Bridget Riley: Painting the Line
9pm, BBC Two
“She moved art forward by about, I don’t know, 500 years, a thousand years – and nobody ever gave her the right credit for that.” Tracey Emin, and fellow fans such as Martin Freeman, wax lyrical about the revolutionary artist Bridget Riley in this comprehensive look at her legacy. There is illuminating archive footage dating back to the 1960s, and Riley herself speaks to Kirsty Wark, recalling the stories behind her seemingly simple black-and-white – and colourful – geometric shapes. Hollie Richardson
Children in Need 2021
7pm, BBC One
Danny Dyer presenting The Wall. Celebrities taking on Graham Norton’s infamous red chair. An I Can See Your Voice lip-sync challenge. These are some of the treats from this year’s live event to raise funds for disadvantaged children and young people. Alex Scott, Mel Giedroyc, Paddy McGuinness and Alison Hammond are just a few of the hosts on hand. HR
Unreported World: Girls Who Surf
7.30pm, Channel 4
Senegal’s first professional female surfer, Khadjou Sambe, and her group of female surfers are making waves against the country’s traditional expectations of women. Reporter Minnie Stephenson follows them as they face the intimidation of male surfers and opposition from their families. Will Sambe’s efforts to build a surf school pay off? HR
The Wild Gardener
8pm, BBC Two
Having recently inherited his childhood country garden on the east coast of Ireland, wildlife cameraman Colin Stafford-Johnson sets out to transform the overgrown tangle into a sanctuary for the natural world, in this new two-parter. “Lose those lawns – nature needs your garden!” he cries, as he encourages viewers to do the same and help the planet. Ali Catterall
Griff’s Great New Zealand Adventure
8pm, ITV
Comedian Griff Rhys Jones has the ultimate comfortable gig exploring New Zealand, starting at Cape Reinga in the north. But his journey is not without its challenges, as he finds himself sliding down Te Paki sand dunes and venturing to “The Hellhole of the Pacific” before treating a Māori tribe to a slightly unnecessary rendition of God Save the Queen. Hannah Verdier
Cobra: Cyberwar
9pm, Sky Max
Chaos reigns as this slightly ridiculous yet entertaining thriller, starring Robert Carlyle as an embattled prime minister, concludes. The UK’s critical infrastructure has been comprehensively paralysed by sophisticated malware and Kent is rubble. So why are traditional international allies refusing Britain’s calls for help? Phil Harrison
Film choice
Tick, Tick … Boom! (Lin-Manuel Miranda, 2021), Netflix
Before Rent, which only became a success after his early death in 1996, Jonathan Larson was a struggling New York composer of stage musicals. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s song-filled film is a vibrant adaptation – part staging, part fiction – of Larson’s one-man show about his attempt to get a sci-fi rock musical off the ground. Andrew Garfield plays Larson as an engaging, Tigger-like obsessive; he worries about turning 30, about his relationship, about the 90s Aids crisis, but mostly about emulating his Broadway idol, Stephen Sondheim. Simon Wardell
