On TV tonight, there's an emotional tribute to Deborah James aka Bowelbabe, there's a new series of Sarah Beeny's New Life in the Country, crime drama Blue Lights continues and there's a new daytime programme about medical scams. 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
Deborah James: Bowelbabe in Her Own Words, 9 pm, BBC Two
Candid, fun, and with a zest for life, Deborah James aka BowelBabe was a remarkable woman, mum of two and former deputy-head who, after being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2016, spent the rest of her life campaigning and fund-raising.
This moving film, made in the months before Deborah’s death in June 2022, has footage from her social media posts, podcasts and family videos and follows her from her diagnosis aged 35 to being made a Dame.
Expect glittery dresses and laughter interspersed with hard-hitting footage of her treatment. It’s easy to see why she won the attention of millions and broke down taboos. Truly inspirational.
★★★★★ TL
Sarah Beeny's New Life in the Country, 8 pm, Channel 4
Three-and-a-half years into Sarah Beeny’s big relocation project, the bricks-and-mortar work on the building is pretty much finished and it’s time to turn the house into a home. As the series gets underway, life in Somerset looks peachy for Sarah, husband Graham and their family, and Sarah is collecting wild garlic for a rustic lunch.
But there is still a stack of jobs to be done, and Sarah and Graham are taking inspiration from Rise Hall, in Yorkshire, the 32-bedroom listed building that was their last restoration project, as they tackle the library (something, obviously, we can all identify with). Informative and easy-going viewing.
★★★ SM
Blue Lights, 9 pm, BBC One
Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson’s taut cop drama has been moving along at a healthy pace, but things get really interesting during this week’s episode (the fourth in the series), which covers a medley of unexpected events.
Set around a particularly busy Friday night when the city of Belfast is gripped by ‘full moon fever’, the action kicks off the morning after the night before with PS Helen McNally (Joanne Crawford) explaining how one of her decisions led to someone’s death. What follows is a captivating tableau of daily life in a force that has been stretched beyond its limit, with both heroes and villains on either side of the thin blue line.
★★★★★ SMA
Dr Xand's Con or Cure, 10 am, BBC One
Mid-morning seems to be a popular slot for ‘don’t get scammed!’ shows and in this new series, Dr Xand van Tulleken and Ashley John-Baptiste look at some medical ‘cons’. They also look at oft-quoted advice such as whether 10,000 steps a day are beneficial to health, or that we need less sleep as we get older. Continues every morning this week.
★★★ JP
Best box set on TV tonight
Obsession, Netflix
From the Regency romp Bridgerton to the saucy shenanigans of Sex Education, Netflix is developing a reputation for spicy television, and this four-part erotic thriller might be its most lustful yet. The Stranger’s Richard Armitage and Happy Valley’s Charlie Murphy star in the intoxicating tale of top surgeon William Farrow, who becomes infatuated with his son’s fiancée, Anna (this adaptation of Josephine Hart’s novel Damage delves further into Anna’s story than the 1992 film starring Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche).
Filled with lies, deceit and plenty of bedroom antics, it’s a compelling look at the destructive power of forbidden desire.
★★★★ SMA
Soaps
- EastEnders, 7.30 pm, BBC One
- Emmerdale, 7.30 pm, ITV1
- Coronation Street, 8 pm, ITV1
- Hollyoaks, 6.30 pm, Channel 4
- Home and Away, 6 pm, 5Star
Live Sport
- Monday Night Football: Leeds United v Liverpool, 7 pm (Kick-off 8 pm), Sky Sports Main Event
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss Deborah James: Bowelbabe in Her Own Words on TV tonight.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
