Happy Valley
9pm, BBC One
“Seven months, one week, three days.” Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire at her best) is counting down the days to her retirement . Luckily for us, that’s enough time for a third and final season of one of the best procedural dramas ever made. After a six-year absence, it starts with remains being found in the reservoir, which Catherine’s incarcerated nemesis Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) might be connected to. As the gripping crime story unravels, fans are reminded of Sally Wainwright’s fantastic writing of complicated characters – it’s a joy to see Catherine back to shooting the breeze with her sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) over cups of tea. Hollie Richardson
The Masked Singer
6.30pm, ITV
Jacket Potato! Rubbish! Pigeon! Knitting! Otter! Cat and Mouse! Welcome to another series of the most chaotic talent contest to hit our screens. 12 costumed celebrities will battle it out with the microphone, as Davina McCall, Rita Ora, Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan judge their performances and try to guess who is behind the masks. HR
Call the Midwife
8pm, BBC One
As season 12 opens, Heidi Thomas’s quietly groundbreaking drama continues to cover more ground than Nurse Corrigan on her bicycle, from cancer to canapés, DIY and domestic violence. First up, there’s an impressive welcome spread laid on for Nonnatus House’s new arrival, but sister Veronica isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Ellen E Jones
Taskmaster New Year’s Treat
9pm, Channel 4
Being forced to compete against Olympian Mo Farah and maths maven Carol Vorderman sounds like a stressful way to start any new year. But such is the capricious nature of Taskmaster that comic host Amelia Dimoldenberg, DJ Greg James and pop star Rebecca Lucy Taylor must feel like they could sneak a win in this chaotic one-off. Graeme Virtue
Romantic Getaway
9pm, Sky Comedy
In Romesh Ranganathan and Katherine Ryan’s new comedy-drama, a regular couple rob £500,000 from their unbearable boss (Johnny Vegas) in order to afford IVF treatment. It’s a fun concept with a poignant message (Ryan herself has experienced baby loss – something that needs to be explored with more nuance on screen), but a clunky script fails to raise many laughs. HR
When Motown Came to Britain
10pm, BBC Two
If it wasn’t for British enthusiast Dave Godin – who ended up on label boss Berry Gordy’s payroll – the name Tamla Motown wouldn’t exist. This documentary is full of similar examples of the mutually beneficial relationship between Black America and hipster Britain which culminated in a 1965 tour that blew minds from Newcastle to Bexleyheath. A fascinating insight into art’s ability to cross boundaries. Phil Harrison
Live sport
Premier League Football: Tottenham v Aston Villa, 2pm, Sky Sports Main Event At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Followed by Nottingham Forest v Chelsea at 4.30pm.
Premiership Rugby Union: Northampton v Harlequins, 3pm, BT Sport 1 At Franklin’s Gardens.
• This article was amended on 1 January 2023 because it is James Norton, not Edward Norton, who plays Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley.
