How Scotland Works (BBC 2 Scotland & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 28th April 2015)

Documentary series exploring life in 21st-century Scotland. This first programme tells the story of modern Scotland at work through a diverse cast of characters including scallop divers, call centre workers, farmers and the software companies that are defining Scotland’s economic future.

Nick and Margaret: The Trouble with Our Trains (BBC 2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Wednesday 29th April 2015)

Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford climb on board Britain’s trains to find out whether they offer value for money. On the trail of the £8 billion of fares and £4 billion of public money that go into the nation’s trains each year, they discover a rail system that is struggling to contend with outdated infrastructure and more passengers than at any time in living memory. Twenty years on from privatisation, Nick and Margaret are in for a bumpy ride as they meet irate commuters, polished train operating company bosses and the head of Network Rail. They unearth some mind-boggling bureaucracy and infuriating inefficiency, but also ask if there are signs of hope that the railway may be getting back on track.

W1A (BBC 2/HD | 10:00pm to 10:30pm | Thursday 30th April 2015)

The advertising of a new and important role – namely, the head of better – leads to a game of management musical chairs. Anna Rampton, head of output, thinks she knows all about better and goes for the top job. Top of the agenda for the damage limitation team are rumours that Newsnight anchor Evan Davis is to be a contestant in the forthcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing, which does not go down well with head of news and current affairs Neil Reid. Things get more complicated when it transpires that BBC brand consultant Siobhan Sharpe is behind it. It falls to Ian Fletcher as head of BBC values and arch-limiter of damage to find an elegant solution to the problem. Meanwhile, ex-intern Will Humphries, recently appointed PA to the head of values, makes life more difficult for Izzy, the object of his desire. He accidentally hijacks her computer software while showing off his newly acquired training on the BBC’s foolproof software Syncapatico.

The Last Leg (Channel 4/HD | 10:00pm to 11:05pm | Thursday 30th April 2015)

The award-winning gang show returns live to Channel 4 for a hat trick of topical shenanigans, culminating in an election night extravaganza. Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker are back to take on the main talking points of the week including all the latest election news. After Alex Brooker fired the starting gun in the race to rid political campaigning of ‘bullshit’ during his hilarious interview with Nick Clegg, the team reunite at this crucial time with their upbeat, unjaundiced brand of satirical comedy. Their guests include Jeremy Paxman.

Slow Train Through Africa with Griff Rhys-Jones (itv/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 1st May 2015)

Griff Rhys Jones makes five remarkable train journeys across the world’s most spectacular continent. In this episode, Griff takes the train through Zambia and Zimbabwe, via one of the most stunning natural wonders of the world – the Victoria Falls. He begins the 1,100-mile trip in Kasama in northern Zambia where the train arrives just 33 hours late. In Zambia’s capital Lusaka, Griff reveals the reason the first railways were built – to get at Zambia’s rich mineral wealth. The old railway was the dream of Cecil Rhodes, who wanted to join all Britain’s African colonies over a hundred years ago with a line that would run from South Africa to Egypt. It was never completed, but its greatest legacy is a bridge that spans the Zambezi gorge right next to the Victoria Falls. From here, Griff crosses into Zimbabwe. On the train heading south, Griff meets more friendly folk before arriving at Zimbabwe’s second city Bulawayo, which was once the main railway hub for southern Africa.

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