TV tonight: our highlights for Monday 11th May

TV tonight Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip

Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip is just one of the gems on today...

Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little go on a Very Northern Road Trip on GOLD, there's a Hospital Special documentary on BBC2 and Mark Ruffalo stars in new Sky Atlantic drama I Know This Much Is True. Here's what you shouldn’t miss on TV tonight. 

  • Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include three TV shows, a film 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

Hospital Special: Fighting Covid-19, 9pm, BBC2

TV tonight Hospital Special: Fighting Covid-19

Stories from the frontline of the Covid-19 crisis

This two-part special follows the impact of Covid-19 on London’s Royal Free Hospital, where ICU staff reach breaking point, the mortuary is full and the hospital is running low on oxygen. There are some heartbreaking personal stories, including that of nurse Nancy, 69, who needs life-saving surgery to treat the first case of Covid-related laryngitis, which has caused her throat to be dangerously inflamed. Concludes tomorrow.

★★★★★ HD

Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip, 8pm, GOLD

TV tonight Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip

Go on a Royle tour with Ricky and Ralf

They played father and son in The Royle Family and now Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little are reuniting for a campervan tour of the North, ‘like a two-bob version of The Trip’. They head first to Blackpool, where they’re annoyed that Madame Tussauds has a John Bishop waxwork but doesn’t seem to feature theirs. But they do get the chance to turn on the Illuminations, which more than makes up for it. If you’re a fan of shows such as Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, you’ll absolutely love this. 

★★★★ JP

I Know This Much is True, 9pm, Sky Atlantic/NOW TV

TV tonight I Know This Much Is True

Family secrets: Mark Ruffalo and Melissa Leo star

Having played Hulk in the Avengers films, Mark Ruffalo is used to transforming on screen. In this six-part drama, he changes in a different way to play twins, divorced construction worker Dominick and schizophrenic Thomas. When the twins’ mother (Melissa Leo) becomes ill, Thomas spirals out of control. As Dominick struggles to care for his twin, he uncovers some difficult family truths rooted in their troubled childhood. A powerful family drama that also stars Rosie O’Donnell. 

★★★★ HD

Best box set to watch on TV tonight

After Life, season 2 (six episodes), Netflix

TV tonight Afterlife

Ricky Gervais writes and stars

The second series of Ricky Gervais’ bittersweet comedy about widowed local newspaper journalist Tony (Gervais) trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife, Lisa (Kerry Godliman).

Best film to watch on TV tonight

The Importance of Being Earnest, 3pm, BBC2

This 2002 adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s comedy was never going to eclipse the 1952 version, but it has a brave stab. Rupert Everett and Colin Firth play Algy and Jack, both of whom use the alias Ernest when they want to get up to something a bit dodgy. Enter Frances O’Connor, Reese Witherspoon and Judi Dench to spoil their fun. 

Soaps on TV tonight

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight… 

Don't miss Ricky & Ralf's Very Northern Road Trip on TV tonight – a great bit of escapism.

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

 Happy viewing!