Gladiators
Saturday, 5.50pm, BBC One
Contender, ready? Gladiator, ready? OK, let’s go with this supercharged reboot of the 90s competitive challenge show, which is every bit as fun as the original. There are a couple of big changes – Nitro, Diamond and Fire are part of the new generation battling against gutsy contenders, while Bradley Walsh and his son Barney are on hosting duties. But the classic games that many of us grew up with are here to stay, including Duel (fighting with pugil sticks on a podium), Collision (crossing a bridge while gladiators swing across like wrecking balls) and, of course, the Eliminator (the final face-off). Drama! Disqualifications! Boos! This is what Saturday evening TV is all about. Hollie Richardson
The Masked Singer
7pm, ITV1
So far we’ve had Grammy-winning soul legend Dionne Warwick causing a storm dressed as Weather and classically trained singer Alexander Armstrong in a Roman Empire rooster costume as Chicken Caesar. Dippy Egg, Maypole and Rat could very well turn out to be music royalty this week too, as judges continue to unmask the celebrities. HR
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
6.50pm, BBC One
It’s a new series of Michael McIntyre’s high-energy entertainment show. The opening show’s Send to All phone belongs to comedian and consumer champion Joe Lycett, who undoubtedly has some interesting contacts. Plus Bradley Walsh plays The Midnight Gameshow and there’s music from R&B star Beverley Knight. Ellen E Jones
The Weakest Link
7.50pm, BBC One
Romesh Ranganathan’s acerbic quiz show turns its attention to some famous pairings for a couples special. Lovable Steps duo H and Claire might not look like the most threatening opponents, but can they outwit David Seaman and his ice-skating wife Frankie, a pair of Goggleboxers and two of McFly? The pressure is on. Hannah Verdier
Pointless Celebrities
8.35pm, BBC One
Famous faces sieve their brains for obscure knowledge in a bid to impress Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman. Among the notable duos hoping to win money for charity this week are David and Frankie Seaman (their second appearance of the night) and winter Olympians Chemmy Alcott and Sarah Lindsay. Grame Virtue
Big Zuu’s 12 Dishes in 12 Hours
10pm, ITV1
The ebullient TV chef and comedian Eddie Kadi stop in Nicosia, Cyprus, which has been split since 1974 – Turkish Cypriot north and Greek Cypriot south. They wrap their chops around 12 dishes, from Armenian delights to Cameroonian cuisine. HR
Film choice
Killers of the Flower Moon, out now, Apple TV+
Like The Irishman before it, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon comes with a daunting runtime. Now on home release, audiences are free to watch it however they want; either in one big 206-minute sitting or broken into chunks like a miniseries. What’s important, though, is that you do watch it. The subject matter – exploring the real-life murders in the Osage community following the discovery of oil on tribal land – is complex and vital. Lily Gladstone delivers arguably the performance of the year. The soundtrack (Robbie Robertson’s last) is haunting and evocative. And, without spoiling it, the climax is as audacious as anything Scorsese has ever attempted. Stuart Heritage
Role Play, out now, Prime Video
The Flight Attendant worked as a near-perf ect career reintroduction for Kaley Cuoco, thrusting a generic sitcom star into a challenging Hitchcockian thriller. Role Play, then, is Cuoco’s bid to keep that momentum going. An action comedy with David Oyelowo, this is the story of a stagnant married couple who decide to spice things up, only for the husband to discover he has been married to an international assassin all along. It comes with shades of Mr & Mrs Smith (conveniently about to be remade by Amazon), plus Bill Nighy using his debonair charm for evil. SH
Decision to Leave, 9pm, BBC Four
Park Chan-wook is almost single-handedly responsible for revitalising South Korean cinema, first with blockbuster Joint Security Area, and then with all-time classic Oldboy. But this might just be his greatest offering yet. A thrilling noir romance about an insomniac cop and a potential murder suspect, the film is supercharged by dazzling central performances by Tang Wei and Park Hae-il and an ending that will devastate you for months. Later this year, Park will direct Robert Downey Jr in HBO’s The Sympathiser. This is exactly the thing to whet your appetite. SH
Hope and Glory, 10.30pm, BBC Two
John Boorman’s tale of growing up in London in the second world war raked in award recognition on its release in 1987 (five Oscar nominations, 13 Bafta nominations and a Golden Globe), largely thanks to its ability to juggle two seemingly contrasting tones. One is an unflinching look at the horrors of war. The other is a warm, comic take on the blitz seen through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy, who views the bombs as fireworks and cheers Hitler for bombing a school. Many have tried to strike this same balance, but none have hit the nail as squarely as Boorman does. SH
In the Earth, 11.20pm, Film4
In the autumn of 2020, just as the world was starting to fear the return of Covid, the ever-gnomic Ben Wheatley announced that he had just returned from shooting an entire film on the outskirts of Bristol in a fortnight. In the Earth was the result, and it is terrifyingly baffling. Tonally splitting the difference between Kill List and A Field in England, it plunges Joel Fry and Ellora Torchia into a psychedelic folk-horror meltdown, full of spirits and sorcery and amputations and mushrooms. SH
Live sport
Tennis: ATP Tour, 6am, Sky Sports Main Event The men’s final, followed by the WTA women’s final at 7.30am.
Ski Jumping, 6.50am, Eurosport 2 Day one of the World Cup meeting with the women’s HS134 event.
World Tour Golf, 9.30am, Sky Sports Main Event Day three of the Dubai Invitational.
Champions Cup Rugby: Exeter Chiefs v Glasgow Warriors, 12.30pm, ITV1 The pool three match in the third round.
Snooker: The Masters, 1.15pm, BBC One The opening semi-final. The final is on Sunday at 1pm on BBC Two.
Cycling: European Track Championships, 5pm, Eurosport 2 Day four of the annual event in the Netherlands.
Premier League Football: Newcastle v Man City, 4.30pm, TNT Sports 1 At St James’ Park.
Tennis: Australian Open, midnight, Eurosport 1 Day one of the opening Grand Slam event of the season, featuring first-round matches.
