Inside Culture with Mary Beard (BBC2, 7pm)
THE topical arts series is back and, to tie in with the US presidential inauguration, Mary Beard looks at the thorny issue of succession. Throughout history, many of those in power have taken part in what appears to be a democratic process, but is often anything but. Among those offering their views is Armando Iannucci, whose shows The Thick Of It and Veep have poked fun at political machinations. Beard then turns her attention to America, where she expects Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to have a huge impact on popular culture.
The Chasers Road Trip: Trains, Brains and Automobiles (STV, 9pm)
WE’VE seen many famous faces head out on to the road – Bradley Walsh and his son Barney can currently be seen touring Europe in Breaking Dad, while Gordon Ramsay, Gino D’Acampo and Fred Sirieix entertained us with their latest trip at Christmas. Now Anne Hegerty, Mark Labbett and Shaun Wallace embark on an international exploration, in which they pit their wits against child geniuses, great apes and robots.
Death in Paradise (BBC1, 9pm)
WILL Kelvin Fletcher get a chance to show us some dance moves when he guest stars in tonight’s episode? We’ll have to wait and see, but as comic-turned-musical star Jason Manford also pops up, he has someone on hand to provide the tunes. Fletcher plays Gavin, husband of lottery winner Cherry, who is found dead at her luxurious flat. Gavin and their friends are understandably horrified, but there’s worse to come when Cherry’s body appears to vanish into thin air.
Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green (C5, 9pm)
THE actor continues his 73-mile trek along the ancient landmark, setting off from Chollerford en route to Walton Crags, during which he learns how the Romans took care of themselves while so far from home. He also samples some local cuisine and visits the spa at Chesters Fort before checking out the latrines at Housesteads Fort. They may have been state-of-the-art in their day but probably wouldn’t pass muster now. Green also gets a chance to indulge in his favourite hobby, angling, before spending a night under the stars in Northumberland National Park.
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