PICK OF THE DAY

THE TEACHER 9PM, CH5

★★★★

This new, four-part drama stars Sheridan Smith as Jenna Garvey, a popular teacher who is accused of having sex with 15-year-old pupil Kyle (Samuel Bottomley, right, with Smith). There’s no denying that Jenna leads a chaotic life – when we first meet her, she turns up at school in a taxi, still in last night’s clothes and reeking of booze. Even in that state, she’s still capable of flirting with colleagues, but would she actually sleep with a student? Smith is always great, and she’s well-suited to this complex character in a story that airs on consecutive nights.

HOPE STREET 2.15PM, BBC1

★★★ Charming daytime drama set in the pretty seaside town of Port Devine in Northern Ireland. Into this sleepy, closeknit community comes DC Leila Hussain, who is not only English, but the first Muslim police officer the locals have ever seen. There is learning to be done on both sides as this easy-to-watch series unfolds.

THE GREAT COOKBOOK CHALLENGE 8PM, CH4

★★★★

Jamie Oliver invites 18 cooks to his London headquarters for this new series, and one of them, after seven episodes, will walk away with a book deal. We meet six of this varied bunch in episode one – they range from a professional chef to a trainee surgeon and a retired teacher and actress.

THE RESPONDER 9PM, BBC1

★★★★

Police officer Chris (Martin Freeman) wakes up to a big decision in tonight’s new episode – will he hand in the drugs? And what will the consequences be if he does? What’s intriguing about this showisthatiseveryoneis under pressure, not just Chris, and we see the results of that in every scene.