Taggart (ITV1, 9pm); Hugh’s Big Fish Fight (C4, 9pm); CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Five, 9pm).

WHILE it’s business as usual for the Taggart team with another “mudder”

to investigate, followers of the long-running Scottish detective show know that the new series very nearly didn’t happen.

Fresh episodes were made only after a co-production deal was hammered out between ITV and STV (Scottish Television).

“We had a year out after the 100th episode and our 25th year in 2009,” explains Blythe Duff, who stars as DS Jackie Reid, alongside colleagues John Michie as DI Robbie Ross, Alex Norton as DCI Matt Burke and Colin McCredie as DC Stuart Fraser in the new episodes.

“We had time out to think about what was happening, and STV and ITV had time to think, so it was interesting when we managed to be recommissioned again.

“Everyone was looking a wee bit sad. A lot of companies had gone, a lot of the programmes had gone, so that was quite nice when we got the phone call and said they were going to go ahead.”

This six-part series was first shown in Scotland last year. Duff says an entirely new team was involved in making it.

“When you get involved with a programme you’ve been working on for such a long time and a new team come forward, you always think, ‘Right, how’s it going to pan out? How’s it going to gel?’

“In actual fact, it’s moved things on a wee bit. We have a very nice storyline. All the characters have something to explore throughout the six episodes.”

The series kicks off with the death of a student who seems to be involved in a drugs scam. The cause of death, by nail gun, has also recently been seen by Burke’s old colleague from London, DI Casey (Reece Dinsdale) who comes up to Glasgow with colleague DS Moretti (Steve John Shepherd – soon to return to East- Enders), to help with the investigation.

Meanwhile, their Chief Super, Karen Campbell (Siobhan Redmond) is prowling the corridors and pathologist Duncan Clark (Davood Ghadami) is settling into his new job trying to deal with the tough banter and high demands of CID.

Plenty of crime dramas have fallen by the wayside since Taggart debuted in 1983, so why does Duff think it’s done so well? “It’s a whodunit – it seems to be exactly what people are expecting to tune into,” she explains. “People know what they want to watch so I suppose it’s been partly that for 27 years. It’s been on all over the world. It’s received very well. It’s been sold in 80-odd countries.”

EVER been dumped, only to be reassured there are plenty more fish in the sea? Well, people won’t be able to say that much longer because, according to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, fish stocks are diminishing across the world.

In Hugh’s Big Fish Fight, he sets out to learn more about what’s happening in the British fishing industry, beginning with a look at which species should be left off our plates and remain in the sea to give them a chance to replenish.

He will also be exploring claims that half of all the fish caught in the North Sea are thrown back dead, and asking exactly what it means when a retailer claims their fish are “responsibly sourced”.

The chef will then offer his findings to politicians, the public and arguably the people who have the most sway over what we eat – the supermarket bosses.

WITH CSI: NY having returned on Saturday, fans of the crime drama franchise will be delighted to see the Las Vegas-based series is also back for another run.

And none other than current pop sensation Justin Bieber guest stars in the opening story of the 11th series of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Nick heads to the funeral of Franklin Clarke, but Brass is forced to turn him away as the officer’s family holds him responsible for his death. Spotting a suspicious car nearby, he discovers a bomb secured underneath, but is unable to prevent three explosions from killing many of the mourners.