TV tonight: the many faces of Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers: A State of Comic Ecstasy

9pm, BBC Two

Marking the 40th anniversary of the comic actor’s death, this documentary explores his career from early appearances on the variety circuit to his breakthrough in The Goon Show, before reaching Hollywood and becoming an international star through performances in films such as The Pink Panther and Dr Strangelove. Sellers’s second wife Britt Ekland provides insights into their turbulent marriage, and there is testimony from fans such as Steve Coogan and Hanif Kureshi. Ammar Kalia

Great Asian Railway Journeys

8pm, BBC Two

Michael Portillo chugs along from Jakarta to Borobudur, with the ease of a man who looks as if he’s living his best life. Along the way, he takes in a glimpse of the heaving city before embarking on a seven-hour journey through paddy fields and rainforests, stopping off at Mount Merapi. Hannah Verdier

Britain’s Got Talent

8pm, ITV

The live auditions – filmed pre-lockdown – continue apace in Simon Cowell’s travelling talent contest. There have already been hopefuls melting the nation’s hearts, from love song balladeer Bhim Niroula to 12-year-old soul singer Fayth Ifil, but there are plenty more spots in the live finals to fight for. AK

State of Happiness

9pm, BBC Four

In another double bill of this 1970s-set Norwegian drama, the recent discovery of oil near Stavanger is already changing the lives of local teenagers. Anna Hellevik’s job gives her a ringside seat for big decision-making, while for young mum Toril the promised new era of prosperity can’t come soon enough. Ellen E Jones

The Queen’s Speeches: In Triumph & Tragedy

9.20pm, Channel 5

More than a Christmas day staple, this special examines the historical significance of the Queen’s speeches, delivered at trying times ranging from Britain entering the Gulf war to the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Queen Mother. Experts unpick the messaging. AK

Match of the Day Top Ten Podcast

10.20pm, BBC One

The football podcast that doubles as a TV show continues with Gary Lineker, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer digitally convening to argue over the correct order of another Premier League ranking. The fun is in witnessing the garrulous arbiters wind each other up, rather than the result. Graeme Virtue

Film choice

Starship Troopers, 10pm, Sky One

Based on a Robert A Heinlein novel, this is a very clever, funny updating of 50s sci-fi B-movies, with pretty kids fighting giant mutated bugs. Despite the state-of-the-art weaponry, this is medieval combat, with screenfuls of lopped off limbs and skewered torsos. With Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer. Paul Howlett