The Serpent
9pm, BBC One
A Prophet’s Tahar Rahim stars in this thriller telling the true story of Charles Sobhraj (Rahim) and his girlfriend Marie-Andrée Leclerc’s (Jenna Coleman) crime spree throughout the “hippy trail” of Thailand, Nepal and India in 1975 and 1976. In this opening episode, we are thrown into a world of 70s silk suits and feathered hair as Sobhraj and Leclerc pose as jet-setting gem dealers, while Dutch junior diplomat Herman Knippenberg (Billy Howle) stumbles upon their crimes. Ammar Kalia
Doctor Who
6.45pm, BBC One
Revolution of the Daleks sees the mutants wheeling their way to Downing Street to be redeployed as defence drones. With the Doctor still in prison, it’s up to Yaz and the boys to deal with them, along with Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman at his cheeky best). And familiar baddie Chris Noth is also back. Hannah Verdier
Chitty Flies Again With David Walliams
7.30pm, Channel 4
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang enthusiast David Walliams helps celebrate the film’s 52nd anniversary by doing his very own Guy Martin and attempting to build a real-life flying car. Walliams recruits engineer Tony Hoskins to help with the nuts and bolts, as well as looking into the history of the film. AK
Taskmaster: New Year’s Treat
9pm, Channel 4
The magnificently foolish gameshow that has made winter Thursday evenings a little more bearable offers a new year special. Greg Davies will be demanding the impossible of a group of celebrities, including Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Nicola Coughlan and Rylan Clark-Neal. Phil Harrison
Mrs Brown’s Boys
10pm, BBC One
As a mammy who loves her family, Mrs Brown struggled with lockdown: “No hugs, no kisses, no touching … it was like being married again.” In the second festive special of Brendan O’Carroll’s sitcom, Cathy is struggling with a birthday and dotty neighbour Winnie gets a nasty surprise. Graeme Virtue
Frankie Boyle’s 2020 New World Order
10pm, BBC Two
Our cynic-in-chief Frankie Boyle is back for his usual scabrous roundup of the year’s political and cultural events, accompanied by comics Miles Jupp and Sophie Duker. No doubt there will be plenty to get stuck into for this 2020 edition, so be prepared to laugh your way through the trauma. AK
Film choice
Mr Holmes (Bill Condon, 2015), 6.20pm, BBC Two
Director Bill Condon and Ian McKellen reunite after the James Whale biopic Gods and Monsters for another poignant study of a cinema legend – the fictional Sherlock Holmes. McKellen’s sleuth is now a 93-year-old recluse, grappling with fading faculties and unwelcome memories of his final, disastrous case. Paul Howlett
Live sport
Big Bash cricket: Melbourne Renegades v Sydney Thunder, 8am, BT Sport 1 Coverage of the T20 match from Metricon Stadium, Carrara.
Premiership rugby union: Worcester Warriors v Harlequins, 7pm, BT Sport 1 From Sixways Stadium.
Premier League football, 7.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event A match from the English top flight.
