The Real Michael Jackson
9pm, BBC Two
Jacques Peretti fronts this one-off documentary analysing the life and increasingly troubled legacy of Michael Jackson. In the wake of the 2019 film Leaving Neverland’s allegations of paedophilia and sexual assault, and many of Jackson’s fans subsequently renouncing him, Peretti tries to paint an objective picture of Jackson’s rigorously disciplined upbringing, speaking to friends such as Donny Osmond and cultural critics including Margo Jefferson on the singer’s revised cultural status. The outcome remains murky. Ammar Kalia
Dispatches: Coronavirus – Can Our NHS Cope?
8.30pm, Channel 4
This timely instalment of the current affairs strand sees an A&E doctor, Saleyha Ahsan, put the NHS under the microscope at a time of unprecedented demand. As well as gauging fears over the provision of beds and ventilators, she examines the possible knock-on effects of the epidemic on non-coronavirus care. Graeme Virtue
Liar
9pm, ITV
Laura is determined to prove she is being framed for Andrew’s murder, but she doesn’t seem to be making much progress going up against the bulletproof DI Renton in the interview room. But this is a twist-packed series in which her allies Katy and Liam can bribe a security guard within minutes, so don’t write her off yet. Hannah Verdier
Putin: A Russian Spy Story
9pm, Channel 4
This week: Putin in power. Journalists, diplomats and dissidents recall how, having arrived in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin seemed vulnerable – before his KGB instincts kicked in and his enemies started disappearing. Alexander Litvinenko, the defector poisoned in 2006, is the British connection. Jack Seale
Scandal & Beauty: Mark Gatiss on Aubrey Beardsley
9pm, BBC Four
Provocateur of late 19th-century society, the artist Aubrey Beardsley shocked the public with his erotically charged prints and depictions of himself as an androgynous dandy. Lifelong fan Mark Gatiss analyses his legacy with the help of other admirers, including Stephen Fry. AK
Robbie Lyle: Football Fans Under Their Skin
10.45pm, ITV
The Arsenal supporter and founder of the YouTube fan channel AFTV Robbie Lyle presents this fascinating documentary on the continuing dangers of being a black football fan. With matches now be on hold, Lyle speaks to other fans about whether racism in football will ever be remedied. AK
Film choice
A Single Man, 1.20am, Sony Movies
Tom Ford’s directorial debut, adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s novel, is set in 1960s Los Angeles, where English academic George (a symphony in understated suffering from Colin Firth), tries to come to terms with the death of his partner. Hard-drinking pal Julianne Moore rallies round in a fine, affecting drama. Paul Howlett
