Ultimate A Cappella, 9.00pm, Sky 1

Cat Deeley presents a singing competition with a difference. Five groups compete each week, over three rounds, in front of five judges – using only their voices. The standard of singing is incredible and it’s a pretty slick production too… fast paced, with nice touches such as a house group and an a cappella performance from a superstar each week, beginning with The Vamps. After their opening number, the lowest-scored group is eliminated, then the remaining four go through to the iconic artist round, which is David Bowie tonight. Finally, the last two groups battle it out in the showdown, with one going through to the final. The prize is the chance to record an album and release a single in time for Christmas. Rating: ****

A Celebrity Taste of Italy, 9.00pm, C5

The famous five continue to explore the wonders of Italian life and they’re all finding it rather bellissimo. As Rula, Johnny and Ian forage for black truffles to make faggotini, Judith and Diana learn a bit of the lingo before heading off for a wine-tasting session with a baron whose family invented Chianti. For wine-tasting read getting sloshed on fine vino rosso! Later, Judith and Rula explore Siena, where UK tourists queue to have a selfie with the ladies, while Johnny, Ian and Diana visit the walled city of San Gimignano where a gelato maker proves to be as smooth as his dessert when he meets the former Green Goddess. Rating: ***

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough.

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!