TV tonight: our highlights for Wednesday 18th November

TV tonight Paul O Grady's Great British Escape

Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape is just one of the gems on today...

Paul O'Grady meets all creatures and small in his Great British Escape, we catch up with 12 Puppies and Us, and there's more feelgood stories from The Repair Shop. 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, 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

12 Puppies and Us, 8pm, BBC2

TV tonight 12 Puppies and US

Fluffy Fabio is in for a life of luxury

As well as catching up with last week’s puppies and the progress they are making, we also meet Fabio, a 10-week-old Chinese Crested Powderpuff who, as the name suggests, looks like a little soft fluffy cloud with legs. Owner Alisa from Wales likes to pamper her pooches and has already bought him his own designer wardrobe and shoes! Also living the life of luxury is rescue dog Elina, an adult dog from Cyprus, who joins a family in Buckinghamshire at their spacious home. In London, dad Reggie is finally making progress with pup Sage and in Somerset Victoria is doing a great job of training Border Collie Meg.

★★★ JL

Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape, 8pm, ITV

TV tonight Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape

Paul makes friends with some hungry alpacas

We may have found the one creature that animal-crazy Paul doesn’t love – leeches! As he continues his journey through Kent, he takes a steam train to Dungeness where, along with a spot of shrimping, he helps catch some slithery parasites at a nature reserve, and although he admits they are ‘fascinating’, he also deems them ‘repulsive’! He’s back to cuter things when he hangs out with some gorgeous alpacas and, after bonding with one, he takes part in a yoga class as the alpacas roam around. But, by his own admission, yoga isn’t really fidgety Paul’s thing, even with such cuddly company nearby! 

★★★ CC

The Repair Shop, 8pm, BBC1

TV tonight The Repair Shop

Will restores a fishing-tackle box for Sue

More feelgood stories from the Workshop of Dreams, tonight including a damaged doll which holds precious memories of the owner’s beloved mother, and a village-school plaque which is a treasured piece of local history. Also, wood restorer Will is tasked with renewing an old fishing-tackle box brought in by Sue Nunn. It belonged to her late husband, and she’d like her son to be able to use it when he takes up fishing again. There’s a lot to be done, but Will’s just the man to fix it. 

★★★★ JP

Best box set to watch

Fresh Meat, seasons one to four, Netflix/All 4

TV tonight Fresh Meat

College daze: Pre-COVID student life

Ghosts’ Charlotte Ritchie stars alongside Jack Whitehall in this sharply funny comedy from the Peep Show creators. They play two of the six students sharing a house in Manchester in the days before COVID when university life was rather different to what it is now.

Best film to watch on TV tonight

At First Light, 10pm, Syfy

Teen Stefanie Scott goes on the run with high-school admirer Théodore Pellerin after a brush with an extraterrestrial force gives her telekinetic powers. This small-budget sci-fi mystery boasts striking cinematography, decent acting and some nifty special effects.

Live sport

  • Nations League Football: England v Iceland 7pm (k-o 7.45pm), Sky Sports Main Event/NOW TV
  • Nations League Football: Wales v Finland 7.30pm (k-o 7.45pm), Sky Sports Premier League/NOW TV/S4C
  • Nations League Football: Israel v Scotland 7.30pm (k-o 7.45pm), Sky Sports Football/NOW TV
  • Nations League Football: Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria 7.30pm (k-o 7.45pm), Sky Sports Arena/NOW TV
  • Nations League Football: Northern Ireland v Romania 7.30pm (k-o 7.45pm), Sky Sports Mix/NOW TV

Soaps on TV tonight

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight… 

Don't miss Paul O'Grady's Great British Escape on TV tonight – never mind the leeches!

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

Happy viewing!