PICK OF THE DAY

COMIC RELIEF 2021

7PM, BBC1 ★★★★★

The brilliant fundraising event is back. It’s hosted by Lenny Henry (right), who is joined in the studio by Davina Mccall, David Tennant, Alesha Dixon and Paddy Mcguinness. You can expect fun sketches, smashing live performances and surprises across three hours. After this, switch to BBC2 for a special musical extravaganza on Later...

With Jools Holland (10pm) and then back for The Great Comic Relief Prizeathon show (10.45pm), in which hosts Jason Manford and Amanda Holden will help some lucky viewers at home to win big.

KATE HUMBLE’S COASTAL BRITAIN

8PM, CH5 ★★★ Captain Cook is one of our most famous explorers, but did you know he used to live in a cottage in the fishing village of Staithes? Kate learns more as she ambles round Yorkshire. She also meets a jeweller who uses a gemstone beloved in Queen Victoria’s reign, and sees where First World War ship Rohilla ran aground.

GARDENERS’ WORLD

9PM, BBC2 ★★★★

Spring has almost sprung at Longmeadow as a new series begins, and Monty Don is excited to start growing his vegetables. We meet the curator behind Clumber Park’s epic rhubarb collection of more than 100 varieties, and we see how a shady Leeds yard has been transformed magically with containers.

RUSSIA VS THE WORLD

9PM, CH5 ★★★

Vladimir Putin’s Russia seems to be a mainstay of our news bulletins, so how did it become the state it is today? Fiona Shaw narrates this interesting special that goes back to its origins – taking in Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great and Lenin, among others – to learn how the way was paved for Putin to take control. TJ