Today's top TV and streaming picks: Live Aid at 40, Die Hard 2 and Heads of State
Did you watch Live Aid? If so, the fact that it's approaching 40 years since the charity concerts took place in London and Philadelphia is probably making you feel a little old. Nevertheless, it's still a cultural touchstone of the era for those of us who did tune in, and probably always will be.
Plenty of charity concerts have taken place since that heady day in July 1985, but few have proved to be as impactful or entertaining. And now there's a chance to look back at it courtesy of a new three-part documentary, the first two episodes of which are airing this Sunday.
It begins with Bob Geldof getting together with Midge Ure to write Band Aid's star-studded Do They Know It's Christmas? single after being moved by footage Ethiopia's hunger crisis on the evening news. The record's incredible success catapults Geldof into the complex world of aid, charity and African politics but, undaunted, it also inspires him and Ure to organise two massive gigs on opposite sides of the Atlantic, with Phil Collins appearing at both and David Bowie and Queen delivering remarkable, show-stealing performances.
Geldof, Ure, Bono and Sting are among the interviewees, as is Birhan Woldu, the Ethiopian woman who, as a child, became the concert's abiding image. And if the programmes make you want to relive it all, you're in luck — the UK concert is being re-screened on Saturday, July 12.
The Sunday Game Live RTÉ2, 1.15pm
Joanne Cantwell is at Croke Park, where the All Ireland hurling semi-final between Kilkenny and Tipperary is set to take place. The match is immediately followed by a camogie quarter-final.
All Creatures Great and Small RTÉ One, 6.30pm
The rural drama inspired by James Herriot's books begins its fifth season. It's 1941 and Britain is at war, so Mrs Hall and Helen consider how they can contribute.
Countryfile BBC Two, 7.05pm
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In the first of four special editions focusing on multi-generational farming families, Adam Henson travels to Leicestershire, where the Egglestons explain how their traditional methods are helping to keep their dairy business alive.
Jimmy Doherty's Big Bear Rescue Channel 4, 8pm
The farmer's latest series follows his efforts to relocate two polar bears from their current home in Sweden, which is about to be closed down, to his wildlife park in Suffolk. As viewers will see, it turns out to be a far from simple task.
London Has Fallen RTÉ One, 9.30pm
The second entry in the Has Fallen franchise follows Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) as he tries to protect US President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) from a terrorist threat while he's in London to attend the British prime minister's funeral.
Die Hard 2 BBC One, 10.30pm
Action thriller in which cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) is up to his neck in trouble again, this time because terrorists have taken control of an airport terminal. Bonnie Bedelia and William Sadler co-star.
All The Sharks Netflix, streaming now
If you're wondering, 'Why all the shark-related viewing of late?' Well, the simple answer is that we're currently in the run-up to July 14, which is Shark Awareness Day. This summer also happens to be the 50th anniversary of Jaws, so one should expect an inordinate level of shark-themed programming over the coming weeks. A lot of it, however, does seem somewhat at odds with itself. For instance, last week saw the release of Shark Whisperer, which featured a herd of conservationists expressing concern about people, like Instagrammer Ocean Ramsey, interfering with endangered sharks. Now, Netflix is proffering an almost oxymoronic competition show, where conservationists infiltrate the oceans to tick all the sharks off their assigned apex predator bingo cards. If you favour more traditional shark viewing — ie. without a nigh-dystopic gameshow element — Sharks Up Close With Bertie Gregory lands on Disney+ today.
Heads of State Prime Video, streaming now
Have you ever considered a parallel universe where Idris Elba is the UK prime minister and John Cena is the US president? Well, now's your chance! For context, their 'special relationship' is under threat on account of their huge egos, but — once confronted with a common adversary — the pair must learn to rely on each other.
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Irish Independent
an hour ago
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Today's top TV and streaming choices: Nationwide, The Story of Gaelic Football and Inglourious Basterds
Nationwide RTÉ One, 7pm The first edition of the show's Summer Holiday series explores Co Waterford's stunning Copper Coast, named after the mines that operated in the area during the 19th century. Presenter Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh meets some intriguing locals while travelling along the 25km coastal route, including an environmental artist and a seaweed forager. An Ghig Mhór RTÉ One, 8pm Hip hop duo Tebi Rex help rising band Na hEasógaí — who perform a fusion of rock, traditional Irish and world music — organise a gig in Conamara. Hell for Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football RTÉ One, 9.35pm Cora Staunton, Jim McGuinness and Jack McCaffrey reveal how important the support of their local communities was in helping to drive forward their sporting careers. There's also a trip to Northern Ireland, where players past and present discuss how the game managed to survive during a century of strife. Inglourious Basterds TG4, 9.30pm Quentin Tarantino's wartime adventure stars Brad Pitt as the leader of a group of Jewish soldiers on a mission to kill as many Nazis as possible. Christoph Waltz co-stars in an Oscar-winning role. All The Sharks Netflix, streaming now If you're wondering, 'Why all the shark-related viewing of late?' Well, the simple answer is that we're currently in the run-up to July 14, which is Shark Awareness Day. This summer also happens to be the 50th anniversary of Jaws, so one should expect an inordinate level of shark-themed programming over the coming weeks. A lot of it, however, does seem somewhat at odds with itself. For instance, last week saw the release of Shark Whisperer, which featured a herd of conservationists expressing concern about people, like Instagrammer Ocean Ramsey, interfering with endangered sharks. Now, Netflix is proffering an almost oxymoronic competition show, where conservationists infiltrate the oceans to tick all the sharks off their assigned apex predator bingo cards. If you favour more traditional shark viewing — ie. without a nigh-dystopic gameshow element — Sharks Up Close With Bertie Gregory has landed on Disney+. Heads of State Prime Video, streaming now Have you ever considered a parallel universe where Idris Elba is the UK prime minister and John Cena is the US president? Well, now's your chance! For context, their 'special relationship' is under threat on account of their huge egos, but — once confronted with a common adversary — the pair must learn to rely on each other.
Sunday World
10 hours ago
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Bono reveals the one thing he was always embarrassed about at Live Aid
The U2 singer is one of several top stars and politicians taking part in a BBC documentary series on Live Aid, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next Sunday Bono has revealed that while Live Aid might have eventually led to him wiping off a billion of debt in Africa, he is always embarrassed about it because of one thing – his then glaring mullet. 'I can't look back at this moment with two eyes because it was such a bad hair day. Like, honestly, one of the most famous moments of your life and your activism, you've got a mullet. It's not good, its just not good. So, I can't look at that f**king thing,' he smiles. The U2 singer is one of several top stars and politicians taking part in a BBC documentary series on Live Aid, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next Sunday. Bono on stage at Wembley Stadium during Live Aid Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 6th U2 and Queen are still the most talked about acts from Wembley that day, with the likes of David Bowie, George Michael, The Police, Status Quo among others playing, while over in Philadelphia Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson were among the stars there (Phil Collins performed at both venues). U2 played an extended version of 'Bad' at Wembley, with Bono jumping into the crowd, and then pulling out a young woman in the packed front rows and hugging her. Bono on stage at Wembley Stadium during Live Aid 'As true as it was that I'm looking out for somebody slight in the middle of the crowd, I'm also very conscious that this is a TV broadcast, not just a show,' he recalls. 'Didn't end up playing the hit Pride In The Name Of Love, because the singer f**ked off into the crowd. The band wanted to fire me as a result. 'I just knew we were part of something... It began a journey for all of us from what you might call charity to what you might call justice.' The previous December the cream of British and Irish pop and rock were gathered together by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to bring out the Band Aid single. 'There were egos in the room, not a lot of women,' Bono wryly recollects. 'I was a little uncomfortable. You can tell that because I'm doing the shy thing, which is a dead giveaway. And then really relaxed Bob gives me the line. Fellow Dubliner Geldof, who came up with the idea for Band Aid and Live Aid, confirms the line in the famous song that he wanted Bono to sing at the time. 'Thank God it's them, instead of you mate, and he said 'are you sure this is what you mean?',' he remembers. Bono mischievously tells Geldof during the song's recording 'It's a hymn really, isn't it, far out Bob, you got there in the end,' to which Geldof retorts with a laughing scoff 'F**k off' The single in aid of African famine relief sold over one million copies in the UK, becoming the biggest-selling record ever in Britain. 'I'm Irish, Bob Geldof is Irish. We have a folk memory of famine. I said 'OK, I will attempt to be worthy of that cruel prayer',' states Bono. 'We thought like so many other people, 'this is a humanitarian crisis, and the problem is not an African or an Ethiopian one, it's a European and American one, with a tiny little distribution we can sort out the problem – this is not true. It was as an act of charity a masterful one.' Band Aid and Live Aid led to Bono and Geldof uniting to meet world leaders in a bit to get them to not only alleviate famine in Africa, but also clear debt and help the AIDS/HIV situation there. George W Bush recalls meeting the pair when president. 'Him and Bono came in, and Bono at least somewhat presentable, Geldof looked like he crawled out from beneath the ground,' he laughs. Before the meeting an aide asked him 'you do know who Bono is' and I said 'yeah, he married Cher'. 'I turned around and looked at his face and I could not tell if he was kidding, and I said, 'no that's Sonny Bono, who is dead,' remarks the aide. Bush was caught offside by Bono during their first meeting. 'In comes the great star Bono. He surprised me by giving me a bible. I don't think this was a way to make me like him, it was a way for him to share a part of his being. 'He made the case about people dying of AIDS, I had campaigned and told people a guiding principle of my administration was all life is precious, and we're all God's children.' Bono discloses why he gave Bush a Bible. 'I knew he was a man of faith and I thought he might enjoy this ancient Irish bible,' recalls Bono. 'I asked George Bush, 'is there a hierarchy to sin'. He gave me the best answer anybody ever gave and he said 'aw, the sin of omission'. The sin of omission (where people are too busy to think of others).' Geldof says of the U2 star: 'Bono and I are really good friends, and very close. By this time he was a global mega superstar, I wasn't,' he points out. 'He wants to give the world a great big house and want to punch its lights out.' The pair's perseverance led to billions of debt being wiped off African nations by G8 and European countries. Bono also recalls how U2 and Paul McCartney were meant to open Live 8 in 2005. 'Just before the start of Live 8, U2, we were in our dressing room. We close the door, had this prayer thing. Our manager, Denis Sheehan, God rest his soul, he knows nobody can come, it's a private moment,' recalls Bono, who adds they could hear a knocking on the door. 'No one answers the door. We finished the prayer. I asked Denis, 'what was that at the door'. He said 'oh, that was Sir Paul McCartney'. I went, 'Paul McCartney?'. I ran out, I go 'Paul!'. 'He said 'what were you doing?. I said 'we just have a little prayer moment, you know? One of those prayer moments?'. 'Why didn't you ask me?, if you'd asked me, I'd love to be part of it again, with me'.' The four band members and McCartney then formed a huddle outside the dressing room and said a prayer together. 'It was the most poetic prayer, and then we went on stage,' muses Bono.
Sunday World
14 hours ago
- Sunday World
Bono reveals the one thing he was always embarrassed about Live Aid
The U2 singer is one of several top stars and politicians taking part in a BBC documentary series on Live Aid, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next Sunday Bono has revealed that while Live Aid might have eventually led to him wiping off a billion of debt in Africa, he is always embarrassed about it because of one thing – his then glaring mullet. 'I can't look back at this moment with two eyes because it was such a bad hair day. Like, honestly, one of the most famous moments of your life and your activism, you've got a mullet. It's not good, its just not good. So, I can't look at that f**king thing,' he smiles. The U2 singer is one of several top stars and politicians taking part in a BBC documentary series on Live Aid, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next Sunday. Bono on stage at Wembley Stadium during Live Aid Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 6th U2 and Queen are still the most talked about acts from Wembley that day, with the likes of David Bowie, George Michael, The Police, Status Quo among others playing, while over in Philadelphia Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson were among the stars there (Phil Collins performed at both venues). U2 played an extended version of 'Bad' at Wembley, with Bono jumping into the crowd, and then pulling out a young woman in the packed front rows and hugging her. Bono on stage at Wembley Stadium during Live Aid 'As true as it was that I'm looking out for somebody slight in the middle of the crowd, I'm also very conscious that this is a TV broadcast, not just a show,' he recalls. 'Didn't end up playing the hit Pride In The Name Of Love, because the singer f**ked off into the crowd. The band wanted to fire me as a result. 'I just knew we were part of something... It began a journey for all of us from what you might call charity to what you might call justice.' The previous December the cream of British and Irish pop and rock were gathered together by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to bring out the Band Aid single. 'There were egos in the room, not a lot of women,' Bono wryly recollects. 'I was a little uncomfortable. You can tell that because I'm doing the shy thing, which is a dead giveaway. And then really relaxed Bob gives me the line. Fellow Dubliner Geldof, who came up with the idea for Band Aid and Live Aid, confirms the line in the famous song that he wanted Bono to sing at the time. 'Thank God it's them, instead of you mate, and he said 'are you sure this is what you mean?',' he remembers. Bono mischievously tells Geldof during the song's recording 'It's a hymn really, isn't it, far out Bob, you got there in the end,' to which Geldof retorts with a laughing scoff 'F**k off' The single in aid of African famine relief sold over one million copies in the UK, becoming the biggest-selling record ever in Britain. 'I'm Irish, Bob Geldof is Irish. We have a folk memory of famine. I said 'OK, I will attempt to be worthy of that cruel prayer',' states Bono. 'We thought like so many other people, 'this is a humanitarian crisis, and the problem is not an African or an Ethiopian one, it's a European and American one, with a tiny little distribution we can sort out the problem – this is not true. It was as an act of charity a masterful one.' Band Aid and Live Aid led to Bono and Geldof uniting to meet world leaders in a bit to get them to not only alleviate famine in Africa, but also clear debt and help the AIDS/HIV situation there. George W Bush recalls meeting the pair when president. 'Him and Bono came in, and Bono at least somewhat presentable, Geldof looked like he crawled out from beneath the ground,' he laughs. Before the meeting an aide asked him 'you do know who Bono is' and I said 'yeah, he married Cher'. 'I turned around and looked at his face and I could not tell if he was kidding, and I said, 'no that's Sonny Bono, who is dead,' remarks the aide. Bush was caught offside by Bono during their first meeting. 'In comes the great star Bono. He surprised me by giving me a bible. I don't think this was a way to make me like him, it was a way for him to share a part of his being. 'He made the case about people dying of AIDS, I had campaigned and told people a guiding principle of my administration was all life is precious, and we're all God's children.' Bono discloses why he gave Bush a Bible. 'I knew he was a man of faith and I thought he might enjoy this ancient Irish bible,' recalls Bono. 'I asked George Bush, 'is there a hierarchy to sin'. He gave me the best answer anybody ever gave and he said 'aw, the sin of omission'. The sin of omission (where people are too busy to think of others).' Geldof says of the U2 star: 'Bono and I are really good friends, and very close. By this time he was a global mega superstar, I wasn't,' he points out. 'He wants to give the world a great big house and want to punch its lights out.' The pair's perseverance led to billions of debt being wiped off African nations by G8 and European countries. Bono also recalls how U2 and Paul McCartney were meant to open Live 8 in 2005. 'Just before the start of Live 8, U2, we were in our dressing room. We close the door, had this prayer thing. Our manager, Denis Sheehan, God rest his soul, he knows nobody can come, it's a private moment,' recalls Bono, who adds they could hear a knocking on the door. 'No one answers the door. We finished the prayer. I asked Denis, 'what was that at the door'. He said 'oh, that was Sir Paul McCartney'. I went, 'Paul McCartney?'. I ran out, I go 'Paul!'. 'He said 'what were you doing?. I said 'we just have a little prayer moment, you know? One of those prayer moments?'. 'Why didn't you ask me?, if you'd asked me, I'd love to be part of it again, with me'.' The four band members and McCartney then formed a huddle outside the dressing room and said a prayer together. 'It was the most poetic prayer, and then we went on stage,' muses Bono.
