What’s on TV – 17 August 2019

O

n 23 December 2013,

Rachel Pickthall was

getting ready to leave

work for the Christmas

break when she received

a phone call that changed

her life for ever.

It was her sister, Kate,

with news that the police

had found their brother

Simon’s van abandoned

at the top of cliffs in

Yorkshire, with its owner

nowhere to be found.

‘Simon was always such

fun to be around,’ says

Rachel. ‘He moved to

London, married his long-

term girlfriend and had a

baby girl, whom he was

besotted with. But sadly

his marriage broke down

and he was diagnosed

with bipolar. He was in

a really difficult place.’

Simon’s case is just one

featured in this week’s final

episode of the series, which

focuses on people who’ve

gone missing and the

families they leave behind.

Investigation

With 180,000 people going

missing in Britain each year,

hosts Davina McCall and

Nicky Campbell help raise

awareness of the problem.

‘The rescue services

did a thorough search and

they found no trace of

Simon,’ explains Rachel.

‘And there isn’t a shred

of evidence to say he

took his own life.’

Davina and Nicky also

meet the family of Matthew

Bone, who disappeared

from his parents’ house

in 2018, and Beryl Everall,

whose mother Miriam went

missing 60 years ago. For

all three families, the pain

of an absent loved one

will never go away...

‘It’s torture not knowing

where Simon is,’ says

Rachel. ‘But the police

have said his case is still

open, so I’ll never give up

hope that one day he’ll

walk through our door.’ Q

FACTUAL

Long Lost Family

Monday, 9pm ITV

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Wild about zoos!

Fearless presenter Helen Skelton gets up close and personal with polar

bears, leopards and other big animals in a new week-long series...

What’s on

TV

H

elen Skelton could

never be accused of

being shy or retiring!

The adventurous Countryfile

presenter has kayaked the

Amazon River, crossed a

tightrope between Battersea

Power Station’s chimneys and

trekked to the South Pole

using skis, kite and a modified

bicycle, all for Comic Relief.

This week, Helen faces an

entirely new challenge during

Channel 5’s week-long

celebration of British zoos

when she gets hands-on

with some of the animals!

‘I’ve made a career out

of being fearless but I was

sweating quite a bit when

we filmed with the

leopards at Yorkshire

Wildlife Park!’ laughs

Helen, 36. ‘Keeper Kim

has worked with them

for years. I helped her

train the leopards

to take an

injection

so that if they ever need

medication, they can receive

it without being knocked out.’

Helen, along with co-host

Nick Baker, presents the series

from the wildlife park near

Doncaster. The team are

joined by a host of

celebrities, including

comedian and

presenter Susan

Calman, Strictly

pro dancers Aljaž

Skorjanec and

Janette Manrara,

The Yorkshire Vet’s

Peter Wright and

Julian Norton,

and JB Gill from

pop band JLS.

The team links

up with partner zoos

to gain exclusive

access to newborns, show

veterinary procedures and

conservation work.

‘We want to acknowledge

the efforts of zookeepers,

conservationists and breeding

programmes,’ says Helen. ‘I

was in awe watching the polar

bears. It makes me appreciate

why people work so hard to

protect their habitat.’ Q

NEW FACTUAL

Big Week at the Zoo

Monday-Friday, 8pm

Channel 5

Where’s my brother?

Rachel and her sisters

are searching for their

missing sibling...

Fun... A young

Simon with

Rachel

Awestruck... Helen

loved the polar bears