What’s On TV: The best TV in Scotland this week

Anne-Marie Duff and John Hin star in From Darkness. Picture: Sarah Dunn

THRILLER

From Darkness

Anne-Marie Duff leads a strong cast in this four part thriller set in the Western Isles and Manchester. She plays former policewoman, Claire Church, who has fled her past and made a new life with her partner Norrie (Richard Rankin) and stepdaughter on Canna.

Claire’s idyll is interrupted when several bodies related to cases she worked are unearthed on her old beat, triggering a new investigation and prompting former boss and lover DCI John Hind, played by Johnny Harris, to ask for her help.

Written by Katie Baxendale, who made her name with Sugar Rush, From Darkness evolved from a BBC writers’ workshop to encourage more women to contemplate crime drama. The result is a more character-based study – directed by Dominic Leclerc (Call the Midwife, The Syndicate) – alongside an unfolding story which eschews the misogyny and exploitation of female victims which can seep into the genre.

It was an interesting enough premise to attract Duff, who had to get super fit as her character is a triathlete.

“I liked the idea of playing a character who was on the run from something – an internal chase. The demons are there snapping at her heels,” she says.

Tomorrow, BBC1, 9pm

SPORT

Eternal Glory

Eight sports stars of yesteryear, James Cracknell, Matt Le Tissier, Fatima Whitbread, Jade Johnson, Liz McColgan-Nuttall, above, Shane Williams, Gail Emms and Christian Malcolm have signed up to this six-part entertainment show to see how much of their endurance, speed, agility and co-ordination they have retained. Presented by Richard Bacon with Olympian turned sports scientist Professor Greg Whyte.

Tuesday, STV, 8pm

Live Athletics

The cameras follow the action from The Great Scottish Run with thousands of people taking to the streets of Glasgow for the half marathon. As the largest mass participation event in Scotland, many will be just happy to finish, but at the front will be Kenyan world marathon champion Edna Kiplaget, back to defend the Glasgow race she won last year. European 10,000m champion Jo Pavey is also a confirmed entrant.

Tomorrow, BBC2, 11am

CULTURE

The Story of Scottish Art

Scottish art and its impact on the international art world will be celebrated in a new four-part series.

Presented by artist Lachlan Goudie, the series covers 5,000 years, from the earliest Neolithic art to the present day. Gouldie, who will paint and sketch as he travels, heads to Orkney for the first episode, to visit the standing stones at the the Ring of Brodgar.

Wednesday, BBC2, 9pm

DRAMA

Lewis

Kevin Whateley returns for the ninth season as Oxford cop Robbie Lewis, with Laurence Fox reprising his role as James Hathaway. In the first of six episodes, he has a new boss in Chief Superintendent Joseph Moody (SteveToussaint) and a body in a well. Co-starring former Coronation Street star Angela Griffin as Detective Sergeant Lizzie Maddox.

Tuesday, STV, 9pm

INTERVIEW

Edward Snowden: Spies and the Law

The scourge of the US security services, Edward Snowden, now residing in Russia, gives an exclusive interview to the BBC. Expect interested observers from MI5 to be watching too. ■

Monday, BBC1, 8:30pm