SUNDAY evenings have become one of the best nights of the week for TV.

Unfortunately, you have to make a choice between the Cornish charms of Poldark and the royal lure of Victoria. I’ve gone for the latter recently because I’m hoping to pick up the whole of Poldark later and Victoria certainly hasn’t disappointed.

Actress Jenna Coleman, whom I’d always thought of (wrongly) as lightweight, turns out to be a fine actress who has coped admirably with the complex character of the young woman becoming queen.

Tom Hughes is a handsome and engaging Prince Albert but it’s really Rufus Sewell as Lord Melbourne who grabs the attention.

He’s such a still actor, with a wonderful way of letting his face imply his emotions, that he’s totally mesmerising. Those chiselled cheekbones and compelling eyes add to the charm and the chemistry between Melbourne and Victoria is riveting.

For a monarch whose name was synonymous with a dour and straight-laced period in English history, this series is proving an enjoyable eye-opener.