Speed with Guy Martin (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm Sunday 29th December 2013)

Motorcycle racer and lorry mechanic Guy Martin loves pushing the boundaries of speed in search of a buzz. He claims that nothing can match the adrenaline rush he gets when he’s racing on public roads around the Isle of Man TT course at 200mph. Now he wants to see if he can find anything that can give him the same kick. In this new series, he creates four-speed based challenges, exploring the boundaries of physics and learning about the science of speed. Whether it’s slip-streaming a racing driver to ride a bicycle at over 100mph using pedal power, or seeing if he can ride a motorbike across a lake, Guy finds out what makes things go fast, by getting his hands dirty in a range of unique engineering projects. Celebrities who are well known in the world of speed help him in his challenges.

Sherlock (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:25pm | Wednesday 1st January 2014)

Contemporary crime drama, based on the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Two years after the devastating loss of his best friend, Dr John Watson has got on with his life. New horizons, romance and a comforting domestic future beckon. But with London under threat of a huge terrorist attack, Sherlock Holmes is about to rise from the grave with all the theatricality that comes so naturally to him. Even though it is what he wanted more than anything, for John Watson it might well be a case of ‘Be careful what you wish for’.

Glasgow Big Night Out (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 1st January 2014)

An affectionate portrait of Glasgow’s rich entertainment history, featuring interviews with the stars who braved some of the toughest venues in showbusiness, alongside footage of classic performances and archive of a city that has played host to everyone from Laurel and Hardy to The Beatles.

Dolphins: Spy in the Pod (BBC 1/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 2nd January 2014)

The award-winning team behind Penguins – Spy in the Huddle use hidden cameras to go into the heart of the dolphins’ world. The camera eyes of thirteen different ‘Spy Creatures’ allow behaviour to be captured that has never been filmed before, including a vast superpod of spinner dolphins hunting huge shoals of lanternfish while dodging the gaping mouths of giant rays. A newborn bottlenose dolphin learns from his mother as they follow a gathering of stingrays and hunt kingfish. He practices his sonar and plays with bubbles while nearby males play chicken with supertankers, visit a coral health spa and surf the waves. When they try to woo the females their direct approach threatens the baby, but bouquets of seaweed have the desired effect. Other sights include dolphins using rings of mud to catch fish and the spectacular leaps and corkscrews of spinner dolphins. There is humour too, when Spy Turtle encounters real amorous turtles and Spy Squid has a near miss with a hungry potato bass.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 2nd January 2014)

Top-flight footballer Isaac Dreyfus’ days at the top are numbered when a sex tape links him to the brutal murder of a young woman, threatening to destroy his reputation and marriage. Nikki struggles to come to terms with Leo’s death following the arrival of the new Lyell Centre boss, pathologist Thomas Chamberlain. However, her feelings surface when DI John Leighton and DS Anne Burchett demand results in two unsolved cases – a mother and son murdered in their wealthy London home and the disfigured body of a young woman.

The Restoration Man (Channel 4/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Thursday 2nd January 2014)

George Clarke returns for a brand new series as he travels up and down the country to new locations, new restorations and amazing stories of people who have gone to extraordinary lengths to build their dreams homes by restoring and rejuvenating some of Britain’s most cherished but forgotten buildings. George is passionate about restoration, and helping people realise their property dreams. Not only does he offer valuable design and architectural advice, but he follows them every step of the way, lends a hand when things get tough, and discovers the fascinating history hidden behind each building.

Silent Witness (BBC 1/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 3rd January 2014)

Footballer Isaac Dreyfus desperately fights to prove his innocence, whilst disillusioned Adam Freedman turns to a mysterious source for help to avenge the murder of his wife and child. Under scrutiny from the press, the police are determined to nail their prime suspect and pile pressure on The Lyell Centre to deliver results. However, when Nikki questions the motive behind the murders, a re-examination of the Freedman crime scene leads Jack to make a startling discovery.

James May’s Toy Stories (BBC 2 /HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 3rd January 2014)

James May attempts to build a motorbike and sidecar entirely out of Meccano to take round the Isle of Man’s famous TT circuit. But designing a machine capable of carrying James and his passenger, wine expert Oz Clarke, around the daunting 37-mile course is not a task for the faint-hearted. Fifteen thousand pieces of Meccano must be assembled to create a full-size, road-legal motorcycle that James hopes will be more than a match for the circuit’s treacherous twists and turns, steep climbs and dizzying descents. And as in the real TT, the bike must race against the clock.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.