PICK OF THE WEEK TV extra Elba: ‘It’s not fun making Luther, it’s depressing’

Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (STV, 9pm)

Here’s another first for her too: a New Year episode, rather than a Christmas one.

Question: which quiz is now in its 21st year? A) Mastermind, B) Pointless, C) Impossible, or D) This returning show. Chances are you don’t need to phone a friend, as the answer is, of course, this rebooted favourite. Over the next six nights, Jeremy Clarkson welcomes more contestants to the studio, all keen to answer 15 questions in the hope of winning £1 million.

Luther (BBC1, 9pm)

Settle down, Idris Elba fans. We know many of you thought that he would never return as DCI John Luther, but don’t panic because here he is, as large as life. It’s three years since we last saw him in a two-part special; this time we’re being treated to four whole episodes, being broadcast on consecutive nights so we can binge-watch. It seems that Luther hasn’t changed his clothes since 2015 either, but never mind, a man with so much to think about probably doesn’t concern himself much with washing and ironing. Instead he has to concentrate on working alongside new recruit DS Catherine Halliday (Wunmi Mosaku) on a case involving a series of indiscriminate killings. (See interview with Elba, right.)

Amazon: Earth’s Great Rivers (BBC2, 9pm)

For millions of people and animals, the planet’s rivers are a lifeline, so little wonder that this documentary proves to be a jewel in the crown of the Beeb’s New Year programming. It follows three of the world’s largest rivers, beginning with the Amazon, uncovering some of the latest finds, including the “Blue Lagoon” which is home to a newly discovered species of cichlid.

WEDNESDAY Bradley Walsh and Son: Breaking Dad (STV, 8pm)

In theory, Bradley Walsh and his son Barney are embarking on the ultimate bonding experience: a US road trip that will take them more than 2,000 miles from Los Angeles to New Orleans. The problem is that they have very different ideas about what makes the perfect holiday. While Bradley likes to relax, adrenaline junkie Barney, who was 20 at the time of filming, enjoys living life on the edge. To be fair, Walsh Jnr is trying to make the break a little easier for his father because in this first episode they pick up the 36ft, 7.5 tonne recreational vehicle that will be their home and Barney kits it out with a few of his dad’s favourite things, including Hob Nobs and an Arsenal duvet cover.

Tom Kerridge’s Fresh Start (BBC2, 8pm)

Tom Kerridge challenges eight families to ditch convenience food and cook from scratch at home, as he believes it will make them fitter, happier and healthier. In the opening episode, Tom meets the eight volunteer families for the first time and introduces them to the plan he wants them to follow for the next 12 weeks. The first step is simply to get the families to cook more, and he presents them with a starter pack of easy recipes and the ingredients for sausage and mash.

The Twinstitute (BBC2, 8.30pm)

Doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken put health theories to the test with the help of pairs of identical twins, revealing ways we can live a healthier life. Thanks to their matching DNA, identical twins are the perfect candidates for scientific comparison, so Chris and Xand use this principle to put contrasting health theories to the test. In the first episode, the doctors pit diet against exercise and analyse the results as they challenge twins to go head-to-head with contrasting regimes.

The Truth About Vegans: Channel 4 Dispatches (C4, 10pm)

New year, new diet? This January, many people will be considering ditching meat and dairy products