Just you weight and see

THERE’S a new diet show on Channel 4 tonight called LOSE WEIGHT LIKE ME (8pm). Now, I know what you’re thinking.You’re thinking that we’re already awash with diet shows on TV at this time of year and do we really need another, no we don’t.

So may I just say two things? First, that this one is radically different, in that it’s hosted by Dr Sara Kayat and Jordan Banjo from Diversity – yes, quite – and features would-be dieters each following the example of a chosen “health hero”, as in someone who’s already, inspirationally, shifted lots of weight.And second, yes, you’re right, we don’t, do we?

So let’s flick to BBC2 where Chris Packham and his gang are back with a new series of WINTERWATCH (8pm), going out nightly-ish for a fortnight-ish.

I say “his gang” but actually there’s a crucial member missing. Michaela Strachan was meant to be based once more at Tentsmuir in Fife, catching up with its seal pups and suchlike.

But Strachan’s ended up having to sit this series out, owing to the fact she lives in South Africa, which has made things insurmountably tricky right now for tiresomely obvious reasons.

She’ll at least be calling in tonight for a chat – with Chris, not the seals, disappointingly – but other than that it’ll be down to Chris, Iolo Williams, Gillian Burke and Co. to hold the fort.

Iolo is in Powys, at the Centre for Alternative Technology, Gillian is in South Yorkshire, at RPSB Old Moor, and Chris himself is in the

New Forest, “watching winter transform his home”, which is probably a much safer bet than asking Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen to do it.

Also tonight, FIRST DATES is back (Channel 4, 10pm), but at a new restaurant, in Manchester. Among those looking for love is 69-year-old ladies’ man Winston, a former roadie.

Will Winston hit it off with 37-year-old Lithuanian spa therapist Kristina? God, let’s hope not, considering Kristina’s sat at another table, dating 43-year-old car salesman Billy. Winston’s date is 60-year-old Donna.

Elsewhere, will Ben Fogle hit it off with the former HR executive Rauri, the chap who he’s off to hang out with in this week’s episode of NEW LIVES IN THE

WILD (Channel 5, 9pm)?

It’s not the end of the world if he doesn’t, since Ben hasn’t exactly travelled to the, er, ends of the Earth to meet him, Rauri’s home being off the coast of Northern Ireland.

But it’s still not the easiest of journeys, taking him to the incredibly ruggedly remote island of Rathlin.

The population of Rathlin is just 150, although admittedly this fails to take into account the fact that Rauri’s home is haunted.