11 August 2011 (TV Previews)

The usual telly visual tidbits your telly has on offer for the latter half of August. As ever, you can keep yourself up to date with your viewing by visiting our TV Page for our four daily highlights.

7 Dwarves. 16th August. 9.00pm. Channel 4.
During the Christmas pantomime season all across Britain, many dwarves take on paying roles in the theatre. This brand new observational documentary series follows the lives of seven dwarf actors as they live together and perform in a production of Snow White at Woking's New Victoria Theatre. Seven Dwarves offers rounded insight into the personal and professional lives of the dwarves and aims to cut across some of the preconceptions that small people often encounter. Made by the BAFTA-winning executive producers Magnus Temple and Nick Curwin (One Born Every Minute, 24 Hours in A&E) and series editor Jonathan Smith (One Born Every Minute, The Family), the series observes this outgoing, intelligent and candid group - from celebrating Christmas Day and New Year's Eve to winding down after performances, out with friends and family, and during their regular lives out of panto season. The dwarves also share what life is like as a small person in frank and candid interviews; all with an infectious sense of humour.

The Inbetweeners Top Ten Moments. 19th August. From 10.30pm. Channel 4.
Ah, another list show, it's been too long. Will it include the moment Simon got himself, eh, relieved at an underage disco? Or will it have the one of him stripped nude on a boat? Or perhaps we'll get to see Will pooing his pants again? Soo many moments... This one-hour special counts down the top ten moments taken from all three series of The Inbetweeners. As well as revealing the top ten clips as voted for by the viewers, the programme meets the four actors who play Neil, Simon, Will and Jay, and hears from celebrity fans of the show, including Jimmy Carr, Harry Enfield, Matt Dawson, Ricky Gervais, The Saturdays and The Only Way Is Essex stars Mark Wright and James Argent. Followed by the full third series - you know the one that kicked off with Simon getting a bollock out at the school fashion show.

The X Factor. 20th August. 8.00pm. UTV.
The multi BAFTA-award winning entertainment show is back for an eighth (EIGHTH) series with a bang (or a fizzle, it's yet to become clear) as Gary Barlow, Kelly Rowland, Tulisa and Louis Walsh form a brand-new judging panel. The series will see the judges hit the road and trawl the length and breadth of Great Britain in their quest to find the next singing superstar. And this year's contestants give the judges more action and entertainment than ever before as Gary is forced to take to the stage to eject rejects, Kelly mops up tears, Tulisa rows with an angry contestant and Louis finally finds an Irish singer he doesn't like... Whatever, we're just looking forward to seeing Dermot hugging his way through the audition process.

The Man Who Crossed Hilter. 21st August. 9.00pm. BBC2.
In the summer of 1931, with Germany on the brink of economic collapse and the city of Berlin turning into a paramilitary war zone, the audacious young prosecutor Hans Litten (Stoppard) chooses to subpoena a star witness to a trial of Nazi thugs. In spite of the risk to his own safety, and against the advice of those who love him, Litten forces rising political star Adolf Hitler (Hart) to make a rare appearance in the witness stand of Berlin's central criminal court. Litten aimed to expose the true character of Hitler and his politics to the German public and, in a humiliating and hostile cross-examination, Hitler was forced to account for his political beliefs, his apparent contempt for the law and his desire to destroy German democracy. Hitler survived the ordeal but it was a close encounter which he never forgave and for which Litten paid a heavy price.

Rose of Tralee. 22nd August. 8.00pm. RTE1.
And another August comes to a close, with the strains of some over rehearsed song, backed by a jig and the drone of Daithi's voice. The 52nd International Rose of Tralee Selection is due to be broadcast live from the festival dome. Proving just how little else is on TV of an August; last year a peak of over one million (1,074, 500) viewers tuned in to RTÉ 1 to see Clare Kambamettu, the 26-year-old assistant psychologist London Rose, originally from Athy Co Kildare, crowned as the 52nd Rose of Tralee. An average 916,300 viewers watched the final show after RTÉ's Nine O'Clock News, the highest number in over a decade. The event will be broadcast on RTÉ One on Monday and Tuesday evening from 8pm with a break for the Nine O'Clock News, which will no doubt report on the festival.

Best Of The Rest



Exit Through the Gift Shop. 13th August. 9.00pm. Channel 4.
Oscar-nominated Exit Through the Gift Shop follows an eccentric shop-keeper turned amateur film-maker as he attempts to capture many of the world's most infamous vandals on camera, only to have British stencil artist Banksy turn the camcorder back on its owner with wildly unexpected results.

The Only Viking In The Village. TBC. RTE.
Comedian Neil Delamere goes in search of his Viking ancestry over two programmes. Neil will physically and mentally get to grips with his Viking ancestry, living like a Viking to find out is there any Viking left in him and to discover all there is to know about our axe-toting ancestors.

Masterchef Ireland. TBC. RTE2.
The first-ever series of MasterChef Ireland sees some of the best amateur cooks in the country compete to impress judges Michelin-starred chef Dylan McGrath and top restaurateur Nick Munier.

The Voice of Ireland. TBC. RTE.
Yet to be confirmed judges take part in 'blind auditions' and must decide whether or not to take on a participant without having seen them and solely on the quality of their voice.

The Irish Secret Millionaire. TBC. RTE1.
Three very different Irish millionaires turn their back on their day-to-day lives and go undercover in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Dublin, Cork and Dundalk. Why, yes, there is a lot of innovative viewing in RTE's Autumn schedule...

The Merits of Ferrets. 26th August. 7.35pm. Channel 4.
Becky Lomax's First Cut film tells the story of the lives of three friends and their rescue centre for traumatised ferrets, based in the suburbs of Bristol.
 

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