Putin: The New Tsar, BBC 2, 9pm
HE may once have been a poor boy living in a tiny flat in St Petersburg but Vladimir Putin went on to become one of the world’s most powerful leaders. On the eve of his almost certain re-election as president of Russia, this documentary charts his rise, speaking to some of his inner circle, including Sergei Pugachev, who helped Putin to power before falling from favour. There are also contributions from former home secretary Jack Straw, who recalls Putin’s first meeting with Tony Blair, and former foreign secretary William Hague, who reveals how he bonded with the Russian leader over a shared love of judo but later found his influence only stretched so far.
Jane McDonald & Friends, Channel 5, 9pm
THE presenter and singer, who first found fame on the docusoap The Cruise, launches her new entertainment show. Belting out some of her favourite songs, she is accompanied by a live band and dancers, in front of an audience made up of some of her biggest fans. However, as the “& Friends” in the title suggests, it won’t be a one-woman show. Jane will be joined by some special guests, who in the first episode include singing superstars Alexander O’Neal and Shane Filan, formerly of boyband Westlife.
Rough Justice, More4, 9pm
THE latest foreign language series from Walter Presents is a Belgian detective drama starring Hilde De Baerdemaeker as Superintendent Liese Meerhout, who heads the homicide division of Antwerp’s police force and, in the grand tradition of TV cops, isn’t afraid to bend the rules to get results. In the first episode, the body of a journalist is found near the harbour, leading the team to suspect the involvement of a criminal network of smugglers.
Winter Paralympics Live, Channel 4, 12.30am
FOUR years ago in Sochi, Team GB had their best ever Winter Paralympics in modern times, winning six medals, but can they match or even better that record in PyeongChang in South Korea? Fllowing this morning’s opening ceremony, the action gets under way in the 12th staging of the Games, which will see 10 days of action in 80 events across six sports.
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