Wildlife cameraman Vianet Djenguet is used to capturing the most extraordinary sights. It goes with the territory, in every sense, when you work with Sir David Attenborough (Planet Earth III, Attenborough’s Life in Colour).

But for sheer magnificence in the moment, it is hard to imagine anything will ever match having a 39-stone gorilla stare straight at him, as happens in the documentary Silverback (BBC2, Sunday, 9pm).

The gorilla in question, named Mpungwe by officials at Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is three times the size of Djenguet and could easily smash the filmmaker to a pulp should he have a mind to.

For the next three months, Djenguet’s task is to convince this wild animal to trust him enough to get within seven metres without charging. Only at that point can the eastern lowland gorilla be considered “habituated” and safe to be near the tourists whose money funds the park.

There are two ways to habituate gorillas, we learn. The first is to follow the example of primatologist Dian Fossey, and Attenborough himself, and be submissive. The second approach, followed by the park and filmed for the first time here, is to be assertive. That means following the animals at close quarters and standing one’s ground if they charge.

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It is not for the faint-hearted, as we see when witnessing Mpungwe rush towards the cameraman and guards. It is a terrifying sight when you are sitting in the safety of an armchair thousands of miles away; heaven knows what it is like up close.

Djenguet has been fascinated by gorillas - perhaps enraptured would be a better word - since he was a boy growing up in the Republic of Congo. Their protection is a cause dear to his heart.

Yet as the 90-minute film goes on both he and the viewer learn that conservation is a far more complex business than it might first appear. There are no easy answers or simple trade-offs, particularly in a war-scarred country where many live on less than a dollar a day.

The father-of-two’s ability to see the bigger picture leads him to some moving conclusions about the plight of the gorillas, his own life, and humanity in general. A truly magical film.

Viewers in Scotland will have to wait an extra hour if they want to watch the drama Tell Me Lies (BBC, Tuesday, 11.40/12.30) with the rest of the UK. Failing that, the whole series is on iPlayer to watch at your convenience.

The tale opens with an engagement party that also doubles as a college reunion for Lucy and Stephen, star-crossed lovers from years ago. As the tale pings back and forth between party and the past we see how the pair came to be so entwined.

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How much you care largely depends on whether you fit the target audience for this teen drama. I must admit to tiring early doors at the exclamation mark peppered dialogue (“This is so exciting!”, “We love you!”). I also thought it was quite a gamble for writer Meaghan Oppenheimer to have such unlikeable lead characters in moody Lucy and arrogant Stephen.

That said, you can see how a younger audience might get hooked on the general glossiness, and the mix of first love and retro pop tunes reworked for a new age (in the first episode there’s a great version of Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love, sung by a woman).

Now this is more like it. Extraordinary Extensions (Channel 4, Friday, 8pm) is the latest in a very long line of property and home improvement shows, this one more relatable than some. Not everyone has the money, energy or patience for a Grand Designs-style new build, but adding to an existing home? Tell us more.

As the title suggests, host Tinie, “property developer and artist”, probably won’t be beating a path to your door with a camera crew if all you are doing is adding a downstairs loo. The new series takes him first to John and Heather Penn’s modern house in Warwickshire. Their planned extension will house a swimming pool, gym, treatment room, changing areas and places to chill. Basically, it’s a five star spa.

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“It’s like a mini Grand Canyon,” says Tinie as he surveys the whopping great hole that will house the extension. Adding to the complexity of the build, and the final price, is the liberal use of curves. “A nightmare,” says one of the builders as the latest piece of the architectural jigsaw is cajoled into place.

Tinie and the Penns stay cheerful as trials come and go. Between site visits the presenter tours some finished and fabulous extensions to see what’s possible with enough cash to spend.

Although Tinie keeps a keen and experienced eye on the money - every lorry load of rubble costs £300, crane hire at £1000 a day - the final cost of the Penn’s extension is not entirely clear. They, however, are delighted with the result. The rest of us can only dream.