There are some shows which just chug along in the background, being quitely brilliant, while very few people watch, and The Daily Show - shown every weekday on More4 at 8.30pm - is just one of them. But for those of us who do watch, it's an absolute joy. It's broadcast over here just a day behind the original showing the night before in the US, and it provides giggles and insights into the day's political events.

The main attraction of this show is its host - Mr. Jon Stewart, one of the most charismatic men on TV. Unsurprisingly for a show which is aimed at a college audience (we'll come onto that in more detail later), it's a left-leaning programme, but Stewart *is* harsh on the Democrats when they don't stand up to the government... it's just funnier when he rips into Bush, Cheney et al. The Daily Show may call itself 'fake news', but it's clear that Stewart is intent on cutting through the fakery of US, and indeed world, politics.

Digital network More4 is to mark Channel 4's 25th birthday in the autumn with a month of programming running up to the November 2 anniversary, reports Ze Guardian. More4's Channel 4 25th birthday season (that's a gob-full isn't it?) will run throughout October and include some of the highlights... and more importantly, the lowlights... of the network's patchy... and sometimes brilliant history.

Programmes set to feature in the More4 season will no doubt include 80s music show The Tube and the drama Walter, which was broadcast on Channel 4's opening night on November 2, 1982. Directed by Stephen Frears, Walter told the story of a mentally retarded boy (are you allowed to say that these days?) who lost his parents and starred Sir Ian McKellen in one of his first big TV roles.

Documentaries about sex changes and gender bending are too often cheap shots at 'penny peep shows'. Crass and seedy, TV companies love things like Sex Change Hospital (More4, Wednesday, 10pm) and rarely provide the sensitivity needed around this incredibly delicate subject.

This series is based in Trinidad, Colorado and follows transgender surgeon Marci Bowers. Marci mentors patients through their sex changes which is no easy task. We see Bree Miller (I won't patronize you by given her former name) arriving for "gender reassignment surgery" and Charlie Snook, a male to female transsexual (MTF) from Kansas, coming in for three major sex change procedures. Hopefully, this will be an insightful and caring look into the fascinating world of gender. [Mof Gimmers]

Let us leaf through the TV guide so you don't have to. It's time to have a look at the weekend's top choices.

Friday - Derren Brown: Trick or Treat? Channel 4, 10pm

What is Derren Brown? Is he a psychological illusionist? Is he a magician with a unique yarn to suck in the sceptics? Either way, Mr Brown is bloody entertaining and always fascinating to watch. Tonight sees him involving members of the public and celebrity guests in a wicked version of the Halloween game. Having pulled a trick card, an unsuspecting bloke is put to sleep in a photo booth in London, only to awake in Marrakesh. The swine! Should be brilliant as ever...

Read over for the rest of the weekend's top picks...

I just love, or as she would say in her butter-thick Adlanna accent, “lurrrrve” Brenda Leigh Johnson. That’s Deputy Chief Johnson of the LAPD’s priority homicide department to you, or as she’s also known, The Closer. Strict yet compassionate, she’s always polite (unless provoked): her favourite expression is “thank you, thank you so murch” and she only occasionally has to use it sarcastically...

Personifing the expression ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’ she always gets the job done, with only the odd freak-out about her personal life with boyfriend Fritz (the easy-on-the-eye Jon Tenney, aka Teri Hatcher’s ex-husband.) Storylines are always quirky, the LA sun stopping the gruesome murders being too depressing. Unpredictable, witty and stylish – that’s Brenda and the programme she features in. And fact fans might like to know that she's played by Kyra Sedgewick, star of stage and screen and wife of Mr Kevin Bacon (bet she kills at that 'six degrees of...' game).

Anyway, in tomorrow's fun and murder-packed show... well, carry on over the cut to find out:

Here’s another mouth-wetting piece of news… almost as mouth-wetting as the Martin Scorsese TV project we reported on yesterday. Almost.

In my eyes, Steve Coogan can do no wrong. Everyone knows about The Day Today and the peerless Alan Partridge (of which you can always see on a UKTV channel at some point in the day). I even liked Saxondale. A lot. Anyone who can pull of an East Midlands accent with panache deserves a pat on the back. And now our Steve, after successes on the big screen with A Cock and Bull Story and, most recently, Hot Fuzz, is to make a guest appearance in Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Christ almighty. I don't know what happened last night. Usually, Monday night is tragic when it comes to browsing the listings. Last night had me pinned to my chair with the marvellous Once Upon A Time In New York, and then, the magnificent Soul Survivor: The James Brown Story (More 4, Monday, 10.30pm) which had this writer twitching like one of Galvani's frog legs (sorry if I'm being a bit too clever with that last comment, click here to see what the bloody hell I'm talking about).

Now, I should probably warn you that I'm going to be praising another TV show... yes... two in one day. I know I've normally got my bile on the go already, but you'll just have to wait for that. Believe me, I'm as shocked as you are. Anyway, on with praise for JB...

Just sometimes, you have to stop and thank the gods of television that your random channel surfing brought you to the start of an absolute gem of a program. A program that contained fear, danger, dreams, hopes, frustrations, and, in the end, triumph over adversity.

No I'm not talking about a new television drama. It's the real-life story of how an ordinary architect and his family fulfilled his childhood dream to live in a castle. A castle that started out as this crumbling ruin and ended up three years later as a stunning family home.

Even though our lovely Anna has already reviewed The Trial of Tony Blair after seeing it on More4, after watching it last night in its terrestrial outing, I thought I'd give another angle on an unusual programme looking at our PM facing the dock.

This feature length drama came from the same hand as 'A Very Social Secretary' and the director of 'The Queen's Sister'. Basically, it was a satire set in a future where Tony Blair finds himself facing a war crimes trial. As neat as the idea is, I'm afraid it doesn't really work.

The rumour mill is going into overdrive at the minute with yet MORE news (well, a rumour at least) about Celebrity Big Brother. The latest gossip (from the superb Holy Moly) is that two seperate sources have come through saying that Darryn Lyons, head of Big pictures paparazzi agency is due to enter the house.

Now, for those of you who aren't sure who this man is, click here to see just exactly why I called him a "a preposterous human car crash". He's loud, idiotic, has dismal taste in hair cuts and clothes, he's wealthy and has a very high opinion of himself. He is so gaudy that he might just be the only thing loud enough to squash the life out of the racist goings on in the house. Other rumours include Courtney Love and Ja Rule are to enter the house... we shall see. [Mof Gimmers]

Complaints are said to be well in advance of 20,000 about Big Brother in the racism row, and it isn't just on these shores which has seen people show their disgust.

The row has reached the world of international diplomatic relations with the prime minister, Tony Blair, and the chancellor, Gordon Brown - who is visiting Shetty's home country of India - making public comments about the show, while the Indian government promised to "take appropriate measures". Video showing Indian protesters burning effigies of Big Brother's producers has also been aired on television channels after the controversy was widely reported in India.    

'The Trail of Tony Blair, from the makers of 'A Very Social Secretary', was premiered on More4 last night, with a terrestrial airing to come this Thursday (Channel 4, 10pm). The voice-over introducing it called it biting satire... well I wouldn't go that far. It was a lot of fun, and there were some great performances, but I didn't feel I was getting any new perspective on our politicians. The problem, I think, lies in the fact that our leaders have already been de-mystified - we're quite aware that Tony Blair is concerned with his legacy, and assume that David Cameron would much rather be driving round in a Chelsea Tractor than riding a bike. So when we're told these things with the intention of getting a laugh, it doesn't always work because we've already accepted them as true.

Looking at this picture, you may well be nodding to yourself and thinking "that's the bloke from Supersize Me". Well, you'd be spot-on. He's Morgan Spurlock, and tucked away on More4, Morgan has a series of documentaries called 30 Days which sees Morgan sending someone to do his work for him. Great work if you can get it.

Anyway, last night I watched Morgan send a nice lady off to live with some devout Christians for 30 Days (hence the name of the series). It was obvious from the off that this was going to be slightly biased against the Christian community. It is easy to see why with the American approach to Christianity but it still irked me as I'd hoped it would be more even handed... but what do you expect from someone who nearly did his heart in living off McDonalds' burgers for ages?

Ofcom, TV regulators and stuff, have published a report saying that nearly three out of four UK households now view digital television on their main set. Obviously, this doesn't include houses with no TV but that's blindingly obvious isn't it?

Around 600,000 kicked analogue TV out of the back door and pressed red to watch digital terrestrial television (DTT) for the first time, with almost eight million second sets now connected to receive a digital reception, an increase of four million in the same period last year. 9.3 million UK households now have DTT on at least one set in the home, up from 6.8 million in September last year.

The good people at Penguin Books must have been reading my reviews. Why? They obviously know how dire my reviewing style is, and just how wide off the mark I am with my TV facts, which is why they've sent me the staggeringly fantastic Penguin TV Companion.  Of course, this isn't true at all, but it helps to paint a picture of just how great the book is.

The book is a wealth of fascinating facts about every single programme that's ever been on telly, backed up with wonderful snippets on actors and characters that have graced our screens over the years. For example, Neighbours fans will be thrilled to know that Erinsborough is an anagram of Or, Neighbours. From Russ Abbot to Zorro, there is everything you ever wanted to know and more in this wonderful, wonderful book. 2,200 programmes have been covered with full cast lists and affectionately detailed synopses of each show.

To boot, there are also gradings (four stars is essential viewing, one star is 'curiosity only') and, brilliantly, DVD availability. Jeff Evans, the creator of the book, deserves a knighthood for his endeavours. Although a book detailing TV through the years sounds a little dry, it is incredibly addictive reading. A real open on any page and get lost for an hour book. It will be thumbed greatly by this writer, that's for certain. If your house has a television, then you need this book. If you have any interest in TV at all, you cannot live without this by your side. Marvellous. [Mof Gimmers]

To buy The Penguin TV Companion click here.

What to watch this weekend

Friday - Curb Your Enthusiasm, More4, 10.50pm

Genius American sitcom that gives you laughs and carcrashes by the dozen. Tonight, Larry celebrates his birthday and asks for two wishes that eventually come true... one involving a visit to Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion. While there, Larry swaps smoking jackets with a living legend. Class.

For the rest of the weekend's TV, read on.

Morgan 'Super Size Me' Spurlock is the kind of documentary maker you either love, or you hate. Those in the first camp say he's inventive, approachable and witty, while those in the second say he's low-brow, biased and patronising. Well, those in the second camp might want to avoid this second episode of the second series of 30 Days, currently being shown on More4. Or perhaps you should give him another go, cos he's great.

This series takes the 'do something potentially dangerous for a month' idea from his McDonald's-bashing feature film, but tackles a different subject each week - though, perhaps wisely, Spurlock has decided not to take on every challenge himself.

Gordon Ramsay's F-Word. It's a infuriating programme isn't it? I've discovered that I hate watching it... week after week after week... so why do I do it? You might say it's a cathartic experience (although I hate the word cathartic), or you might say I'm a glutton for punishment. Either way, I found myself watching it again and recalling a time when I followed one of his bullet point recipes. It went something like this.

Egg. Beat. Toss. Chives. Burn. Throw up.

Naturally, his differed a little from mine as he didn't have the burning and the vomiting in his, but no matter. What happened this week then? Well, read over and I'll tell you.