TV highlights

'Knuckle' (RTE 1, Sunday, 9.30pm) - 'Knuckle' takes us into this secretive Traveller world, a world of long and bitter memories and a history of violent clashes between rival clans, which has sometimes resulted in death. The film seeks to find out the real motives behind these feuds. Chronicling a history of violent feuding between rival families, the film follows James Quinn McDonagh and his younger brother, Michael, as they fight for their reputations and the honour of their family name. In this epic journey, shot over 12 years, the action starts with a bare-knuckle fight in a quiet Irish country lane in 1997 and culminates a decade later in a major fight planned to take place near Luton, England. in 2007. The film follows the fighting life of McDonagh, unbeaten against his opponents, a fight organiser and hero to his family. Now at the end of his boxing career, James trains the younger men of his family and referees fights for other Traveller families. His younger brother, Michael, is in intense training for a rematch against 'Big' Paul Joyce, a top fighter from the Joyce family. An unpredictable character and keen to prove himself, Michael hopes to mend his reputation after being disqualified in a previous fight against Paul Joyce nine years before in 1999. _____________________________________________________________ Baka: A Cry From The Rainforest (BBC 2, Friday, 9pm) - Phil Agland revisits the Baka Pygmy family he filmed 25 years ago in his Bafta-winning documentary 'Baka - People Of The Rainforest'. Agland explores how life has changed for the new generation: the children of the old film are now parents; Camera, who was born at the end of the first film and named after Phil's film camera, now has a seven-year-old daughter, Ambi. Camera's brother, Ali, also has a young daughter, who is disabled. For the first time, the Baka watch themselves in the original film on a huge screen in the forest. Seeing how their parents used to live prompts an epic journey deep into the forest to rediscover the old life of their fathers. The story that unfolds is a tragic one of a family caught helplessly between the world of the forest and the outside world that rejects them. But it is also a story of redemption inspired by the children, especially Ambi, who attends school for the first time. _____________________________________________________________ 'Lucian Freud: Paimnted Life' (BBC 2, Saturday, 9pm) - Considered the greatest realist artist since the Second World War, Lucian Freud agreed to this landmark documentary only months before he died in July 2011. Broadcast to coincide with the long-awaited exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery in February 2012, the film explores Freud's life and work, from his childhood escape from Hitler in 1934, through the bohemian early years in '50s and '60s London, to international adulation in old age. Today Freud's reputation continues to grow. Vast crowds attend his exhibitions and his masterpiece, 'Benefits Supervisor Sleeping' (nicknamed 'Big Sue') sold in 2008 for a record-breaking $34m. Fiercely intelligent, Freud commanded great loyalty and affection from his friends, family and lovers. After his death, they have spoken, often for the first time, to tell the extraordinary story of a man who dedicated his life to painting portraits at a time when painting, let alone realist painting, was said to be dead. _____________________________________________________________ 'Upstairs, Downstairs' (BBC 1, Sunday, 9.30pm) - Written and created by Heidi Thomas, the much-anticipated second series returns, starring Jean Marsh, Keeley Hawes, Ed Stoppard and Alex Kingston. It is now September, 1938. Sir Hallam is anxious about affairs in Germany and determines to persuade those in power that Hitler can't be contained. But when he is met with short shrift from his superiors and sees his wife's concern over what the possibility of another war might mean for their young family, Hallam is forced to consider whether his approach is the right one…and when he meets an unexpected face in Germany he begins to question more than his political beliefs. Downstairs, with Rose taken ill with TB, the staff welcome spirited new maid, Beryl, who catches Harry's eye. But Beryl struggles to adjust to life in service and has greater ambitions. _____________________________________________________________ 'The Republic of Telly' (RTE 2, Monday, 10.20pm) - 'Republic of Telly' returns for a new series with presenter Dermot Whelan joined by Jennifer Maguire and Bernard O'Shea. To start off the season, the show will be premiering their new music video for Carlow rappers, Brendogg & Bolsak. The Real Republic Returns and features Bressie, as he takes over from Dermot for the show. Returning this series are show favourites, Martin Muff, who is still looking for a woman; Darby the Leprechaun will be the first Irish astronaut to go into Space; Damo and Ivor show us how to party, and Handy Sandie will be reporting from Cork. Celebrities making an appearance this season are Ryan Tubridy, Bressie, Caroline Morahan, Baz Ashmawy, John Creedon, Kathryn Thomas, chef Stuart O'Keeffe and Daniella Moyles, _____________________________________________________________ Movie Of The Week: 'The Devil Wears Prada' (RTE 1, Wednesday, 9.35pm) - Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep co-star in this tale of a naive young woman who comes to New York and scores a job as the assistant to one of the city's biggest magazine editors, the ruthless and cynical Miranda Priestly. A great book almost makes the perfect leap to screen - but it's worth the watch for Streep's fine performance as the boss from hell.