TV highlights 17/04/2012

Meet The Romans With Mary Beard 9pm, BBC2 Inverting the question of what the Romans did for us, Professor Beard asks: "What did the empire do to the Romans?" The Cambridge classicist tackles this subject not by focusing on aristocrats but by looking for traces of lives more ordinary. What emerges is a bottom-up portrait of a vibrant metropolis as seen through the eyes of characters such as the ex-slave baker who commissioned himself a bread oven-shaped memorial. Jonathan Wright The Mighty Mississippi With Trevor McDonald 9pm, ITV1 Sir Trevor McDonald continues his journey up the river. On the one hand the programme is an easy-going travelogue – here's Sir Trevor in Memphis, at the Sun Studios where Elvis recorded; here he is at a bar that's the home of blues, busting some moves on the dancefloor. But he's also well aware of the turbulent history of the US, particularly its racial strife, meeting a colleague of Martin Luther King who was there when Dr King was gunned down, as well as witnessing the devastation the river causes when it floods. Martin Skegg I Woke Up Gay 9pm, BBC3 Chris Birch was 21 years old and a "19st, beer-swilling rugby fan from the valleys" with a fiancee in tow. Not now. Following a stroke, he suddenly developed a love of rosé wine, interior decor … and men. Although personality changes sometimes occur following strokes as the brain makes new connections, this is the first example of a het-to-gay transformation. "All the scientists love my story and get really excited about it for some stupid reason," grins Chris, now a hairdresser but far from the only gay in the village. This film follows him as he hooks up with old pals from his previous life. Ali Catterall Mad Men 9pm, Sky Atlantic After some impressive outings last season, John Slattery takes another turn in the director's chair for tonight's episode, which sees weaselly Pete Campbell attempt to charm some important guests. A challenge certainly, as charm and Pete Campbell go together about as well as teetotalism and Roger Sterling. Meanwhile, plummy Brit Lane makes an unusual new friend. Gwilym Mumford Later Live – With Jools Holland 10pm, BBC2 It isn't really Later … without an appearance by Paul Weller, and so it's fortunate that Lord Loafers has a new album, Sonik Kicks, to promote. Other guests include former Blue Nile frontman Paul Buchanan, once the go-to guy for morose 1980s pop, now back with new solo piano/voice album Mid Air. The show's "new artist" contingent is represented by Willis Earl Beal, whose bluesy hollers have been gathered from his strange travels across the US. John Robinson Pamela Stephenson: The Fame Report 10pm, More4 Comedian-turned-psychologist Dr Pamela Stephenson presents this documentary purporting to analyse the mental impact of fame, which she describes as a "trauma", though clearly not one to which she is averse, having recently appeared on Strictly Come Dancing. Among those Stephenson interviews are Tatum O'Neal (estranged from father Ryan following his jealousy at her success after she starred alongside him in Paper Moon), Mel C, and her own husband, Billy Connolly. Since the famous are a pretty solipsistic bunch anyway, these interviews feel like standard, self-baring fare, with disappointingly little real insight. David Stubbs