TV preview: Trollied, Vogue Williams, The Only Gay in the Village and more

This week’s Reality Bites film from RTE looks at what it’s like for young LGBT people growing up in small-town Ireland

The Airport Up in Knock
Monday, UTV Ireland, 8pm
We've had all sorts of airport-based reality TV series recently, but this one promises to be quirkier – and holier – than the rest as it follows the day-to-day goings-on in the Co Mayo hub, which is celebrating 30 years in business this year. This six-part documentary will take us behind the scenes at the airport and introduce us to the technical, administrative and catering staff, who keep everything running smoothly and on schedule. Ireland West Airport Knock has defied the non-believers and become a success over the past 30 years, and the series follows the planned anniversary celebrations and the preparations for the visit of US vice-president Joe Biden.

Trollied
Monday, Sky 1, 9pm
It's another trundle down the aisles of Valco supermarket for the sixth series of of the Sky One comedy. The new area manager for Valco has been chosen, and store manager Gavin is left reeling by the news. He decides to introduce healthier foods onto Valco's aisles, but arrogant sales rep Duncan is pushing a range of "pleasure foods".

Vogue Williams: On the Edge
Tuesday, RTÉ 2, 9.30pm
New four-part series which sees the Irish model exploring the issues that affect young millennials, including body dysmorphia, synthetic drugs and social anxiety. In the first episode, Williams meets the transgender warriors, young people who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. It's known as gender dysphoria, and it's on the increase around the world. She meets 26-year-old "transman" Jack Murphy, from Ringsend, and 10-year-old Matt, who was born a girl and is due to start hormone-blocking drugs to prevent the onset of puberty. She also visits one of the world's biggest gender identity conferences, which is taking place in Seattle.

My Mother and Other Strangers
Tuesday, RTÉ One, 10.15pm
When a US airbase lands smack dab in the middle of a rural community in Northern Ireland during wartime, the scene is set for some serious home battles. This a new drama series, written by filmmaker Barry Devlin based on his own childhood in Northern Ireland, centres on the Coyne family, who are dealing with the arrival of a US army air force base in their parish during the second World War. With 4,000 US servicemen suddenly running loose in the parish, sparks are bound to fly, and when Rose Coyne (Hattie Morahan) embarks on an affair with the handsome Captain Dreyfuss (Mad Men's Aaron Staton), her marriage to Michael (Owen McDonnell) is put under enormous strain.

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The Only Gay in the Village
Wednesday, RTÉ 2, 9.30pm
This week's Reality Bites film looks at what it's like for young lesbian, gay and bisexual people growing up and getting by in the small towns and villages around Ireland. Among those taking part are Roscommon farmer Will Keane, who never told his father he was gay, 17-year-old Shauna Keane, who is steeling herself to face the guests at her brother's wedding, and gay Traveller Oein De Bharduin.

Kevin Courtney

Kevin Courtney

Kevin Courtney is an Irish Times journalist