What’s on telly tonight? Our pick of the best shows on Friday 5th January

Friday 5th January The Big Soap Quiz: Coronation Street v Emmerdale
(Image credit: ITV)

TV Times tops picks for tonight

What’s on telly tonight? Here the TV Times team of expert reviewers highlight the best shows on Friday 5th January

The Big Soap Quiz: Coronation Street v Emmerdale, 9.00pm, ITV

Stephen Mulhern presides over a soap skirmish as the casts of Corrie and Emmerdale do battle to see who knows the most about their own shows! Flying the flag for Weatherfield is Julia Goulding, Bhavna Limbachia, Peter Gunn and team captain Jack P Shepherd. Can Emmerdale’s Mark Charnock and his gang, Dominic Brunt, Amy Walsh and Michelle Hardwick, defeat their rivals and lead the team to victory? It’s all in good fun of course, and there are special guest appearances from the ghosts of soap past! Rating: ****

Will & Grace, 10.00pm, C5

Has it really been more than a decade since we last hung out with BFFs Will Truman (Eric McCormack) and Grace Adler (Debra Messing)?! As we catch up with the platonic pals they’re sharing an apartment again after both getting divorced. Luckily the laughs are still in as healthy a supply as they always were, and this reunion has already been a huge hit across the pond. Catty Jack (Sean Hayes) and Karen (Megan Mullally) are still the real stars of the show, and there’s a surprisingly satirical bite to the sophisticated comedy. With all the original cast on board (and clearly loving being back together) it feels like the fabulous foursome never went away! Rating: ****

Costa Del Celebrity, 8.00pm, C5

Five go mad in Spain as a gang of celebs don their shades and dig out their phrase books to catch a few rays on the Costa Blanca. Anne Diamond is reunited with fellow sofa-surfer Nick Owen, plus Ainsley Harriott (whose TV career got a boost when he became the resident chef on Good Morning with Anne and Nick). Joining them are ’Allo ’Allo’s Vicki Michelle, and Christine Hamilton. Will the sparks fly? Rating: ***

More previews tomorrow

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.


Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 


David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.


Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!