Les Dawson provides the laughs on ITV

Telly Today choices for Wednesday, July 19th.

Les Dawson

Les Dawson was a comedy icon famed for his legendary gurn and piano bum notes and hilarious characters. Unearthing unique previously unseen family footage and clips, ITV reveals a very different side to his very public persona and discover the real Les away from the spotlight, family man and comedian.

This year would have been Les’ 90th birthday. Teaming up with well-known fans including Brendan O Carroll, Jason Manford, Omid Djalili, John Thomson, and lifelong friends including Ruth Madoc and Gloria Hunniford as well as Les’ wife and daughter, we also uncover never-before-seen material revealing surprises not just to his friends, but his family too.

Les found television fame via Thames TV’s Opportunity Knocks in the sixties, he became a regular face on television in the 1970s including on his own shows for ITV and later the BBC. Into the 1990s he hosted the game show Blankety Blank and the show that had made him a name, Opportunity Knocks both on BBC One.

Les Dawson: The Lost Tapes, ITV, STV and UTV, 9 pm

Les Dawson at the Yorkshire Television studios for ITV series Sez Les

Best of the Rest…

New Amsterdam

New Amsterdam joins the Sky Witness family this week, following the charming and brilliant Dr Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) – New Amsterdam Medical Centre’s newest medical director – who sets out to tear up the bureaucracy and provide exceptional care.

New Amsterdam is still reeling from the pandemic as a plane crash lands in the East River. When investigators come to interrogate the flight crew, Iggy fights against the clock to help the pilot uncover the truth.

Max tracks down scarce medication after one of his own contracts COVID.

New Amsterdam: The New Normal, Sky Witness, 9 pm

Sexy Dating

Sexy Beasts is back, and now its on Netflix. The show, previously of BBC Three and later A&E Networks, offers a unique, often hilarious dating experience. Using Hollywood level prosthetics, the
single men and women have their real looks completely hidden, as they’re transformed into all manner of animals and fantastical creatures before their romantic adventures begin.

A six part series, each episode will feature a new single “picker” searching for true love based purely on personality. They will date three potential love matches out in the real world all in full prosthetic makeup –  and with stunned members of the public looking on. Only when the dating is over and our picker has chosen their love match will everyone’s real faces be revealed.

Sexy Beast, from today on Netflix.