Russell Tovey, Sinead Keenan, Aidan Turner and Lenora Crichlow

THE rather wonderful Being Human returns for a third BBC3 series tonight.

With a brilliant opening episode featuring Mitchell’s quest to rescue Annie from purgatory.

Plus a move to Wales, the arrival of Robson Green and Michael Sorcha, an impressive guest appearance by Lacey Turner and just the odd twist in the tale.

Also screened on the BBC HD channel.

I met up with Russell Tovey, Sinead Keenan and Michael last October to discuss the new series.

Betty Driver as Betty Williams

SHE may be 90, but there’s still a twinkle in Betty Driver’s eye.

Corrie’s hotpot queen has been in showbusiness for 80 years and was a leading lady of stage, film and TV long before Weatherfield came calling.

Betty is the subject of tomorrow’s (Sunday) Desert Island Discs at 11:15am on BBC Radio 4, expertly presented by Kirsty Young.

I’ve already listened to the programme and written a story to go online after the embargo expires at midnight tonight.

Jackson Powell (Emmanuel Ighodaro)

WE met in the canteen of the Shameless HQ in Manchester.

But it wasn’t until Manny Ighodaro stood up that I realised just how tall he was.

Of which more below.

Episode six of the new series is on Channel 4 at 10pm this evening, after last week’s burst of episodes one to five.

With a first screening of next week’s episode seven following tonight on E4.

Including a scene involving guest star Pookey Quesnel which is definitely not for the squeamish.

Jack Holt (Ashley Walters) and Stella Isen (Hermione Norris)

“WHAT we’re facing goes beyond everything we know.”

The first media screening of Outcasts in London last night.

We saw episode one of BBC1’s new eight-part series – due on screen next month – plus a long press showreel of what follows.

Outcasts stars Liam Cunningham, Hermione Norris, Daniel Mays, Jamie Bamber, Amy Manson, Ashley Walters, Michael Legge and Eric Mabius.

A group of pioneering humans has created a new home in the settlement of Forthaven on the planet Carpathia.

David Threlfall as Frank Gallagher

ANOTHER day on the Chatsworth to interview the cast of Shameless.

Including an afternoon in The Jockey, where the regulars still pay no heed to the smoking ban.

A month or so later, having cleared my lungs of herbal cigarette smoke, I also caught up with series creator Paul Abbott.