The Nation’s Favourite Queen Song (ITV, 9pm)

THE great Noddy Holder once told Queen “you’ll never get that played on the radio”, but it turns out it’s the one that tops the poll of 20 classic songs which ITV stretches over 90 minutes tonight. Matt Lucas is in charge of telling us which song can say We Are The Champions (of a panel of ITV viewers rather than the world admittedly).

But there’s room for the anthemic We Will Rock You, the dramatic Don’t Stop Me Now, rockabilly Crazy Little Thing Called Love and the operatic Bohemian Rhapsody. Far from the band being Another One Bites The Dust after Freddie Mercury’s death 23 years ago, the songs have continued thanks to Brian May on guitar, Roger Taylor on drums and John Deacon on bass... plus a certain, silly bonkers musical created by Ben Elton.

We'll also be hearing from some celebrity fans and friends, ranging from Katy Perry to Al Murray and Arlene Phillips. While many of them pay tribute to Mercury's extraordinary charisma, the other members also get their due.

Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley draws attention to their skills as songwriters, saying: "I can't actually think of another band that each member of the band individually wrote top 10 songs. That's incredible."

Fortunately, May and Taylor are also on hand to share some of the stories behind the songs. The guitarist reveals that although his wife Anita Dobson provided the inspiration for I Want It All, the track took on an extra poignancy as Mercury's declining health meant they were unable to perform it in front of an audience.

"The first time we played it live was at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert and I played it with Tony Iommi and Roger Daltrey. I just wish Freddie had been there to enjoy it because that song was made for him, he would have made such a good job of it live," May says.

There's also a reminder that although the group were known for their incredible live performances - just tune into their show-stopping turn at Live Aid in 1985 - they also made some groundbreaking videos.

However, not everyone was a fan of the promo for I Want to Break Free, which saw them dressing in drag. Taylor recalls: "The English and the Europeans absolutely loved that video and all the dressing up as women and everything. The Americans absolutely hated it."

Other insights include that we have Michael Jackson to thank for Another One Bites the Dust's success, and why Queen's collaboration with David Bowie, Under Pressure, lived up to its title for May.

Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages (More4, 9pm)

ACTRESS Penelope Keith is on a mission to find out why the village has such a powerful hold over the national imagination, and discovers that while some may look like they haven't changed since the 1950s, the communities that live there are undergoing some huge shifts.

Penelope begins her journey in East Anglia, where she attends a traditional regatta on the Norfolk Broads, and takes to the air over the wonderfully named Little Snoring. She also has a lesson in talking like a Norfolk native - what would her Good Life character Margo say? - and witnesses a formation wheelbarrow display, courtesy of the Red Sparrows. But some of these unique village traditions are in danger of dying out.

The Missing (BBC1, 9pm)

THE investigation into Oliver’s disappearance in 2006 continues, and while Ian Garrett (Ken Stott) is on hand to offer his support to Tony (James Nesbitt) it's an undercover police officer in Paris who possibly may have some information about Oliver's disappearance.

Meanwhile, in the present day, Tony and Julien (Tcheky Karyo) are relieved to learn the case is being re-opened, but while Emily (Frances O’Connor) surely also wants to know what really happened that day, she has to face her demons and return to Chalons Du Bois?

Despite the fact that the re-investigation is now official, progress remains slow, until a shocking new lead emerges.