New Year telly treats

So you’ve finished the Christmas Turkey, and the parties have dried up, then why not turn to the television.

Among the highlights are two shows from the pen of Lynda La Plante.

The first of these is Above Suspicion (January 4, January 5, ITV1). This is billed as an attempt to bring Prime Suspect up to date, with Kelly Reilly playing the lead role this time and not Helen Mirren.

Lynda La Plante is also behind Trial and Retribution, which is back on January 9 on ITV1 for six new episodes. DCS Michael Walker and DCI Roisin Connor return.

Showing through the first week of 2009 on BBC 1 is a new dramatisation of The Diary of Anne Frank, the 13-year-old who kept an account of her life hiding from the Nazis. There have been many versions of The Diary, but for this one the BBC has been granted the rights to base their version directly on Anne’s diaries from her cousin Buddy Elias.

On a lighter note documentary lovers can watch The Natural World (January 9, BBC 2). The show on the 9th is about the cuckoo. David Attenborough is again narrating.

Hustle is also back (January 8, BBC 1) for a fifth series, although Jamie Murray has left the show. In this episode property developers in London should watch out.

Another programme to look out for is a one-off drama called The Antiques Rogue Show (January 4 BBC 2), which tells the true story of a family who sold fakes to the art world.

If you want to exercise those grey cells in 2009, then you could tune into QI (January 9, BBC 1). Stephen Fry asks the questions and guests include Charlie Higson and Andy Hamilton.