'Scenes From A Marriage' and 'Made In Chelsea': The 5 best things on TV, Monday 11 October

'Scenes From A Marriage' and 'Made In Chelsea' both start tonight. (Sky/HBO/Channel 4)
'Scenes From A Marriage' and 'Made In Chelsea' both start tonight. (Sky/HBO/Channel 4)

Hollywood stars Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac head to the small screen tonight on Sky for the much-anticipated remake of emotional drama Scenes From A Marriage.

Former footballer Paul Merson gives a raw and honest look at his gambling addiction in BBC One documentary Football, Gambling & Me, while Channel 5 continues its fascinating true crime run with The Abduction of Lesley Whittle.

Read more: What to watch on TV this autumn

It's a bumper night for reality fans on E4 as Made In Chelsea returns for a new series and Married At First Sight Australia reaches its first dramatic dinner party episode.

The best things to watch on TV on Monday, 11 October, 2021

Paul Merson: Football, Gambling & Me - BBC One - 9pm

WARNING: Embargoed for publication until 00:00:01 on 05/10/2021 - Programme Name: Paul Merson, Football, Gambling and Me (w/t) - TX: n/a - Episode: Paul Merson, Football, Gambling and Me (w/t) (No. n/a) - Picture Shows:  Paul Merson - (C) Little Gem Media Ltd - Photographer: Little Gem Media Ltd
Paul Merson reveals his gambling battle. (Little Gem Media Ltd) (BBC / Little Gem Media Ltd)

Anyone who saw former footballer Paul Merson's recent Good Morning Britain interview about his battle against gambling addiction will know how raw a subject it is for him.

Here, he gives a more detailed look at how gambling has affected his life, including the shocking fact that he has lost more than £7 million on betting.

Read more: Paul Merson talks gambling relapse sparked by lockdown

Merson, who now lives in a rented home after gambling away his savings for a house deposit during lockdown, looks at the questionable practices of gambling companies and meets other footballers who've lost millions.

The Abduction of Lesley Whittle - Channel 5 - 9pm

Reconstruction of Lesley Whittle
Lesley Whittle was abducted in 1975. (Channel 5) (ITN)

Channel 5 is carving out a niche for itself as the home of true crime documentaries and tonight's offering is particularly unsettling.

Lesley Whittle, 17, disappeared from her room during the night in 1975 with ransom notes left in her living room and was kept in a drainage shaft underneath a park, where she was later found murdered.

It later emerged that Donald Neilson, aka the Black Panther, had been responsible for her abduction and this documentary looks at what drove him to commit such a crime.

Married At First Sight Australia - E4 - 7.30pm

Married At First Sight 8
'Married At First Sight Australia's' couples are heading to their first dinner party. (Channel 4)

It's every reality TV fan's guilty pleasure and the latest series of MAFS Australia has not disappointed so far, with some big characters and bizarre matches.

The dinner party episodes are always the most dramatic of the week as the couples meet up to discuss each other's relationships fuelled by bottomless glasses of wine.

Read more: MAFS Australia season 8 - all you need to know

Series eight's first dinner party promises to be explosive, particularly as a couple of the brides have already managed to fall out at the hen night.

Scenes From A Marriage - Sky Atlantic - 9pm

Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain star in miniseries remake 'Scenes From a Marriage'. (Jojo Whilden/HBO/Sky)
Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain star in miniseries remake 'Scenes From a Marriage'. (Jojo Whilden/HBO/Sky) (JOJO WHILDEN)

Ingmar Bergman's 1973 Swedish classic gets a modern retelling with Hollywood stars Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac in the lead roles.

They play a married couple going through a tough phase of their relationship in this unflinching look at how their marriage changes over time.

Made In Chelsea - E4 - 9pm

Ep1.  James.
'Made In Chelsea' brings the drama for a 22nd season. (Channel 4)

The poshest reality TV crew are back for season 22 of the show about privileged Londoners and their luxurious lifestyles.

As usual for a series opener, they begin with a glamorous party - which of course turns sour as old rivals lock horns.

Watch: Made In Chelsea cast reveal filming secrets

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