daytime

The series will reveal the inside stories of some of the UK’s most complex major crime cases, and how expert witnesses helped crack them using forensic science.

Each episode will see Baptiste explore two different cases, and hear from those who solved them. Among those featured are The World’s End murders of 1977, one of Scotland’s longest running investigations, the Rochdale Ripper, who was captured using forensic imaging, and two crimes solved by the examination of pollen at a murder, and fibres in a car crash.

Blue Planet UK, presented by Springwatch’s Gillian Burke and Countryfile’s Steve Brown with Chris Packham, deals with British marine life and makes its debut on BBC One in March.

It will be made by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit and provide a “health check of our seas”.

In common with Blue Planet II it highlights plastic pollution. The series will offer “practical solutions for how to get involved across the country and tackle plastic pollution”.

Daytime TV has long been the butt of comedians’ jokes. In an episode of Mock the Week last year, Hugh Dennis pretended to be a weary daytime announcer: “Well, because they’re all the same, and I can’t be bothered to announce them all, here’s Flog Dickinson’s Antiques Sun Hammer Pointless Breakout in the Country… finishes at 5pm.”

Set on the Spanish Island of Mallorca, introverted British cop Miranda Blake (Rhys) clashes with her German partner Max Winter (Looman) who is unashamedly unconventional and wears his heart on his sleeve.

Their opposing personalities play out in their crime-solving endeavours while the Police Chief Inez Villegas keeps them busy with cases her own team don’t want.

Written by Dan Sefton (The Good Karma Hospital), the new series is directed by Bryn Higgins (Black Mirror).

The daily programme, hosted by comedian and actress Ellen DeGeneres, features a mixture of comedy, celebrity guests and topical human-interest stories.

The series will air on weekdays at 1.45pm, in line with the American air dates. Recent guests on the show have included the cast of Star Wars, US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and pop star Justin Bieber.

The news will please DeGeneres’ fans in the UK, who have had to resort to watching clips of the show on YouTube after UKTV channel Really pulled the plug after season 10.