Taking Control: The Dominic Cummings Story (BBC2, 9pm)
EMILY Maitlis examines Boris Johnson’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings’s place in the UK’s changing political landscape, stretching back over two decades. The film charts his arrival in Downing Street as a senior adviser with significant and perhaps unprecedented power. Now, at the apex of the largest Conservative majority since 1987, Cummings aims to play a key role in reshaping the nation, economy and government. Featuring testimonies from some of his fiercest critics and closest political friends, the documentary sheds light on a man whose ambitions may now direct Britain’s journey for years to come.
Kate & Koji (STV, 8pm)
HER detective series Vera has become an ITV mainstay, but now Brenda Blethyn is taking on a very different role in this new sitcom about an unlikely friendship.
She stars as Kate, a prickly cafe owner, who is initially unsympathetic to one of her customers, Koji (Jimmy Akingbola), mainly because he’s been nursing one cup of tea all morning. However, when Kate’s nephew (Blake Harrison) discovers that Koji is actually a doctor who has been prohibited from working while he seeks asylum, she comes up with a plan that could benefit them both. In order for it to succeed, they’ll have to avoid the attentions of Kate’s adversary Councillor Bone.
The Repair Shop (BBC1, 8pm)
EXPERTS restoring family heirlooms to their former glory may not sound like the recipe for a ratings smash, but daytime series The Repair Shop has been a real sleeper hit. The first three series aired on BBC2, but it was promoted to BBC1 for the fourth run – and now it’s in a primetime slot. In episode one, Jay Blades and the team bring four family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life. The team sets to work repairing a Jamaican pump organ, an RAF bomber pilot’s hat, a naval rigging tool kit, and a crib made from wood salvaged from a church that was bombed during the First World War.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here