Richard E Grant's Seven Deadly Sins (Discovery, 9pm)

SOUTH African actor Richard E Grant rarely escapes that air of decadence he appears to enjoy and in this series summons up a fictional alter ego so that the seven deadly sins of Envy, Lust, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Pride, and Glutton can be compared between humans and animals.

Each episode of this natural history series tackles a different vice and Grant dramatises the sins using the words of literary geniuses such as Italian poet Dante Alighieri and William Shakespeare, delivering his unique take on each sin from a human perspective.

Wildlife footage illustrates the same behaviour in the animal kingdom, from envious lions to wrathful hippopotamuses, and expert scientists unpick the reasons why these behaviours are, in fact, survival mechanisms.

Originally the series seemed to be starting with the evolutionary roots of wrath, telling us that, like humans, animals also experience the sensation.

But a switch in the running order opens Grant's account with, would you believe it?... lust – the intense, out-of-control craving for sex. Animals feel lust too; their species would die out if they didn't. Our slick presenter looks at bonobos, bonking beetles, antechinus, and dolphins.

The British actor, who recently appeared on Girls and really got on Hugh Bonneville's nerves in Downton Abbey, says of his latest series: "By focusing on the seven deadly sins as 'chapter headings', it's an opportunity to search out if there truly are parallels between what humans and animals do to survive, seduce, reproduce and compete with one another."

Producers collaborated with screenwriters from Morgan Freeman’s Revelations Entertainment to blend the world of wildlife and art-house storytelling.

Alan Carr: Chatty Man (Channel 4, 10pm)

ACCORDING to the stats, chatterbox Alan Carr is currently lagging behind Graham Norton (3.6 million) and Jonathan Ross (2.2 million) in the battle for viewers. The Chatty Man returns, fresh from winning the National Television Award for Best Chat Show Host, knowing that his batting average is 1.85 million viewers.

Carr's now famous for sweet-talking a huge array of celebs while imploring them to try an exotic range of alcoholic drinks, and of course it's not unheard of for them to be heading home slightly tipsy after an evening on his sofa.

"I did get drunk with the Beckhams. We were at Kelly Hoppen's house for dinner. There's not much I remember from the night but I do remember going, 'When are you coming on Chatty Man?' and grabbing David – I do get a bit over friendly when I've had wine so I'm sure I was stroking him too. He said he would do it. I think Victoria and David are so much fun. She (Victoria) was life and soul, she was a right laugh and would love it on the show. I think the globe drinks cabinet would be empty when she left," Carr told the Daily Mirror.

His first guests are all four of The Voice judges - Rita Ora, Will.i.am, Ricky Wilson and Tom Jones - who chat about the forthcoming live shows, and their opinions about this series' most talented folk to keep an eye out for. Hollywood A-lister Antonio Banderas will also be dropping by to talk about his latest film, The SpongeBob Movie: A Sponge Out of Water, while EastEnders' Danny Dyer discusses his latest film, Assassin.

And as if that little lot wasn't enough, music for the evening comes courtesy of Ella Henderson, who performs her next single Mirror Man.

The Musketeers (BBC1, 9pm)

WOUNDED by the Queen (Alexandra Dowling) Rochefort (Marc Warren) provides evidence of a letter she wrote to her brother, the King of Spain - as a result of which she is suspected of treason. Concerned for the Queen's safety, our swashbuckling heroes steal her away from the palace while searching for evidence that Rochefort is a Spanish spy. Alas, it appears no-one is safe from the count's grasp, not even the King.