TV tonight: Timothy Spall stars in a fun new crime spoof for Ludwig fans

4 hours ago 9

Death Valley

8.15pm, BBC One

Timothy Spall has a hoot as grumpy retired actor John Chapel, who played popular TV detective “Caesar” and is called on to help with a real-life case. In this opener, talkative Welsh detective Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) – a big fan of the show – delightedly asks for John’s help when his neighbour is murdered in his home. From there, the unlikely duo continue to crack a new case every week. A good one for fans of last year’s Ludwig. Hollie Richardson

Walking With Dinosaurs

6.25pm, BBC One

This series has much more focus on palaeontologists going about their work than your average teatime dino-fest: here the scientists are in Montana, building a picture of triceratops and T-rex interactions. But that story is brought to life by CGI recreations and emotive storytelling, as an orphaned triceratops runs for her life. Jack Seale

Code of Silence

9pm, ITV1

We’re at the halfway point of this taut, original crime drama. Alison’s bravura plan has exposed the gang’s next move but it’s also put her in its crosshairs – and her relationship with Liam threatens to scupper the investigation. Meanwhile, as the crew move in, she’s forced to make a split-second decision. Ali Catterall

The Piano: The Final

9pm, Channel 4

Train enthusiast Phil went full steam ahead with a jazzy song about trains, Diana moved everyone to tears with a composition written in grief, and Zak was the window fitter in Chapeltown who found Chopin. They’re some of the seven finalists playing to a full auditorium. HR

The Girl Who Caught a Killer

9pm, Sky Documentaries

Few survive to tell the kind of tale Rachael Watts shares in this two-part documentary. As a seven-year-old, she was rollerskating outside her home when a man bundled her into his car boot. This kidnapping set in motion a traumatic chain of events, ultimately leading to justice in one of Britain’s most notorious unsolved murders. Ellen E Jones

Match of the Day

10.30pm, BBC One

It’s the end of an era, with Gary Lineker presenting his last MOTD after 26 years. His final round of fixtures features a Champions League shootout between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea and a silverware love-in between Premier League champions Liverpool and FA Cup winners Crystal Palace. Matthew Pearce

Film choice

Shrek, 5.05pm, ITV2

DreamWorks’ gag-a-minute 2001 animation took a wrecking ball to classic fairytales and ended up writing its own enduring fable (three sequels and counting). Mike Myers tries out his Scottish accent as the titular grumpy green ogre, who is blackmailed by evil ruler Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) to rescue a trapped princess, Cameron Diaz’s Fiona, from a dragon. With Eddie Murphy on great form as Shrek’s comic relief sidekick Donkey and a wealth of parodic cameos – from Pinocchio to the Three Blind Mice – you’ll watch this happily ever after. Simon Wardell