PICK OF THE DAY

Joanna Lumley’s Japan

9PM, ITV ★★★★ For a fascinating new, threepart series, our fabulous host travels the length of Japan’s islands, unlocking the secrets of the Land of the Rising Sun’s ancient past and its dizzying technological present. She starts in the chilly north, on the island of Hokkaido, where she coos over cranes and snow sculptures, before warming up in volcanic natural springs. Then, on Honshu, she bravely takes a trip inside the exclusion zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant, which went into meltdown after the 2011 earthquake. Next week: a change of pace, in Tokyo.

Countrywise: Guide To Britain

8PM, ITV ★★★ Liz Bonnin, Ben Fogle and guests embark on a new series that showcases Britain’s rural wonders. Here, Ben tours the Isles of Scilly, Liz visits Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, while guest presenter Victoria Pendleton is on a saddle of a different kind – the retired track cyclist joins the Household Cavalry on horseback in Norfolk.

Gardeners’ World

8.30PM, BBC2 ★★★★ The hour-long specials of the gardening show continue, and Monty Don has his secateurs at the ready to demonstrate how to tame unruly roses. Away from Longmeadow, Nick Macer visits a London garden that has two different microclimates, and Flo Headlam helps to transform grey urban areas in Bristol with vibrant foliage.

We Love Sitcom

9PM, BBC1 ★★★ Showing as part of the BBC’s celebration of home-grown comedy, this one-off game show is hosted by Ben Miller. Answering questions on TV sitcoms are four lively celebrity pairs – Jennifer Saunders and Julia Sawalha, Lee Mack and Nigel Havers, Stephen Mangan and Nina Wadia, and Chris Addison and Jessica Hynes.