I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (ITV, Saturday, 9.40pm & Sunday, 9pm)
It’s good to know that no matter how busy it must be for Ant & Dec to host the biggest show on TV live from the Australian jungle every night, they still find the time to read our tweets and reply to them. When I tweeted about the curious button arrangement on Dec’s jacket the other night (he had the top two done up, and the bottom one undone), he responded in the ad break with the crucial info that he was advised to adopt that display and that it wasn’t his idea at all. The wonders of modern technology! I mention this not just as a massive (virtual) name drop but also to point out another way in which Ant & Dec are the best people on TV. I say this every year, but it’s true: their links on I’m A Celeb are funnier than ever, and amid all the comings and goings of this hectic series so far, we always know we’ll get dozens of little comedy gems from A&D every show. I also have high hopes that maverick loose cannon Edwina Currie will spout lots of nonsense and be very amusing, too. If not intentionally.
The X Factor (ITV, Saturday & Sunday, 8pm)
Last week I suggested the theme could be Einstürzende Neubauten vs Dead Kennedys week on X Factor, but instead they’ve gone for Whitney Houston vs Elton John. If they stick to the plan, that is. I’d quite like to see Stevi do I Will Always Love You, but I reckon it’s more likely he’ll do Crocodile Rock or some such upbeat Elt ‘choon’. On Sunday’s results show David Guetta, Emeli Sandé, Labrinth and Take That are performing. There’ll barely be time for the recap of Saturday’s show.
Homeland (Channel 4, Sunday, 9pm)
If you’ve abandoned this series since that Damian Lewis left at the end of the last series then it’s worth noting that the drama has been ratcheted up a notch in recent weeks and this episode is a particular doozy. It all goes haywire when Carrie’s medicine gets tampered with by the Pakistani secret service. She’s on the edge at the best of times, but now she’s about to go off the deep end. Be prepared for some big shocks.
The Jonathan Ross Show (ITV, Saturday, 10.45pm)
Jonathan’s been getting some great guests this series and this week I feel the need to mention a very funny interview and a very moving one. Weirdly, the comedy one is from Noel Gallagher, who I maintain is the wittiest rock star of all time. He chats about his mate Russell Brand, his relationship with his bro Liam and how his daughter loves X Factor. The emotional interview comes from Lee Evans, whose thoughts on his (and Jonathan’s) late manager Addison make for poignant viewing.
And don’t forget… Spooky drama alert: Remember Me (BBC1, Sunday, 9pm) is a splendidly compelling, beautifully made ghost story starring the legendary Michael Palin as you’ve never seen him before. Record it!