Doctor Who

BBC One, 6.45pm

A wonderful episode - funny, exciting and strangely moving - as the Doctor continues his peacekeeping missions across the Universe. On this occasion, he intercedes between humans (led by a certain Captain Nutjob) and the splendid Hath, who are loveable creatures that communicate largely by blowing bubbles. But here's an odd thing. Along the way, the Doctor is reunited with his long-lost daughter (Georgia Moffett), who appears to have been the product of some sort of intergalactic immaculate conception. She and Dad have a lot of catching up to do, so Donna (Catherine Tate) steps up with a quick résumé. “He saves planets,” she explains, “rescues civilisations, defeats terrible creatures - and runs a lot. Seriously, there's an outrageous amount of running involved.”

Secrets of the Forbidden City

BBC Two, 7.30pm

It was an epic undertaking. The Forbidden City in Beijing, built by Yongle, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, is the largest palace in the world. It covers 190 acres - five times the size of Buckingham Palace - and has 9,000 rooms. One million people were involved in its construction. This documentary, which is sexed up with the usual Gilbert and Sullivan-style dramatisations, tells the story of this magnificent and merciless endeavour. It seems an unimaginable achievement - until you consider that half the world's steel and one third of its concrete are being used to transform modern-day Beijing. Then, as now, with the help of a centralised economy and a one-party state, the Chinese don't mess around.

The Comedy Map of Britain

BBC Two, 9.40pm

Chris Moyles revisits Radio Aire in Leeds; Richard Whiteley is eaten by ferrets, and Hale and Pace launch Yorkshire Airlines from Leeds- Bradford airport. (“This is Captain Boycott speaking. During the flight, we'll be flying at whatever height I like, for as long as I bloody like, 'cause I'm captain, right.”) Harry Corbett's son tells us that his father used to carry Sooty around in a box with air holes; and we learn what happened when a well-oiled cast filmed The Full Monty at a club in Sheffield. But it's the Sooty story, unfortunately, that sticks in the mind.

Love Soup

BBC One, 10.10pm

“How do you hang on to relationships,” wonders Tamsin Greig's character, “when practically everything in life seems to be conspiring against them?” A tricky one that, but here are a couple of helpful tips gleaned from tonight's programme. Do not spend hours on your own in the dark sitting in front of the computer poring over websites such as www.barelylegalbush.com. Whereas most things in life are forgivable, sympathising with US neoconservatism is not among them. And do not have anything to do with any character played by Mackenzie Crook. On this occasion, the actor plays a vile comedian questioned by the police for driving around with the dead body of a prostitute in the boot of his car. Oh, and one last thing: don't ever buy one of those rowing exercise machines.

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