Terrestrial Unreported World Channel 4, 7.30pm As President Vladimir Putin prepares to hand Russia's presidency to his chosen successor, a journey deep into the country's Arctic north for a first-hand look at his legacy: a nation where political dissent is stifled, corruption is rife, and where little of Russia's huge wealth reaches a population racked by poverty, alcoholism and suicide.
Later with Jools Holland BBC2, 11.35pm Supergrass join Lord Jools of Holland to offer tracks from their forthcoming album, Diamond Hoo Ha. The power-pop trio are no strangers to the Later... studio, having first appeared during their Britpop pomp in May, 1995. Also joining Jools are hotly tipped New York-based four-piece Vampire Weekend. Their music features a blend of indie and African influences; tonight they play tracks from their self-titled debut album. Jools plays piano all over everything, without being asked to.
Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 Channel 4, 11.50pm Hosted by two groovily-coiffed young comedy actors from Gavin and Stacey, Mat Horne and James Corden, it's the mildly anarchic alternative to the Brits, from London's O2 Arena. Now-a-go-go contenders such as the Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Chinese White Bedsock, Scuzzbucket, Arthur Kneecaps, Thrustmachine, Todd Trompetta and his Wall of Wanderers, Babyshambles and Kaiser Chiefs will all be in attendance, hoping for one of the relatively prestigious gongs.
Digital Rob Brydon's Identity Crisis BBC4, 9pm In 1999, a young Rob Brydon made a 10-minute TV appearance with material based on his experience of being Welsh. Though his performance went down well with the studio audience, Rob's oldest friend, David, was less than impressed, turning off his TV in disgust and claiming that the tone of the act was offensive and insulting. To this day, he has a problem with his friend poking fun at the Welsh. Rob now considers why his comedy caused offence, and tries to discover what makes his patriotic countrymen so defensive. Rob also constructs a new stand-up routine of Welsh-based material which he tries out in a series of surprise appearances at comedy clubs around Wales. Will his routine impress David this time around?
Resident Evil E4, 10pm A special military unit fights a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer. And zombies. Milla Jovovich stars in the horror thriller based on the computer game.
Monster's Ball Film 4, 10.45pm Billy Bob Thornton is Hank Grotowski, a prison guard whose Death Row prison guard son (Heath Ledger) commits suicide. Grotowski spirals into depression until the night he helps Leticia Musgrove's (Halle Berry) injured son. When he dies, the couple are united by grief, but as their relationship develops, he learns he and his son were party to the execution of her husband. Berry rightly won an Oscar for her stunning performance in Marc Forster's gripping drama.
Radio Mum Made Me Laugh Radio Scotland, 11am Let's hear it for funny mothers. Here Suzy Aitchison talks to Sally Magnusson about her very own June Whitfield who has been leaving folk in stitches for more than half a century. Alternatively in A Race Apart (Radio 4, 11am), Sarfraz Manzoor recalls the rioting and death which occurred at Mississippi University when the first black student registered there 40 years ago. And in the Friday Play: Bad Dad (Radio 4, 9pm), a prolific sperm donor is tracked down by his children, all 164 of them.
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