What's On the Box this week?

'The World Cup' (RTE 2/BBC 1, Friday, 1pm & 7pm) - Soccer fans are set for a feast of action this summer kicking off with coverage of the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa. RTE is broadcasting 56 live matches across 25 days. The first match of the tournament kicks off with the Group A teams hosts South Africa v Mexico in Johannesburg at 3pm. Darragh Maloney will be joined by John Giles and Graeme Souness with commentary from George Hamilton and Trevor Steven. This will be followed by another Group A live clash when Uruguay take on France in Cape Town at 7.30pm. Bill O'Herlihy will be joined by Eamon Dunphy, John Giles and Liam Brady to discuss the match highlights. Commentary by Stephen Alkin and Ray Houghton. Over on the Beeb, Gary Lineker presents live coverage of the Uruguay v France clash. France, the losing finalists in 2006, also made hard work of qualifying and needed a highly controversial win over Ireland in the play-offs to reach the finals. Can the 1998 World Cup winners come good on the big stage or will the hand of Henry come back to haunt them? _____________________________________________________________ 'Father & Son' (ITV, Wednesday, 9pm) - Dougray Scott joins Sophie Okonedo and Stephen Rea in a new four-part drama series co-produced by ITV and RTE. Written by the late Emmy Award-winning Irish writer Frank Deasy, it is set in Manchester and depicts the complexity of modern inner-city life where crime is now a global business, and where gun culture is an ever more entrenched part of everyday life. _____________________________________________________________ 'Animal Clinic' (RTE 1, Thursday, 7pm) - A new six-part series which follows the work at Ireland's largest animal hospital. The high-tech DSPCA clinic in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains provides emergency care for every kind of domestic and wild animal imaginable, from snakes to horses, cats to parrots; no living thing is turned away and every animal is given a chance at this busy charity, which has a dedicated team of 32 staff who work around the clock helping the 30,000 cases which go through the doors every year. Filmed over a year, this series follows the heartwarming and often heartbreaking stories of the animals and their carers. Each show will explore a wide range of animal cases, from abandoned pets in dire need of care and a new home, to injured hedgehogs, cats, dogs, horses and other creatures, great and small, requiring help to get back to full health. _____________________________________________________________ 'Peter André: The Next Chapter' (ITV, Thursday, 9pm) - The ex-Mr Jordan, Peter André, returns for the first episode of his new series. It's been a rollercoaster year, and when we last saw him, he was getting himself back on his feet and celebrating the success of his platinum-selling album 'Revelations'. Off the back of this success, this series sees André preparing to go back on the road for his first major tour in six years. He's also being interviewed for his new picture book which is due to come out later in the year - he'll be doing as well as herself soon. _____________________________________________________________ 'Rory Gallagher: Ghost Blues' (RTE 1, Thursday, 10.15pm) - Rory Gallagher is an undisputed guitar icon to rock and blues enthusiasts around the globe, and his contribution to rock music has had a significant impact on both musicians and music fans around the world from Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix. This documentary features rare tracks from his formative years. His music quickly attracted global critical acclaim and listed John Lennon among its admirers. Gallagher single-handedly spearheaded the Irish rock movement and, in the process, blazed a trail for other Irish rock bands including Thin Lizzy and U2. Despite his untimely death arising from complications following liver transplant surgery, Gallagher's musical legacy continues to grow and inspire, with posthumous books, platinum-selling albums and DVDs. There are also battalions of young 'tribute' bands worldwide keeping Gallagher's music alive. ____________________________________________________________ 'The PDs: From Boom To Bust' (RTE 1, Monday, 9.30pm) - A new two-part series charting the rise and collapse of the Progressive Democratic Party - the lifespan of which coincided almost to the day with the boom and bust of the Celtic Tiger era. A niche party at the heart of government for almost 13 of its 23 years, the PDs battled it out behind the scenes and were at the centre of power during the biggest boom in the history of the State, only to collapse as the economy imploded. Contributors include Mary Harney, Sam Smyth, Michael McDowell, Bertie Ahern, Pat Rabbitte, Charlie McCreevy and Dessie O'Malley. _____________________________________________________________ Movie Of The Week: 'My Best Friend's Wedding' (RTE 1, Friday, 9.35pm) - Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz are directed by PJ Hogan in a rom-com about Julianne Potter, a 27-year-old New York restaurant critic, whose life changes when she receives a call from her longtime friend Michael O'Neil. In college, the two made an agreement that if neither of them were married by the time they turned 28, they would marry each other. Four days before her 28th birthday, Michael tells her he is about to marry Kimberly Wallace, a 20-year-old University of Chicago student from a wealthy family. Cue chaos. Rupert Everett steals the show.