EXTRAORDINARY PORTRAITS WITH BILL BAILEY, BBC1, 7.30pm

The lady being painted tonight is called Eddie Brocklesby. But people often call her by her nickname, Iron Gran, owing to something at which she truly excels.

Yes, ironing is a talent that's been criminally undervalued over the years. A shake-up in society's attitudes towards it has been long overdue.

Its finest practitioners have effectively turned ironing a shirt or a pair of trousers into an art form. Their achievements deserve proper recognition.

And Eddie Brocklesby's personal thoughts on the matter?

I haven't a clue. Eddie's not called Iron Gran because of her skill with a steam iron. What on earth gave you that idea? For all I know, ironing might be something she's rubbish at.

No, she got that nickname because (a) she's a grandma, aged 82, and (b) she competes in Ironman marathons. Yes, really.

10 years ago, she became the oldest person ever to do so. She's since taken part in a further seven.

An ironman triathlon, as you may or may not know, is more than merely gruelling. Each participant must swim for 3.8km, then climb straight onto a racing bike and pedal for a further 180km - and then, the moment they dismount, they must think: "D'you know what? I really fancy running a marathon now. Because that wouldn't be at all mental, would it?"

But Eddie, I should stress, is not mad. She's an inspiration. She took up all this fitness stuff after losing her husband in her 50s (she was 60 before she learned to swim), and, as she explains to Bill, it's given her a whole new focus and direction in life. "Healthier ageing is so important to me," she says.

Painting Eddie's picture will be by artist Caroline Pool. And she can't wait. Her speciality, she tells Bill, is "older people with great stories - especially women."

Twelve years ago, Eddie founded a charity called Silverfit, encouraging older people to remain both active and social. So that's another reason she deserves so much respect.

At a Silverfit venue, you can do Nordic walking, yoga, walking football, tai chi, badminton, indoor rowing and Bollywood dance.

If you're a newcomer, I think they prefer you not to do all those at once, but you may want to check that on the website.

GARDENERS' WORLD, BBC2, 8pm

Looking forward to a rest this weekend? If so, I'd steer clear of tonight's Gardeners' World, because Monty Don is planning to give you some homework. He does this a lot, doesn't he? "Here are your jobs for the weekend," he'll announce, and I'll moan like I'd moan when I was 14 years old and was told by Mr Jones that he wanted 500 words on the stupid Battle of Hastings by first thing Monday. Apparently, Monty wants to show us how to grow potatoes, but while I'll admit that sounds more promising than some of the chores he finds for us, I can't help thinking it's quicker to get them from Tesco.

BEYOND PARADISE, BBC1, 8pm

This is very odd. Humphrey and Martha have been called to the scene of a burglary, where the owner found the place turned upside down. Having dashed back out and waited in her garden for safety until they showed up, she then led them up the path to her front door. "Look at it," she tells them as she turns the key. "They've wrecked the place." But you'll never guess what's happened. Or maybe you will. What's happened is the burglar has returned to the scene, it seems, and tidied up again. What, you did guess that? I'm impressed. You're so good at these things. Weird, though, right?