China's Forgotten Emperor
Sunday, Channel 4, 8pm
Only one woman has ever become emperor of China, but historians can't agree whether she was a Thatcher-like iron lady or a benign Mary Robinson. China's Forgotten Emperor looks at the life of Wu Zetian, who ruled during the Zhou Dynasty of the late 7th century. Her reign coincided with Chinese expansion into Asia, and this documentary sets out to find out more about this former concubine who went on to wield ultimate power in China.
Forces of Nature with Brian Cox
Monday, BBC One, 9pm
Britain is feeling the force of the Brexit vote at the moment, but it's nothing compared to the cosmic forces that shape our planet. Behind some of the most spectacular sights on earth lie some of the most fundamental laws of physics, and in Forces of Nature with Brian Cox, the affable boffin takes us to some of the most striking parts of the world to help us gain a greater understanding of the universe. Thanks, Brian! Episode one, The Universe in a Snowflake, looks at the science behind shapes, from bees in Nepal that make perfect hexagonal honeycombs to massive, irregular-shaped icebergs that float into shipping lanes in the Atlantic.
Just Call Me Martina
Monday, BBC One, 10.45pm
Martina Navratilova is one of tennis's legends, with a career that spanned 30 years. Just Call Me Martina takes us into the professional and personal life of the only player in history to win four Grand Slam titles in four decades. Presenter Sue Barker joins Navratilova in her home town of Revnice in the Czech Republic, and attends her wedding to long-time partner Julia Lemigova in New York.
Bypassed
Tuesday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm
Remember those childhood journeys to down the old N7 to Limerick, when your dad's Vauxhall had to crawl through the towns of Naas, Newbridge, Monasterevin, Mountrath, Roscrea and Nenagh? That all ended with the arrival of Ireland's first motorway, the M7. Bypassed tells the story of the towns that have been left on the hard shoulder by this 164km stretch of road, which was completed in 2010 at a cost of €2 billion. This documentary brings us inside these towns, where we meet the businesses and communities who are getting on with life outside the fast lane.
America's Got Talent
Thursday, TV3, 10pm and Friday, TV3, 10.30pm
Britain's not the only place that's got talent, as America's Got Talent is back for its 11th series, promising more tears, emotion and soaring voices than BGT could ever hope to muster. This year, the series moves from its New York base to Los Angeles, and lord Sauron himself, Simon Cowell, joins the judging panel, which also features presenter Howie Mandel, supermodel Heidi Klum and Spice Girl Mel B. Let the caterwauling begin!
The Best of The Late Late Show
Friday, RTÉ One, 10.40pm
If you're missing your Friday night fix of Tubridy, feat not: you can relive those nights by the fire in front of the telly with The Best of The Late Late Show. This is where RTÉ re-run clips from the last season of the Late Late, and give you that warm feeling that your licence money is not going to waste. In the first of four episodes, Ryan meets Irish actor Colin Farrell, comedian Jason Byrne and RTÉ reporter Teresa Mannion. And Hozier performs his song Cherry Wine and takes questions from fans – including one who is thinking of getting the singer's face tattooed on her arm.
