TV tonight: Our highlights for Friday, August 18

Vinca Rockwell (Ivanna Sakhno) in The Reunion
The Reunion is on TV tonight. (Image credit: ITV)

On TV tonight, The Reunion continues, there's more from The Power of Parker, and Susan Calman's Summer by the Sea takes us to a new location. Here's what you shouldn't miss on TV Tonight.

  • Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include TV shows, a film, live sport and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set 
  • Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis 
  • For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide

What's on TV tonight

Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight... 

Best TV shows on TV tonight

The Reunion, 9 pm, ITV1

As the fallout from Richard’s (Rupert Graves) past betrayal with Vinca (Ivanna Sakhno) continues, cardiologist Fanny (Vahina Giocante) is going to increasingly bizarre lengths to protect her murderous childhood sweetheart Thomas (Ioan Gruffudd). Having seemingly killed a patient to stop him blabbing about the whereabouts of Alexis Clément’s remains, this week Fanny kidnaps the woman impersonating Vinca. 

The twists don’t stop there – Thomas and Maxime (Grégory Fitoussi) realise they killed the wrong Alexis, then Thomas learns that Maxime is, in fact, his brother! But with the real Alexis poised to kill, can Thomas save Maxime before it’s too late?

★★★ HD

The Power of Parker, 9:30 pm, BBC One

Undoing Martin Parker first look! Diane (Rosie Cavaliero), Martin Parker (Conleth Hill) and Kath (Sian Gibson).

(Image credit: BBC)

The plot is thickening nicely in episode four of this nostalgia-com, as Diane (Rosie Cavaliero) and Kath (Sian Gibson) pay a visit to Martin’s (Conleth Hill) accountant and discover that one of his shady business practices has inadvertently worked
in their favour, giving the sisters the perfect opportunity to get revenge on the philandering electricals salesman. 

But to put their plan into practice, Kath needs to sneak into Martin’s office, and she finds her resolve wavering in the face of his raw sexuality – leading to another brilliantly excruciating musical moment, to the soundtrack of 1980s classic Body Talk by Imagination… 

★★★★ SP

Susan Calman's Summer by the Sea, 8 pm, Channel 5

Susan Calman meets Nina Wadia at Clacton pier.

(Image credit: Channel 5)

It’s Susan’s first time in Southwold, and she enthusiastically climbs up the lighthouse, which is curiously situated in town, to get a vantage point. This pretty part of Suffolk also has many notable attractions and, via a five-minute ‘ferry’ across the River Blyth, Susan arrives in Walberswick, where she learns about its crabbing heritage. 

On the beach, she meets designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen for an ice cream before he heads to RSPB Minsmere to spot a rare avocet. Next stop is Thorpeness, the UK’s first purpose-built holiday village created on a lake in 1913 – inspired by JM Barrie’s Peter Pan – where she explores a quirky holiday let. 

★★★ MC

Best box set on TV tonight

Heartstopper season 2Netflix

Heartstopper season 2: Joe Locke and Kit Connor in Paris

(Image credit: Netflix)

In Heartstopper season 2, Nick and Charlie navigate their new relationship; Tara and Darcy face unforeseen challenges and Tao and Elle work out if they can ever be more than just friends. With exams on the horizon, a school trip to Paris and a prom to plan, the gang has a lot to juggle as they journey through the next stages of life, love and friendship.

LB

Best film on TV tonight

Bridesmaids, 10:45 pm, ITV1 

Bridesmaids cast

(Image credit: Universal)

Co-writer Kristen Wiig stars as a single gal who goes into a neurotic tailspin after she is asked to be maid of honour at the wedding of best friend Maya Rudolph. Feeling outclassed by rich bridesmaid Rose Byrne, Wiig becomes ludicrously competitive, with farcical consequences. 

The movie shows that women can outdo men when it comes to gross-out comedy, but underpinning that is real insight into female friendship. Oscar-nominated Melissa McCarthy almost runs away with the film with her turn as a sexually voracious bridesmaid. 

★★★★ NP

Soaps

Live Sport


If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…

Don't miss The Reunion on TV tonight.

Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide

Happy viewing!

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Now she works for our sister site TechRadar in the same role. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress