Alan Dee’s guide to the pick of the week’s TV

The Golden Rules of TV 
(ITV1, 6.05pm)

Comedian Robert Webb narrates this new tongue in cheek series which takes a good look at the dos, don’ts and absolute-must-nots of telly.

He rummages through 60 years’ worth of archive footage to find out how to make great television while avoiding the pitfalls that haunt many a production.

Famous faces chipping in include Piers Morgan, Al Murray, Sir Trevor McDonald, Noel Edmonds and Peter Sissons

SUNDAY

Harry & Paul (BBC Two, 10pm)

The world of comedy may have moved on since the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Harry Enfield ruled our TVs with his Loadsamoney and Stavros characters, but he’s refusing to be left behind. Along with long-term collaborator Paul Whitehouse, he’s back with the fourth series of Harry & Paul, the show which proves that sketches still have a place alongside the myriad panel shows in our comedy schedules.

With a blend of old favourites and new and innovative characters, Harry and Paul will - among other things - be lampooning the likes of Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train and the hit Danish crime drama series The Killing.

Victoria Wood features in this first episode, while the likes of Kevin Eldon, Simon Day and Justin Edwards also appear.

MONDAY

Top Gear (BBC Two, 9pm)

To celebrate half a century of Bond movies and the release of the latest adventure Skyfall, Richard Hammond jumped at the chance to put the beloved Aston Martin DB5 through its paces in this show.

‘Hamster’ will spend plenty of time plugging the new 007 outing, as well as waxing lyrical about some of the most thrilling cars ever featured on the big screen.

As the ever-eager presenter reminds us, more than a quarter of the planet’s population has seen Bond going about his business, and here he reflects on some of the cars that Ian Fleming’s secret agent has driven over the years..

TUESDAY

The Pride of Britain Awards 2012 (ITV1, 8pm)

The spotlight is well and truly turned on the awe-inspiring members of the British public who have gone over and above in the community, and displayed admirable acts of selflessness.

Carol Vorderman is once again on hosting duties and Olympic hero Mo Farrah will be stepping in to honour the inspirational teacher who encouraged him to change paths as a tearaway teen.

Prince Charles, Stephen Fry, Prime Minister David Cameron and David Beckham will all there, too.

WEDNESDAY

Come Dine with Me: Halloween Special (Channel 4, 8pm)

If you’re out trick or treating this Halloween, there are four houses you might want to avoid, unless you want to come face to face with Freddy Krueger himself.

Yes, Nightmare on Elm Street actor Robert Englund is among the famous faces taking part on this celebrity Come Dine With Me Halloween Special.

Psychic medium Sally Morgan, glamour model and self-confessed scaredy-cat Nicola McLean and cross-dressing cage-fighter Alex Reid will also be trying to win £1,000 for charity by proving themselves the best host.

THURSDAY

Young Apprentice 
(BBC One, 8pm)

A fresh crop of ambitious teenagers prepare to battle it out to become Alan Sugar’s new young apprentice.

They come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and include a fashion designer, a trainee accountant and a farmer’s daughter, but they all have one thing in common – they want to get their mitts on a £25,000 fund to kick-start their careers.

FRIDAY

The Mentalist (Five, 9pm)

Bruno Heller’s procedural drama is one of America’s most successful crime sagas, not least because of intelligent scripts and a charismatic performance from Simon Baker as former conman Patrick Jane.

Now the ace detective is back for more cups of tea and crimebusting, while trying to track down the man who killed his family.

There’s no shortage of drama in the season five opener as tensions rise between the CBI and the FBI.