FOUR OF THE BEST
Unreported World Channel 4, 7.30pm
Ever heard of the ‘timber mafia’? Probably not, but they’re as ruthless as their name suggests. Violence towards people isn’t the name of their game – their assaults are on trees, as reporter Amelia Jenna discovers when she journeys to Romania to investigate the country’s illegal logging trade. Despite the EU launching legal action against the government that allows logging to happen in protected forests, it still continues, with conservationists often risking their lives to prevent it from happening.
Granite Harbour BBC1, 8pm
Hopefully a few loose ends will be tied up in the Aberdeen–based crime drama’s final episode, although it begins in chaos as Macmillan and Bart arrive at the scene of the car crash to discover that Lindo has disappeared with Mariam. He hides her at a safe house before returning to the station, but refuses to tell his colleagues where she is – he believes there’s a traitor in the ranks. Meanwhile, Grace embarks on her own investigation that forces a surprise confession, but there are more shocks waiting around the corner.
Hidden Treasures of the National Trust BBC2, 9pm
The latest episode focuses on the teams at Cliveden House in Berkshire and Polesden Lacey in Surrey, historic houses that have played pivotal roles in society for centuries. Cliveden’s most famous former resident is, arguably, Nancy Astor, who became the first female MP to take up her seat in Parliament. A portrait of her by John Singer Sargent hangs in the house, but it’s in desperate need of restoration, a process that may reveal something not only about the painting, but about its sitter too. Over in Surrey, there’s a chance to learn more about the renovations carried out a century ago by brewing heir Margaret Greville. She was also a collector of Faberge eggs, and keeping them in good condition is a delicate business.
Sue Perkins: Lost in Thailand Channel 5, 9pm
The second part of Perkins’ latest jaunt takes her to Phuket, Thailand’s largest island. She takes a look at the impact humans have made on the site, including the damaged to a delicate coral reef caused by litter. The comedian and presenter also visits a local wildlife sanctuary, which is helping the native gibbon population flourish. After that, she discovers Thailand’s importance to the rubber industry, tries her hand at a new watersport and is put through her paces by a passionate football team on Koh Panyi, an island built on stilts.