The Sound of Musicals (9pm, Channel 4)

Even if you’d paid for a front row seat for the West End musical Top Hat, you wouldn’t have got to see its star Tom Chambers in a G string. But you do in this documentary which has been given an all access pass to the dressing rooms. And what an exhibitionist lot these musical theatre people are. 

In week three, this doc asks the question, how do you make sure that a show remains successful when your stars leave or get sick? 

“Saturday will be Tom’s last performance,” explains producer Kenny Wax, “and we need to find a replacement who’s going to do the show justice.”

What? Before Saturday?! you’re probably thinking. But naturally, they’ve already got a new star up their sleeve – Gavin Lee who’s been playing Bert in Mary Poppins for years. 

He’s a fantastic actor, singer and dancer – but he was never in Holby, or Strictly, so will he still pull in the punters?

We also catch up with first-time producer Amy Anzel who’s still trying to cast her Happy Days musical (it’s a no from Olly Murs, Jonathan Wilkes and the McFly boys)  and Amy’s still working as a presenter on QVC the Shopping Channel to pay  the bills. Despite the fact that she doesn’t have a cast or a show, Amy is having to sign contracts to book regional theatres a year in advance and she could lose a fortune if her gamble doesn’t pay off.

Meanwhile, back at Top Hat an unknown gets sprinkled with stardust – the kind of dream-come-true story that theatrical magic is made of.

Celia (Anne Reid) and Alan (Derek Jacobi) in Last Tango In Halifax
Celia (Anne Reid) and Alan (Derek Jacobi) in Last Tango In Halifax

Last Tango in Halifax (9pm, BBC1)

This is why housework is a mugs’ game. If Gillian hadn’t been hoovering she’d never have found the appointment card for her dad’s secret wedding to Celia. And she wouldn’t now be speeding to the register office demanding to know why she wasn’t invited.

Even though she doesn’t know the real reason for Alan and Celia’s haste in tying the knot,  Gillian is forced to admit later that she may have over-reacted.

For Celia’s daughter Caroline (Sarah Lancashire) her best laid plans are also threatened when her girlfriend Kate throws a massive spanner into the works.

While you’re sympathetic to Caroline and Kate’s feelings, I can’t help thinking that they shouldn’t be having all these intense heart to hearts in the middle of school assembly.

Holby City (8pm, BBC1) 

It took us a while to stop thinking of actor John Michie as Scottish detective Robbie Ross in Taggart, and see him instead as Mancunian gambling addict, arsonist and murderer Karl Munro in Corrie. 

He arrives in Holby tonight as urbane neurosurgeon Guy Self, with yet another accent and sprinkled with debris after a collapsed roof at a local swimming pool brings ambulances full of multiples casualties.

And Guy immediately flattens Serena’s ambitions of permanently occupying Hanssen’s big office by introducing himself as the new CEO.

As Guy and Serena argue over the best way to separate two people who’ve been shish-kebabed onto the same pole (they do love a skewering at Holby).

Tonight also marks the last appearance of Jimmy Akingbola as Antoine Malick.

SOAP ROUND-UP

Emmerdale (7pm, ITV)

Poor Alicia, having to pretend to be thrilled that Priya is having David’s baby when in reality this hurts worse than getting shot in the stomach did.

David (not one of life’s great thinkers) is happy to take Alicia’s support at face value, but Eric gives him a reality check tonight, pointing out that Priya’s only keeping the baby to make sure she’ll also keep David in her life FOR EVER.

You don’t get to be married to Val without recognising a cunning plan when you see one.

Eastenders (8pm, BBC1)

They did it! Roxy and Alfie actually said I Do! And the vicar pronounced them man and wife so it’s all official.  And Kat – having got to the church just in time to make a dramatic entrance and even more dramatic exit is now on her way to Southend Airport and a flight to Ibiza. 

So that’s that then. So why is Alfie confessing to Roxy that he tried it on with Kat just hours earlier?

Nice way to kill the romantic vibe, Alfie. Well done.