Well, I have to say, tonight’s TV isn’t all that great, with the exception of the 9pm slot which has several good shows, but I think I’ll be watching Mum, Heroin and Me on C4. The scenario of a heroin addicted child must rank as one of a parent’s worst nightmares, and this programme is testament to what a parent will do to keep a child alive.

So let’s take a look at what else is on tonight…

Emmerdale, ITV1, 7pm ~ In an hour long episode tonight, Anna’s feelings for Matthew become more confused than ever as their physical relationship intensifies, but when she questions him about a business deal he reacts angrily. Donna receives a good reception on her return to work while a worried Debbie tries to ensure Andy doesn’t get access to Sarah.

Eastenders, BBC1, 7.30pm ~ Phil admits to Suzy that it’s high time he and Ben left the Vic, which she assumes means he wants to move in with her. Max grows increasingly suspicious of Jack and Tanya as they pack for their move, while Masood pleads with Zainab to tell the truth when Dot arranges for the Walford Gazette to cover the Post Office closure. Dawn suspects Jay is responsible for an attempted arson attack and calls the police.

My Name is Earl, E4, 7.30pm ~ Get a Real Job: Joy makes another irrational decision as her trial draws closer while Earl decides to get his first real job and goes to work at an appliance store – where he experiences ‘growing pains’.

River Cottage Autumn, Channel 4, 8pm ~ Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall prepares a six-course banquet at the Canteen restaurant made entirely from seasonal vegetables with recipes using such produce as cauliflower, squash and chard. Hugh and Dan the baker also experiment with different ways of milling spelt hoping to make their own bread from the seed, while in Bristol, Hugh helps picky eater Mandy discover a way to enjoy vegetables.

Missing Persons, ITV3, 8pm ~ Pilot episode of a new American police drama series which follows a group of officers who specialise in locating missing persons, as the title may have given away. The team set out to find a child separated from her mother, a college student whose wealthy family push for a quick resolution to the case, an elderly nurse believed to have been kidnapped by a crime boss and the husband of a distraught woman.

Accidental Heroes, BBC1, 8.30pm ~ River Trauma: Tonight’s episode concerns two people who were trapped in an upturned car in a freezing river in Manchester and a brother who knew what to do when his sister accidentally strangled herself on some blinds. Plus, real-life footage of a sea rescue when a group of holiday-makers came to the aid of two girls, caught in an upturned rowing boat in the Atlantic Ocean. Last in series that’s been watchable if only for the absolutely dire acting in the reconstructions.

Real Crime: Death of a Hostess, ITV1, 9pm ~ Reporter Mark Austin presents this programme about the disappearance of Lucie Blackman in July 2000, who was working as a hostess in a night club in Tokyo. It was the beginning of a desperate seven-month search by her family to find her, which would lead police to predatory killer and rapist Joji Obara.

Mum, Heroin and Me, Channel 4, 9pm ~ Award-winning documentary-maker Jane Treays – who brought us ‘The Virgin Daughters’ – follows a year in the life of 20-year-old heroin addict Hannah, her mother Kate, and boyfriend Ricky. As Hannah makes the transition from living on the street to moving into a bedsit, the film provides an insight into the challenges the two women face as they struggle with their relationship. Part of the excellent Cutting Edge series.

Bones, Sky One, 9pm ~ The Crank in the Shaft: In tonight’s episode, Brennan and Booth are called into action when an unpopular office manager is murdered and they must catch the culprit responsible.

Samantha Who? E4, 10pm ~ The Hockey Date: Amnesiac Sam has an awkward meeting with Todd’s date before being set up herself by Regina and Howard on a dinner date with an avid hockey fan.

Primal Fear, Film Four, 10pm ~ Film starring Richard Gere as a high-flying lawyer who endures the glare of publicity to defend an altar boy accused of killing an archbishop, but who realises there’s more to his mysterious client than meets the eye. Well made, tightly constructed courtroom thriller with a fantastic twist starring Oscar-nominated Edward Norton as the bewildered youngster, alongside Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, Alfre Woodard and Terry O’Quinn.

8 Out of 10 Cats, Channel 4, 10pm ~ Jimmy Carr presides over the panels which tonight include actor James Corden, comedy writer Charlie Brooker and Australian comedian Jim Jeffries who join team captains Sean Lock and Jason Manford to answer questions based on opinion polls.

So that’s it for Thursday’s telly picks; join us tomorrow for a run down of what’s on this Friday. Have a good day y’all!