TV tonight: David Baddiel gives cats the TV show they deserve | television

David Baddiel: Cat Man

8pm on Channel 4
Why are there no TV shows about cats? David Baddiel—the proud owner of Zelda, Tiger, Ron, and Pip—corrects this with a surprisingly poignant three-part ode to all things feline. First, he meets fellow cat fans Jonathan Ross (cat-dad to Badass Beccleson and Maude Ross) and Philippa Perry (cat-mum to Kevin). After that, it’s time to paddle with Bongo the tabby. And will Larry Downing Street – now 18 – let Baddiel take him along? Holly Richardson

Monte Don Rheinland Gardens

8pm on BBC Two
The Gardener embarks on a three-part journey along the mighty Rhine River, which takes him across six countries from the mountains to the sea. The views are great from outside, starting from a park in Switzerland – located 1,900 meters above sea level, it was formed after an avalanche in 1968 and is home to the rare edelweiss plant. Human resources

Mysterious Path: Origin

9pm on BBC Two
This downbeat, 2000-set take on the Australian crime drama Mystery Road continues to pique curiosity, albeit in a very slow way. The Loch Iris community is shocked by an unexplained death – Mary seems ready to write it off as an unfortunate accident, but Guy is usually skeptical. Phil Harrison

Jane MacDonald: From Pole to Pole

9pm on Channel 5
The luxury cruise diva arrives in South America on her epic journey north. In Uruguay, you eat authentic gaucho barbecue and have a few at a local vineyard. But it’s Brazil’s southeast coast that really impresses: “I feel like I’m at the beginning of Jurassic Park!” Graeme Virtue

Masterclass mission

At 10pm on Channel 4
In this edition of the so-called ‘educational’ show, Greg Davies delves into the Taskmaster archives to examine the state of comedy in contemporary Britain. It’s up to Little assistant Alex Horne to back up his findings with data, including a pun-based chart and the best clips from contestants Romesh Ranganathan and Mel Giedroyc. Ellen E. Jones

The Graham Norton Show

10.40pm, on BBC One
After Killer 2025, Erin Doherty returns for the second series of A Thousand Blows, which she talks about on the sofa. Sitting next to her is Martin Freeman, who stars in the remake of Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials. Olivia Dean provides live music. Human resources

Movie choices

The Ballad of Wallis Island (James Griffiths, 2025), 10:25am, 8pm, premiere on Sky Cinema
Britcom Full of the painful puns and awkward situations that are the trademark of its writer and star, Tim Key, James Griffiths’ film is a Marmite proposition. But its laid-back charm will draw you in, just as folk singer Herb (co-writer Tom Basden) is drawn to his time spent on the titular island owned by the wealthy Charles (Key). Herb was once in a romantic and musical partnership with Neil Carey Mulligan, who also made an unexpected appearance when Charles got the band back together for a private concert. But their reunion reveals Herb’s ongoing pain, which competes with widower Charles’s loneliness for the drama’s greater emotional impact. A heartwarming balancing act of funny and miserable. Simon Wardle

Rip (Joe Carnahan, 2026), Netflix
A cop thriller whose selling point is that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are playing together for the first time since 2023 Air. They play best friends and officers on a tactical Miami drug team – one a maverick, the other more rational but jaded. At the end of a shift, they receive a tip about drug money in a stash. But the operation is derailed by what they find there – and the suspicion of a corrupt cop in their unit, which includes Teyana Taylor and Steven Yeun. Director Joe Carnahan keeps the plot paced, while the lonely location builds tension. Southwest

Lollipop (Daisy May Hudson, 2024), 11pm, BBC Two
Ken Loach may be biding time in his career, but with the likes of Daisy May Hudson on the scene, his brand of working-class campaigning and cinema will certainly endure. Her first feature film is a devastating story about homelessness and its impact on a young mother released from prison and trying to regain custody of her children. Posey Stirling is lively as Molly, who finds herself in a bureaucratic bind where she needs a home to take her children back but can’t get a council house without them. Angry drama with a sprinkle of hope. Southwest

Live sports

Football Championship: West Brom vs Middlesbrough, 7:30pm, Sky Sports main event From hawthorn.