Wednesday evening's television schedule offers a delightful mix of returning comedy, insightful documentaries, and globetrotting adventures, providing the perfect antidote to the January chill.
Comedy and Espionage Collide in Black Ops
The hugely popular and delightfully silly sitcom Black Ops makes its welcome return to BBC One at 9.30pm. The show stars the brilliant Gbemisola Ikumelo and Hammed Animashaun as the endearingly hapless duo, Dom and Kay. Former police community support officers, they have now officially joined the ranks of MI5, though their positions remain decidedly junior.
In the new series, the pair navigate the peculiar world of intelligence with their trademark charm and confusion. Kay finds himself dealing with an overly enthusiastic white colleague, while Dom is smitten by a more senior agent from the upper echelons of the service. Their misadventures promise more of the show's signature, likable humour.
Documentaries: Health, Lifestyle and Spanish Style
For those contemplating a post-festive health kick, Channel 5 presents The 1970s Diet: Could It Work for You? at 7pm. This Morning presenter Josie Gibson leads the experiment, exploring the wellness trends of the disco era. Viewers can expect a retro-inspired dance class and even a modified fish-and-chip supper as part of this nostalgic look at getting fit.
Later, at 8pm on Channel 4, Dr Rangan Chatterjee investigates the UK's reliance on medication in Live Well With the Drug-Free Doctor. With nearly 25 years of NHS experience, Dr Chatterjee meets individuals who have improved their wellbeing through lifestyle changes rather than pills, starting with a woman managing chronic pain through innovative therapy.
Also at 8pm, but on Channel 5, the ever-stylish Michael Portillo begins an amiable new eight-part series, Spain With Michael Portillo. The former Tory minister explores his father's homeland, starting in Barcelona. His journey includes sampling the city's finest vermouth, purchasing a pair of "sexy, elegant" espadrilles from the very shop that supplied Salvador Dalí, and showcasing his Spanish language skills.
Evening's Other Highlights
Animal lovers are catered for at 8pm on U&W with a new series of Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake. The big-hearted presenter returns to an animal shelter, where his first shift back involves caring for six rescued chihuahuas and a pregnant pug named Coco.
As the night draws on, BBC Two at 10pm hosts the final season premiere of the critically acclaimed mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows. The vampire comedy, starring Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou and Kayvan Novak, sees the return of a character from a decades-long "Super Slumber," with predictably chaotic and hilarious consequences.
For film aficionados, Sky Cinema Greats offers a classic at 10.55am: Sidney Lumet's masterful 1975 crime drama Dog Day Afternoon. The film features Al Pacino and John Cazale as Sonny and Sal, two inept bank robbers whose heist spirals into a media-frenzied hostage situation, based on astonishing true events.
