The Secret Life of Books: Edward Lear’s Nonsense Songs
8pm, BBC4
Blinking owlishly behind his spectacles, that old pussycat Nicholas Parsons explores the life of Lear, the writer and artist who forged a half-joyful, half-melancholy type of illustrated verse he dismissively called “Bosh” (and whose depictions of parrots David Attenborough considers among the most accurate of the 19th century). Julia Donaldson and Ralph Steadman attest to his genius, while the Open University’s Dr Shafquat Towheed explains why Lear was “the first multimedia poet”. Ali Catterall
The Muppets
8pm, Sky1
Should a TV show should grow old with its audience? Can you turn a kids’ show into something else? Those are the questions faced by The Muppets: no longer a parade of cute characters and special guests, but a comedy mockumentary in which Miss Piggy hosts a chatshow and the others work for her. It’s a cute way of keeping the essential principles of the show intact (chiefly Piggy the diva), and some of the ideas are fairly amusing, but there aren’t as many actual jokes as you might hope for. John Robinson
The Celts: Blood, Iron and Sacrifice with Alice Roberts and Neil Oliver
9pm, BBC2
The final instalment of this fine, three-part study reflects on the demise of the Celts as a thriving, conquering culture and the start of their rebirth as a cornerstone of British national mythology. The key event here is the revolt against Roman occupation, led by Boudicca circa AD60, but Roberts and Oliver are careful not to circumscribe the Celts as ornery marauders, extending due recognition to a legacy of art and design. Andrew Mueller
SAS: Who Dares Wins
9pm, Channel 4
While shows such as The Island With Bear Grylls are definitely no picnic, the watermark for challenging reality shows has reached a new high. As the title suggests, this latest offering takes a group of civilian blokes and puts them through the training regime undertaken by special forces: sleep deprivation, interrogation et al. With as much emphasis placed on measured mental resilience as physical fitness, simply being the fastest or fittest isn’t the way to win this race. Mark Gibbings-Jones
Britain’s Most Shameless Mum
9pm, Channel 5
One-off doc following Cheryl Prudham from Kent, a pregnant mum of 11 branded a “baby machine” by the tabloids. As well as the £40,000 a year in benefits she and husband Rob collect, she also wants a caesarean on the NHS. As is the norm with this sensational style of programming, the focus is mainly on the pair’s spendthrift ways and questionable work ethic. However, as food bank use soars and benefits are cut nationwide, is it not crass to highlight such an extreme and uncommon example of abusing the system? Hannah J Davies
Saving the Cyber Sex Girls: Stacey Dooley Investigates
9pm, BBC3
The first of two new programmes on the abuse of girls worldwide focuses on the Philippines’ burgeoning cyber-sex industry. Thanks to an internet boom, prostitution there is moving online, while there’s a proliferation of child pornography created for international audiences. It’s a grisly trend many maintain is motivated by poverty, but one that a local journalist blames on frighteningly casual attitudes to sex work. Dooley, as ever, proves an intrepid reporter, but one who offers frustratingly little analysis. Rachel Aroesti
Fargo
10pm, Channel 4
In a clever setup for season two of Noah Hawley’s Fargo, we’re transported to 1979, where we meet the young Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson, played by Keith Carradine in the first series), father of Molly, season one’s hero. It could be that this is the case that made Lou jack in a police career to run his diner, after a hapless dolt from a prominent crime family (Kieran Culkin) causes blood-drenched mayhem. A strong start and a dazzling cast, including Ted Danson, Kirsten Dunst, Nick Offerman and Jesse Plemons. Ben Arnold
Film choice
The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sidney Lanfield, 1939) 3pm, TCM
A classic Sherlock Holmes, featuring the legendary pairing of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. It may be a rickety B-movie, but you can almost taste the fog and the suspense as the great detective and his stalwart friend hunt the hound from hell, the curse of the Baskerville clan, across the menacing moors. Superb. Paul Howlett
Today’s best live sport
Tennis: The Erste Bank Open Day one of the ATP 500 event from Vienna, won last year by Andy Murray. 10am, Sky Sports 3
Premier League: Swansea City v Stoke City Top-flight clash from the Liberty stadium. 7pm, Sky Sports 1
Cycling: Six Day London Day two of the track event. 8.30pm, British Eurosport
American football: Philadelphia Eagles v New York Giants An all-NFC East clash brings week six to a conclusion. 1.15am, Sky Sports 1
