Stephanie Beacham

The supermarket sitcom returns for a second series - a reasonably worthy recipient of Sky's huge investment in comedy and drama. Trollied remains at its best when it concentrates on the observational rather than the smutty, and most interest lies in the ups and downs of the highly strung deputy store manager Julie (Jane Horrocks). In the opener, Gavin (Jason Watkins) is leaving and Julie wants to give him a send-off to remember, but there's also the arrival of the new store manager to contend with and hard-boiled Lorraine Chain (Stephanie Beacham) has plans to revamp the Warrington branch of Valco leaving butcher Andy (Mark Addy) worried.

Trollied, the little comedy that taught us just how enthralling life in a budget supermarket can be, returns for its second series this week with a new boss - Dynasty ice queen Stephanie Beacham.

Episode one sees the Valco gang trying to adjust to life under their new boss - something that Julie (Jane Horrocks) in particular struggles with as she pines over her lost-love Gavin (Jason Watkins). The ladies' conflict comes to a head in the second instalment at 9.30pm when they differ over the store's new below-basic range. Trollied is far from a two-woman show though - Mark Addy, Nick Blood, Beverly Rudd and the rest of the crew are back as well, waiting for you to check them out.

Stephanie Beacham interview

Former Dynasty star Stephanie Beacham joins the second series of the supermarket comedy.

Dynasty star Stephanie Beacham to appear in Trollied

Ex-Dynasty star Stephanie Beacham has promised fans "aisle make you laugh" - as she stars in a supermarket comedy.

Though it offered the filthy pleasure of Stephanie Beacham pouting her lips and purring 'a demain' at Dervla Kirwan in one of the most excruciating flirtation scenes ever committed to film - a car crash of a lipstick lesbian encounter that made you want to flick over but somehow you couldn't - the finale of Material Girl (BBC1) was a distinctly bargainbasement affair. And the BBC knew it, tugging it out of its usual Thursday night slot and shifting it to after the news on Wednesday. Not exactly a show of faith. For some reason, Material Girl ditched the fashion satire it kicked off with and opted instead for a second-hand chicklit love-triangle story that never felt remotely convincing. It was so last season even before the credits rolled.

I would not normally waste praise on something as unambitious as Doc Martin, but watching Merlin and Trinity make me appreciate how right ITV gets its gentle, Sunday-night ratings banker. Martin Clunes, who plays Martin, the grumpy, haemophobic surgeon turned Cornwall GP, is no great actor but no one does a volcano on the permanent brink of eruption better. Last night, as ever, his equilibrium was sorely tried: by a dog that wanted to be his friend, a deaf rig worker who spoke only at high decibel (cue, doubtless, complaints from Stephanie Beacham), and a smug old flame who misdiagnosed a condition. But we wanted to know what had happened to Louisa, didn't we? His almost bride turned up, just before the end credits. And she's pregnant. I'm sure the doctor will cope with that fine.

It's sad to see this excellently scripted and naturally played sitcom come to an end tonight but it does, at least, end in style. Helen and Alex's testy, will-they-won't-they relationship reaches an interesting and poignant denouement, and Anthony Head's gleefully horrible Stephen is given a great opportunity to go into lasciviousness overdrive with Stephanie Beacham. More please.