A new four-part documentary strand titled Home Truths premieres on Virgin Media One at 9 pm, kicking off with an examination of special education support across Ireland led by presenter Eric Roberts. The opening episode, titled Crisis in the Classroom with Eric Roberts, investigates systemic difficulties families face in securing school places and specialized services amidst rising national demand.
Examining Special Education Access in Ireland
Presenter Eric Roberts travels across the country to speak with school principals, special needs assistants (SNAs), and affected families. Among them is Alison Field, who has applied to 19 different schools in an ongoing effort to secure a place for her son James, who remains waiting to start his education. The documentary arrives as a timely examination of resource shortages affecting households throughout the State.
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Monday Night Television Highlights
Alongside the Virgin Media documentary, several notable programmes air across television networks:
- Tall Tales & Murder: Premieres on RTÉ One at 9.40 pm. Co-created by Stuart Carolan and Chris Addison, and adapted from Caimh McDonnell’s novels, the drama stars Aidan Gillen as a Dublin nursing home patient who wakes from a long coma claiming to be a gangster with hidden treasure.
- Jamie’s 20 Minute Meals: Airs on Channel 4 at 8 pm. Jamie Oliver presents an eight-episode cookery series filmed in real time in one continuous shot per episode, featuring recipes like Camembert and onion rice followed by crispy golden breadcrumbed chicken.
- Michael Palin in the Philippines: Airs on Channel 5 at 9 pm. At 83 years old, Michael Palin travels to southeast Asia, beginning his journey in Manila with a protest march before heading to a remote island via traditional bangka boat.
Ongoing Series Returns on Tuesday and Wednesday
Drama and investigative programming continue later in the week with established series returning to schedules:
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- Blue Lights: Returns to BBC One for its fourth series on Tuesday at 9 pm. Set in Belfast, the police drama follows officers Grace Ellis (Siân Brooke), Stevie Neil (Martin McCann), and Annie Conlon (Katherine Devlin) as they navigate new street threats, the fallout of a murder trial, and community tensions surrounding the opening of a Migrant Resource Centre.
- The Case I Can’t Forget: Airs on RTÉ One on Wednesday at 9.35 pm. The investigative series revisits the 2012 disappearance and murder of 36-year-old childcare worker Elaine O’Hara. Det Sgt Grace O’Boyle details the digital forensics, CCTV footage, and physical evidence—including keys and phones discovered at Vartry Reservoir—that built the timeline used in the murder trial of Graham Dwyer.