Torchwood – Children Of Earth (BBC1, 9pm); What to Eat Now (BBC2, 8.30pm).

YOU know you’re doing something right when, with every passing year, you’ve been moved up a step – from BBC3 to BBC2 and now to BBC1. So there are bound to be more than a few fans who have scored bummarks into their sofas as they have waited on the edge of their seats for the return of this Doctor Who spin-off.

Back for a third series, the show has been furnished with a new subtitle, Torchwood – Children of Earth.

Having ditched the sex and swearing mentality of the early episodes in favour of intelligent plots and fantastic guest stars, the show has finally emerged from beneath the Time Lord’s shadow and is accordingly being rewarded with a step up to the big leagues.

However, it is also picking up the pace like never before in this short run, which covers one storyline across five episodes.

Starting this evening, Torchwood will be on the box every night this week until it reaches a spectacular conclusion on Friday.

“We know what Torchwood is and we know what it’s about,” says John Barrowman, who plays Torchwood team leader Jack Harkness. “It’s full of drama and action.”

And action is in no short supply here, as Barrowman says these latest episodes are some of the most exciting yet: “This storyline is one of the darker Torchwood storylines. Every time you turn a corner you don’t know what’s going to happen. And when you watch episode one you’re going to want to see two, and when you’ve seen two, you’ll want to see three. You’re just going to want more and more and more.”

One thing you can be sure of is that it’s going to be a threat of a significant magnitude if it stands a chance of fazing the Torchwood team. So, how is this for scary – a malevolent force causes every single child in the world to stop in their tracks, before repeating a sinister message to all the governments on the planet: “We are coming.”

Now, you don’t need to be a genius to work out that this does not spell good news for the residents of Earth.

However, it is an extra burden on Captain Jack as the events of his past catch up with him.

A long-forgotten secret from 1965 threatens to be exposed and the Torchwood team are forced underground as the government takes immediate – and brutal – action to protect itself.

With Owen and Toshiko both having made the ultimate sacrifice last season, it falls to Captain Jack and surviving team members Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones to save the day.

SUMMER is here at last and what better time of year is there to enjoy a good old-fashioned barbeque in the back garden? While the staple menu of sausage and burgers might do an adequate job of filling your friends’ bellies, why not wow them by being a little inventive for a change?

Cooking does not have to be a complicated process, and it is quite easy to tantalise the taste buds without breaking the bank or using dozens of ingredients. Still sceptical? Then tune in to the second series of What to Eat Now, which could help transform you into a chef who knows their way around a kitchen In the first programme, chef Valentine Warner reveals how to grow and cook food for the season, before demonstrating his top five barbeque tips and the perfect way to grill beef.