Access all areas inside one of the most luxurious hotels in the UK

SINCE it was opened in 1902, the Balmoral Hotel has welcomed royalty, heads of state and JK Rowling, who famously finished writing the Harry Potter books there. Now, the prestigious Edinburgh institution is also opening its doors to the cameras for a new series exploring the work of the staff who aim to deliver 24/7 luxury, and finding out how they go about sourcing the best Scottish produce – including whiskies. In the first episode, the French national team and its 100-strong entourage arrives for the Six Nations.

Violent hurricanes and severe drought have decimated once green and lush areas of Central America now known as the Dry Corridor.

Unreported World (C4, 7.30pm)

Climate change has brought violent hurricanes, severe drought and failing harvests to once green and lush areas of Central America, creating what is now known as the Dry Corridor. It’s the rural poor who are the most affected and, as hunger and child malnourishment become more widespread, a greater number are attempting to enter the United States. Reporter Guillermo Galdos follows a farmer who is turning to people smugglers to give his family a better life – and putting his own at risk in the process.

Great British Menu Finals Week: Matthew Fort, Oliver Peyton, Andi Oliver, Rachel Khoo

Great British Menu: The Finals (BBC2, regions vary)

The chefs who take part in Great British Menu don’t just have to rustle up some nice dishes – they also have to make sure that the food they are cooking hits a brief. This year, they have been battling it out to get their starters, fish courses, mains and desserts to a banquet celebrating British Innovation, and the theme has allowed them to get very inventive. The finals, which have been running across the week, have decided who will be cooking which course, and tonight they finally get to serve them at an outdoor banquet at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire to guests including Professor Sarah Gilbert from Oxford’s successful Covid vaccination programme. Unfortunately, disaster strikes when one of the chefs can’t take part and their colleagues have to cook on their behalf. How will that affect the voting for Champion on Champions?

The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys: Taiwan

The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (Channel 5, 9pm)

In the second episode, we undertake a voyage on Taiwan. Our first stop is the island’s greatest natural attraction, Taroko Gorge, which was created over millions of years by a combination of river erosion and mountain uplift. We continue along the coast into Yilan County, Taiwan’s most easterly region and a popular destination for cyclers and hikers. Beyond Yilan, we reach the capital Taipei, and delve beneath the city’s ultra-modern surface to find a new take on the craft-brewing industry. After leaving the high-speed rail line at Chiayi City, we exchange rail’s future for its past, and our final leg is on the stunning narrow gauge Alishan Forest Railway.

This Time With Alan Partridge: Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan), Jennie (Susannah Fielding)

This Time with Alan Partridge (BBC1, 9.30pm)

Never let it be said that Alan Partridge’s magazine show This Time is fluffy – it’s a show that’s unafraid to tackle the difficult issues. Tonight, for example, there’s a hard-hitting expose of the chemsex phenomenon, and if hearing Alan explain what that is doesn’t put younger viewers off trying it for themselves, surely nothing will. On a lesser show, that might take up the full 30 minutes, but tonight there’s also time for drama therapist Izzy Barnes to lead a live workshop in the studio, which could be even more embarrassing than the chemsex piece.

St Vincent

Later – with Jools Holland (BBC2, 10pm)

Musician Annie Clark, who is better known to fans as St Vincent, joins Jools Holland from her home studio in Los Angeles. She’ll be talking about the themes and inspirations behind her latest album, Daddy’s Home, and picking some of her favourite clips from the Later archive, including performances by PJ Harvey, Lou Reed and Al Green. The episode also features Johnny Flynn, who is making his Later debut but is no stranger to the big or small screens. As well as being a musician, he’s carved out a successful career as an actor. Plus, Bristol based five-piece, Squid perform their single Paddling, and Laura Mvula treats viewers to a track from her forthcoming LP.