Francis Bacon: A Brush with Violence
9pm, BBC2
Since his death in 1992, Francis Bacon has come to be regarded as among the greatest of 20th-century British painters, his violently figurative artwork timelessly unnerving. He was also something of a Soho hellraiser, a “Lord Of Misrule”. This, however, was a facade, to protect his truer, more complex private self, as this revealing documentary shows. Contributors include Marianne Faithfull, Terence Stamp, Maggi Hambling and Damien Hirst. David Stubbs
Ninja Warrior UK
7pm, ITV
It is the final heat of Ben Shephard, Rochelle Humes and Chris Kamara’s obstacular spectacular, and so far this series there have been a few revelations. The vocation de jour for the participants seems to have moved on from “free runner” to “trainee stuntman”, while many of the comically costumed clods want little more than just to plummet poolwards on TV. Here, 50 further challengers join the race towards Mount Midoriyama in search of a semi-final place. Mark Gibbings-Jones
The Voice UK
8pm, ITV
The BBC may have Gary Barlow, but The Voice UK is winning the shiny singing show battle in terms of ratings, thanks to its big-name coaches and a charismatic presenter in Emma Willis. It’s the fourth round of blind auditions and with each coach’s team filling up, the contestants have to really fight to secure a spot. Jennifer Hudson has reinvigorated the panel with warmth and star quality so there’s likely to be a queue of crooners praying for a place on her team. Hannah Verdier
NCIS
8pm, Channel 5
A young navy seaman is found dead following a car wreck, but this is no normal road traffic accident. He’s got a crate of grenades in the boot, a big bag of cash and, rather gruesomely, his right eye has been gouged from his head. Even more curiously, the case is connected to a disgraced former NCIS man whom director Vance helped put away for stealing evidence years previously. So, in a rare return to the field, Vance joins Gibbs to help crack the case. Ben Arnold
Taboo
9.15pm, BBC1
This week, the Tom Hardy-starring show has its own gunpowder plot. Namely, if no one will sell it to him, can James find a way to synthesise it from cow dung, hazel ash and his own private supply of prostitute urine? Perhaps Mr Cholmondely, a kind of recreational chemist for the upper classes (an enjoyable appearance from Tom Hollander), may provide an answer. Certainly, it serves to break the less-than engrossing spell of hocus pocus seen in recent episodes. John Robinson
Tenko
7.10am, Drama
If the idea of a re-run for a 1980s BBC drama about European women imprisoned in a Japanese camp after the fall of Singapore brings forward ideas of jingoism, think again. For all that Tenko doesn’t exactly skimp on jailer brutality, it’s primarily an ensemble piece about surviving a drastic change in circumstances, given added power by the fact everyone looks so miserable, hot and exhausted – as you would. Ann Bell, Stephanie Cole and Stephanie Beacham lead the cast. Jonathan Wright
DB Cooper: Case Closed?
9pm, CI
Conclusion of a two-part investigation into one of the most audacious and baffling crimes in US history: the 1971 hijacking of a domestic flight by a man still known only by the alias “DB Cooper”. Upon receiving the $200,000 ransom and freeing his hostages, he ordered the plane back aloft, and parachuted into the night, never to be seen again. Film-maker Thomas Colbert and his team think they know who Cooper is – and, more to the point, where he is. Andrew Mueller
Film choices
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
(Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, 2016), 9.20am, 9.45pm, Sky Cinema Premiere
Ficarra and Requa, who wrote Bad Santa, show an equally irreverent streak in adapting journalist Kim Barker’s account of the war in Afghanistan. Tina Fey plays the similarly named Kim Baker, who is sent to report from Kabul because she’s the unmarried, childless one in the office. She’s embedded in General Billy Bob Thornton’s unit and is soon hooked on the thrill of combat. The laughs come as regularly as the explosions. Paul Howlett
The Monuments Men
(George Clooney, 2013), 9pm, Channel 4
Unlike the work of the team of US/Euro experts banding together here to rescue artwork pillaged by the Nazis, Clooney’s direction feels a bit shambolic, lost somewhere between a war movie and Ocean’s Eleven. Still, it rolls along in entertaining-enough fashion thanks to the stellar cast, which includes Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett and Hugh Bonneville. PH
The Sapphires
(Wayne Blair, 2012), 10.10pm, BBC2
If Apocalypse Now put the rock’n’roll into the Vietnam war, this loosely fact-based feelgood film adds the Motown soul. It starts in the Australian outback in 1968, at a talent contest where boozy Irish musician Dave Lovelace (Chris O’Dowd) becomes the manager of a four-girl Indigenous Australian band, converting them from country to soul and taking them to Saigon and onwards to entertain the GIs. It’s lots of fun and not oblivious to race issues, as well as sporting a cracking soundtrack. PH
Today’s best live sport
Australian Open Tennis 8am, Eurosport 1 The women’s singles final.
FA Cup Football: Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers 12noon, BT Sport 2 Fourth-round clash. Southampton v Arsenal follows at 5pm.
Anglo-Welsh Cup Rugby: Leicester v Northampton 2.45pm, BT Sport 1 East Midlands rivals face off.
Boxing: Carl Frampton v Leo Santa Cruz 1am, Sky Sports 1 WBA super featherweight clash.
