PICK OF THE DAY

THE YORKSHIRE VET 8PM, CH5

★★★ The vets who treat all creatures great and small are back for an incredible 14th series. As we return, Julian Norton and his wife, Anne (below), are about to open their new practice in Thirsk, the town where the great vet James Herriot once had his practice. Their first patient is pregnant basset hound Gina, who is immediately rushed to theatre for surgery. We also get to see the future of farming when young vet Shona visits a very modern dairy farm where robots do a lot of the work. There, one of the herd’s computerised collars has picked up on a problem, and

Shona has to act fast.

FREEZE THE FEAR WITH WIM HOF

9PM, BBC1 ★★★

Lee Mack hits all the right notes as host of the coldest challenge show on television, gently ribbing the celebrities as, every week, they are pushed to their limits in the Italian snow. This time, that involves facing a powerful man-made blizzard in nothing but their swimwear – good job Alfie Boe hit the gym before he arrived! And then, we are introduced to a surprise visitor that’s close to Wim’s heart.

LIFE AFTER LIFE 9PM, BBC2

★★★★ Part two of this beautifully crafted drama, and Ursula visits a psychiatrist to help with her dark thoughts, disturbing dreams and the feeling that she’s been here before – which, of course, she has. This episode also features the joyous arrival of Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay as Aunt Izzie (below), who proves a constant source of

help throughout Ursula’s many lives.

DERRY GIRLS 9PM, CH4

★★★★

This series just keeps getting funnier and funnier, which makes it even sadder that there are only three episodes to enjoy after this one before the series comes to an end for good. This week, there’s a huge buzz in the Quinn household as preparations are made for the annual day trip to Barry’s amusement park in Portrush. What follows is a hilarious adventure that involves a delayed train, a bag of stolen cash, a gun, a surfboard and an infeasible amount of sandwiches. But the highlight is the waiting room scene – Clare has to sit with Sister Michael and listen while the woman behind the ticket counter discusses her love life in graphic detail. It’s excruciating!

NOUGHTS + CROSSES 10.40PM, BBC1

★★★

This bold adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s young-adult novels is set in an alternative Britain, where black Africans are the ruling class and white Britons are seen as the underclass. It’s a thought-provoking story that challenges ideas of race relations, so it’s a shame the second series is tucked away in a late-night slot. All episodes, though, plus the first series, will be available on BBC iplayer after the first episode.