Colosseum
9pm, BBC Four
This series, a mixture of talking-head historians and reconstructions, isn’t without its cheesy moments. But it is also a graphic insight into the reality of ancient Rome. “The Roman people were connoisseurs of violence,” says Dr Patrick Wyman. The Colosseum was built to stimulate and satisfy that bloodlust. It is far from the idealised story we are used to – instead, it is a horrific tale of brutality and dehumanisation. Phil Harrison
Celebrity MasterChef
9pm, BBC One
“If all else fails … I’ll make a lasagne.” Five new faces enter the fray: R&B empress Jamelia, pop pinup Samantha Fox, Rudimental vibes-master Locksmith, operatic ad-man Wynne Evans and salty drag queen Cheryl Hole. That’s a lot of singers in one kitchen, but will any of their suppers impress John and Gregg? Graeme Virtue
Kate Garraway’s Life Stories
9pm, ITV
The last in the clips’n’chat series charts the life of comedian and actor Omid Djalili, whose upbringing in a chaotic Iranian immigrant household and bumpy academic career provide plenty of entertainment in the early exchanges. His varied career is the happy ending. Jack Seale
The 1970s Supermarket
9pm, Channel 5
A story of questionable progress in this series that explores Britain’s metamorphosis from Napoleon’s “nation of shopkeepers” to a nation of megastores. It also explains that this transformation went hand in hand with a craze for convenience food (presenter Chris Clarke can’t resist whipping up some Angel Delight) and the rise of the home freezer. PH
The Bold Type
9pm, BBC Three
Before stealing the second season of The White Lotus, Meghann Fahy started out in this fun, feminist drama. She plays fashion stylist Sutton, who works at a New York City fashion mag with her pals Jane and Kat, who have just been promoted by their formidable editor, Jacqueline. Hollie Richardson
Annika
9pm, Alibi
Another marine homicide case for Nicola Walker’s dry DI Annika Strandhed, whose penchant for breaking the fourth wall is stimulated this week by a trip to Edinburgh and a chance to ponder Walter Scott’s Waverley. The reason for her visit is grimmer: a released prisoner has washed up under the Forth Bridge in a dog cage. PH
