TV tonight: Our highlights for Monday, August 21

The Confessions of Frannie Langton
The Confessions of Frannie Langton is on TV Tonight. (Image credit: ITV)

On TV tonight, The Confessions of Frannie Langton starts, there's more from Alison & Larry, there's a new series of The Repair Shop and Line of Duty star Tommy Jessop goes to Hollywood. 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 Confessions of Frannie Langton, 9 pm, ITV1

In the annals of history, women were to be seen and not heard, especially if you were a woman of colour. But when a young Jamaican woman born into a life of slavery is accused of murder, she’s determined to tell her story in this four-part mystery. 

First shown on ITVX last year, it follows the tumultuous journey of Frannie (Gold Digger’s Karla-Simone Spence) as she becomes a housemaid in London for scientist George Benham (Stephen Campbell Moore) and his wife Marguerite (Sophie Cookson). But when the Benhams are found dead, Frannie becomes the prime suspect… With beautiful sets and stunning performances, this is perfect period fare. Continues until Thursday. 

★★★★ VW

Alison & Larry: Billericay to Barry, 8 pm, Gold

Alison Steadman in a light blue coat holds a tree and stands next to Larry Lamb in a dark hat and jacket in Alison & Larry: Billericay to Barry.

(Image credit: UKTV)

As friends and former Gavin & Stacey co-stars Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb continue their road trip, this week’s stops include Blenheim Palace and Bath. It’s a pleasantly meandering journey – a bit like their experience in Blenheim’s maze – and the pair are happy to take a detour, especially if it involves a cream tea. 

Larry’s also keen to keep up his daily habit of cold-water swimming, even in the snow, but can’t persuade Alison to join him. A puppet-making class is more her style and it prompts her to share some childhood memories as this gentle series winds its way to next week’s conclusion. 

★★★ JP

The Repair Shop, 3:45 pm, BBC One

Jay Blades in Jay's Yorkshire Workshop

(Image credit: (C) Ricochet)

The show may have won a Best Daytime Programme BAFTA for its royal repairs edition, but Jay Blades and co treat ordinary folks’ objects with equal care as the afternoon version returns. 

Leather expert Suzie Fletcher and silversmith Brenton West combine skill sets to restore a handbag given to a typist who tried to make Britain better, a toy tractor proves emotional work for metal master Dom Chinea, and Jonathan Reid, one of the UK’s only scissor putters, is needed for a wedding. We’re happy to be back in the barn this summer. 

★★★★ NT

Tommy Jessop Goes to Hollywood, 9 pm, BBC One

Tommy Jessop in a blue jumper holding his teddy Roger in front of the Hollywood sign in Tommy Goes to Hollywood.

(Image credit: BBC)

Line of Duty star Tommy wants to become the first actor with Down’s syndrome to play a movie superhero, and in this lovely documentary, shot by Tommy and his film-maker brother Will, he tries to make it happen. As the siblings brainstorm and get stuck into stunts, Kit Harington and Neve Campbell share tips, but will a Hollywood producer take a punt on Roger the Superhero (named after Tommy’s teddy!)? 

Tommy and Will’s bid to take Tinseltown by storm is thought-provoking, emotional and wryly funny, but the heart of the show is the brothers’ beautiful relationship and you will be rooting for them to succeed. ★★★★★ CC

Best box set on TV tonight

Harlan Coben's Shelter, Prime Video

Episode 2 of Harlan Coben's Shelter

(Image credit: Amazon)

In Shelter, Mickey Bolitar survives the car crash that kills his father and puts his mother in hospital. While she recovers from her injuries in rehab, he goes to live with his estranged Aunt Shira (Entourage’s Constance Zimmer) in the quiet suburban town of Kasselton, New Jersey. 

Struggling with his grief and trying to fit into his new surroundings,  Mickey immediately forms a connection with another new student Ashley Kent (Samantha Bugliaro).  But when she disappears before their first date, he is determined to find out what’s happened to her. 

NC

Soaps

Live Sport

  • Premier League: Crystal Palace v Arsenal (Kick-off 8 pm), Sky Sports Main Event

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…

Don't miss The Confessions of Frannie Langton on TV tonight.

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

Happy viewing!

CATEGORIES
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