TV Tonight: Our highlights for Thursday, March 2

Stephen Fry in his new Channel 4 documentary

Stephen Fry's new documentary is on TV Tonight. (Image credit: Channel 4)

On TV tonight, Stephen Fry learns about Willem Arondeus and Frieda Belinfante, Nick Knowles visits the Grand Canyon and the Isle of Wight is celebrated. 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

Stephen Fry: Willem & Frieda, 9 pm, Channel 4

Stephen Fry heads to the Netherlands to learn about two young people who, during the Nazi occupation of their country during World War Two, came up with a scheme for forging identity cards, to help Jews avoid the death camps. Artist Willem Arondeus and cellist Frieda Belinfante had no special training as forgers and nor were they saboteurs – their complex plan eventually involved blowing up Amsterdam’s Central Records Office and also looped in a member of the famous Heineken brewing dynasty.

Stephen gently teases apart the strands in this expertly researched documentary with a plot thrilling enough to be a Hollywood blockbuster.

★★★★ SM

Murder in the Pacific, 9 pm, BBC Two

Murder in the Pacific on BBC Two — (Image credit: BBC)

A stranger-than-fiction story of secrets, spies and the bombing of a Greenpeace ship by French intelligence is told in this three-parter about the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior in July 1985. The environmental campaign group was docked in Auckland, New Zealand, preparing to protest against French nuclear testing in the Pacific when two explosions ripped through their ship, sinking it in minutes.

Although 11 of the crew survived, photographer Fernando Pereira was killed in the disaster. But what police initially thought was a gas explosion turned into a political scandal when it emerged there was French Secret Service involvement.

★★★★ HD

Into the Grand Canyon with Nick Knowles, 9 pm, Channel 5

Nick Knowles posing next to the Grand Canyon — (Image credit: Channel 5)

The Grand Canyon stretches for 277 miles and each year more than six million people visit to explore its trails. But, as DIY SOS star Nick Knowles finds out in his new series exploring America’s great southwest, it can be an incredibly dangerous place. Every year there are 400 emergencies and 12 deaths caused by heatstroke, falls and landslides.

Nick volunteers to play an injured hiker to help the search and rescue team in training, tackles the 4,000ft high Sky Walk and checks out the caves, including one commandeered as a nuclear bunker during the Cold War. Continues tomorrow.

★★★ NH

Isle of Wight: Jewel of the South, 8 pm, Channel 5

Mike and Izzy in Isle of Wight: Jewel of the South — (Image credit: Channel 5)

Alan Titchmarsh narrates this four-part series celebrating some of the fascinating folk who have made their home on the Isle of Wight, from fishmongers Mike and Ruth Curtis, to gardeners – and twins! – Nigel and Philip Brown, who work at Queen Victoria’s former home, Osborne House.

The opener also follows Dan Subhani and wife Tracy, who run Sandown airport and Christine Jackson, who leads the Sandown Green Town Volunteers, a group dedicated to preserving the town’s beauty.

★★★★ CC

Best box set on TV tonight

Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Netflix

Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium at Jeddah for the 2022 F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. — (Image credit: Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Formula 1: Drive to Survive is back for its fifth season, and follows the F1 2022 tour season. We'll get a closer look at the drivers, teams and races to give a behind-the-scenes look at all the thrilling drama of the sport.

This season, we'll finally see Max Verstappen giving interviews too after coming to an understanding with the team behind the documentary which should be a big highlight for fans. With all 10 episodes now streaming, it's the perfect bingeable documentary too.

Best film on TV tonight

Somebody I Used to Know, Prime Video

Somebody I Used to Know stars — (Image credit: Prime Video)

GLOW’s Alison Brie plays workaholic TV producer Ally, who returns to her hometown after her show is cancelled, where her feelings are rekindled for ex-boyfriend Sean (Jay Ellis) – only to discover he is engaged to new partner Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons). As Ally’s feelings run out of control, will Sean’s commitment to his fiancée start to waver?

If the plot seems faintly familiar, the film at one point explicitly namechecks My Best Friend’s Wedding, just to let us know that they know. ‘They’ is Alison Brie and her husband (and director) Dave Franco, who wrote the screenplay and give Ally an interesting backstory – as a nudist. So, yes, fans of Alison Brie get to see plenty of her!

★★★ SM