9pm, BBC Two A shocking documentary reveals the full extent of the British government’s nuclear tests in Australia and the South Pacific in the 1950s and 1960s. More than 39,000 British and Commonwealth servicemen witnessed 45 nuclear bombs. Here, five veterans recount their experiences – two describing how they were ordered to sail or fly through atomic mushroom clouds.
Others witnessed the blasts without any protective clothing. Skin cancers, tumours, heart disease, leukaemia, stillbirths and generational birth defects are amongst the disorders suffered by many of the survivors. 8pm, BBC Four Björk may seem an unlikely person to narrate this documentary about the wonders of fungi, but then the Icelandic singer is known for her environmental concerns.
And as British mycologist Merlin Sheldrake explains fungi are vital organisms that support life on land, are at the cutting edge of medical research ,and even have the power to break down plastic waste. As Björk puts it: “They so much more than mushrooms.” 9pm, BBC One Conspiracy theorist Angus Wallace sees an opportunity to enter the marine research facility that he’s been monitoring, but when he fails to return, Lisa raises concerns with Rev Alan Calder (Ruth’s brother).
Meanwhile, there are further revelations about the murdered accountant Annie Bett. Was she also a spy? And what exactly is this mysterious Estonian connection? 9pm, Channel 4 A morally complex new drama from New Zealand with a terrific central.
