The Highland Midwife (C5, 8pm

THE movers and shakers at Channel 5 love a rural series, showcasing the talents of those who live and work in the countryside. It’s doubtful that this series would ever have made it to our screens without the overwhelming success of The Yorkshire Vet, one of the broadcaster’s most popular programmes of recent years. This is the third run of the show and regular viewers will be thrilled to know that nothing has changed – the format still follows three expectant mothers from the Highlands as they prepare for the births of their babies, with help from the professionals who attend them.

Interior Design Masters (BBC2, 8pm)

AS the semi-finals get under way, the remaining three contestants go head to head for the first time as they are challenged to redesign an entire hair salon. With just two days to complete this ambitious challenge, the three designers visit the salons for the first time. One designer decides to go for an ambitious theme with sophisticated lighting scheme, while another opts for bold colours and brave design choices. In the third salon, the competitor decides to play it safe, but will their salon have enough ambition to impress the judges?

Doc Martin (STV, 9pm)

IN the recent run of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, Bob and Paul remarked that every episode of Doc Martin was the same. Are they right? There’s a chance to test their theory when the drama series returns for its ninth run this week following a two-year break.

Japan with Sue Perkins (BBC1, 10.35pm)

PART two of two. Sue Perkins continues on her trip around Japan, exploring a nation caught between the demands of a high-tech future and the pull of a traditional past. In the concluding episode, Perkins travels to the ancient city of Kyoto to spend time with Geishas and meets those working hard to keep Geisha culture alive. She then heads south of Kyoto to experience free diving with Ama divers, before travelling to Hiroshima, where she meets an 84-year-old survivor of the atomic blast during the Second World War. Finally, Sue returns to Tokyo, to see how the Japanese are tackling challenges of the future.