Placido Domingo Gala
7.30pm, BBC4
The great Spanish tenor turned 70 in January, and his home town of Madrid decided that a cake wouldn't be sufficient. The Teatro Real was booked, the queen of Spain invited, and a roster of stars importuned, including Bryn Terfel, Dolora Zajick and René Pape. The programme includes works by Verdi, Wagner, Mozart and Puccini, and the premiere of a new piece by Tan Dun. This may cause palpitations in traditionalists – it calls for the orchestra to sing, stamp and chant, as well as play their instruments – but should sound suitably celebratory. Andrew Mueller
Christy Moore Live
9pm, BBC4
For those not watching Comic Relief tonight, there are politely slim pickings on the other channels, though this dedicated Irish folk night is one of the best options. There's a live concert from Christy Moore, filmed in Glasgow in 2008. Moore appears again in Folk Hibernia at 10pm, helping to tell the story of the revival of Irish folk music, with contributions from Shane MacGowan, Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners, and Paddy Moloney of the Chieftains, plus there's a collection of archive performances in Folk Hibernia At The BBC at 11.30pm. Rebecca Nicholson
True Blood
10pm, FX
Sookie's mysterious powers, the ones involving shooting spark-like lights out of her hands when under pressure, rather than curling up in a ball and crying, are finally explained. Like most of Sookie's storylines, they are not quite as good as the show thinks they are. On to more exciting things, as Nan Flanagan publicly decries King Russell in the wake of his gruesome public dispatching of the newsreader, while Arlene tells Terry the truth about the baby, Jessica and Hoyt are cute together again and there's a flashback to Sam's not-so-wholesome past. RN
Comic Relief 2011
7pm, BBC1
Another laughable (in a good way) telethon from Richard Curtis and friends hosted by Fearne Cotton, Jonathan Ross et al, and featuring sketches and silliness from James Corden, the cast of Outnumbered, Miranda Hart, Harry Hill, Steve Coogan and Armstrong & Miller to name but some. Most exciting-sounding is a Downton Abbey spoof featuring Ade Edmondson, Victoria Wood, Kim Cattrall, Harry Enfield and Joanna Lumley. And the special Red Nose Day edition of MasterChef, which will, if there's any justice, feature Gregg and John trying to perform simple tasks while contestants tut smugly. Julia Raeside
Planning Outlaws
7.30pm, Channel 4
No Mr Blake, you can't build Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land – not without contacting the local planning authority, or mummifying yourself in red tape first. In Melody Howse's exceedingly British film, we meet Planning Outlaws who say no to all that palaver, and people such Mr Gulzar, whose 6ft stone lions are causing no end of bother on Pevensey marshes. Ali Catterall
African Railway
9pm, BBC2
Stranded in the African bush when his train breaks down, journalist and film-maker Sean Langan watches as an elephant meanders past, just yards ahead. "Apparently, if you remain silent, they rarely stampede." Cue a man noisily trying to kick-start the engine. The Chinese-built Tazara railway (AKA The Freedom Railway), running from Zambia to Tanzania, "once carried the hopes and dreams of post-independence Africa", but is now in financial meltdown. Riding through spectacular scenery, Langan meets those struggling to keep it on track. AJC
