Superhospital (ITV, 9pm)

THE competition in the reality of accident and emergency life (and, sadly, death) is even stronger now that ITV has decided to enter the field of Channel 4's 24 Hours in A&E and BBC's An Hour to Save Your Life.

The staff and patients (often with a host of memorable friends and family) under scrutiny attend the Royal Derby Hospital, which provides a wide range of services.

The opening episode introduces viewers to some of those they will get to know over the next four weeks, including Jayne, a sister on the liver ward, who loves her job.

"When they're up, walking, ready for home, that is it for me," she remarks. "I fill up. When they're hugging you and thanking you – there's no better reward really. That's when you think, 'Yes, we've done well there'."

Cameras follow her on the morning shift, during which she discusses the problems facing some of those who need treatment because their livers are failing due to alcohol abuse.

"We're giving them the opportunity to start the healing process by putting them on a detox," she explains. "I like nursing patients like this; I know it could happen to all of us."

Sadly, Jayne's day gets off to a bad start – 47-year-old Zehir is a patient on alcohol detox, and he went missing overnight. If he's been drinking, doctors may refuse to treat him again.

Over in A&E, life is very hectic indeed – staff here regularly see 30-35 patients an hour. It's the quick turnover that is appealing to Dan, the consultant in charge of "resus".

"Part of the reason I've done this job is because it's varied, it's unpredictable," he says. "And I think it's also chosen me because my attention span is short, and I think most of my colleagues would agree with that – and most of my family would agree too. But anything can happen, from a sprained finger to a car crash and multiple people dying. It is a pressurised environment. If I said it wasn't scary, then I'd be lying."

Among Dan's patients that day are a 20-year-old lad who is unconscious and having fits after drinking more than a litre of vodka, and a 65-year-old man in cardiac arrest, who must have his heart restarted.

Meanwhile, in the chemotherapy suite, nurse Caroline really gets to know her patients, often sitting with them during their treatment. She's waiting for news about Zoie, who is undergoing her third course of chemo after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer six years ago.

Dogs: Their Secret Lives (C4, 8pm)

VET Mark Evans helps more problem pooches by observing their behaviour while they are alone, dealing with labrador Jaydee, who recycles her own – and other dogs' – waste, and destructively delinquent pointer Loki, who trashes his owners' home every chance he gets. Mark also tests a sniffer dog's acute sense of smell and trainer Tamsin Durston demonstrates ways that owners can get to know their pooches better.

Celebrity MasterChef (BBC1, 9pm)

GREGG Wallace and John Torode invite another five famous faces to take on the culinary contest. They are actress Amanda Donohoe, comedian Syd Little, singer Mica Paris, children's TV presenter Sam Nixon and Paralympian Danny Crates. Their aim is to make it to through to tomorrow's show, but first they have to invent a dish from whatever ingredients are put before them, then face the stress of a real restaurant kitchen, before preparing a two-course menu of their own design. After these three rounds of culinary creativity, one of the hopefuls is sent home.

"I'm cooking baked salmon with potato wedges," Donohoe tells Wallace, which sounds fine until we discover that the rules require cod.

Paris, Donohoe and Crates then head for Asian restaurant Ting, which is high above London in the Shard, while Nixon and Little are sent to work with renowned chef Aldo Zilli at his Cicchetti restaurant.