TV Tonight: our highlights for Monday, July 26

By Joanne Lowles
published

Long Lost Family is just one of the gems on TV tonight.

Sisters Lisa and Lily find each other after years apart.
Sisters Lisa and Lily find each other after years apart. (Image credit: ITV)

On TV tonight, there's a moving search for an older sister in ITV's Long Lost Family, more money-saving advice from the How to Save a Grand in 24 Hours team on C4 and light-hearted American crime series Castle comes to daytime on Great! TV. 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

Long Lost Family, 9pm, ITV

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell in Long Lost Family

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell in Long Lost Family. (Image credit: ITV)

Many of those looking for absent loved ones are seeking longed-for answers about their birth parents, but for Paula Stillie from Scotland, who is mixed race, her hunt for her father is even more powerful as she has no idea about her genetic make-up. She’s stunned when Nicky, Davina and the team use DNA to track down uncles and aunts in Montana, who reveal her Native American heritage… Meanwhile, in one of the current series’ most moving searches so far, Lisa Harding from County Durham is desperate to find her older sister, Alexandra, now called Lily, to fulfil her mum’s dying wish. 

★★★★★ CC 

How to Save a Grand in 24 Hours, 8pm, C4

TV tonight The experts helping another family save money.

Anna Richardson and her money-saving team. (Image credit: C4)

Host Anna Richardson is with Matt and Neil from Lancashire who have £9,000 in credit-card debts and spend over £1,300 on food each month – for a house of three. Matt is also a self-confessed shopaholic and loves an internet splurge. The money-saving team set to work with chef Gary teaching the pair budget-friendly and tasty recipes, while Peachy gives the kitchen a cheap deep clean and DIY expert Eve sorts out the storage. It’s not rocket science, but there’s still plenty of advice on painlessly fixing your finances. 

★★★★ JL

Castle, 3pm, Great! TV

TV Tonight the stars of crime drama Castle.

Nathan Fillion stars as author Richard Castle and Stana Katic as cop Kate Beckett. (Image credit: Great! TV)

A new home for the light-hearted US crime series about charismatic author Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and tough New York cop Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), which ran for eight seasons. When Kate is called to investigate a murder, she soon realises the crime scene replicates a killing in one of Castle’s bestselling novels and she needs his help. It looks a little dated now (it first aired in the US in 2009), but the story ticks along nicely and fans who loved the pairing even gave them a ‘Bennifer’ nickname of ‘Caskett’. Continues every afternoon. 

★★★ JL

Best box set to watch on TV tonight

Ted Lasso, seasons one & two, Apple TV+

Apple has renewed "Ted Lasso" for a third season.

Jason Sudeikis as football coach Ted Lasso. (Image credit: Apple TV+)

A surprise hit that won a Golden Globe for star and co-creator Jason Sudeikis, this warm-hearted comedy follows the titular American football coach, who is brought in to manage a Premier League club. In series one, Ted’s lack of experience, together with his optimistic outlook and homespun philosophy, did not win over players, fans or media, and AFC Richmond were relegated. As we rejoin, an on-pitch incident denies ‘the Greyhounds’ their first win of the season, and club owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) has a new love interest, played by Patrick Baladi. 

★★★★ IM

Best film to watch on TV tonight

Unsane, 9pm, Film4

TV Tonight Cinema new releases for Friday 23rd March including Claire Foy in Unsane

Claire Foy in a less regal role. (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Claire Foy ditched the Queen’s cut-class accent to play a paranoid American businesswoman who winds up involuntarily committed to a psychiatric institution after seeking help for the stress of coping with a persistent stalker. Director Steven Soderbergh shot this 2018 psychological suspense thriller entirely on iPhones, which gives the action a scuzzy look that’s perfect for a down-and-dirty B-movie tale that will really give you the creeps. This couldn’t be further away from The Crown if you tried. 

Live Sport

  • Olympics 2020, from 6am, BBC1/BBC2/iPlayer/Red Button

Soaps on TV tonight

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…

Don't miss Long Lost Family on TV tonight – more amazing and touching stories.

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

Happy viewing!

Joanne Lowles
Joanne Lowles
Freelance writer and editor

Joanne Lowles has been writing about TV since 2002. After graduating from Cardiff University with a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism, she worked for All About Soap magazine covering the ups and downs of life on the cobbles, the square and the Dales. 


Next came nearly 10 years at TV Times magazine as a writer and then deputy features editor. Here she spent many happy days interviewing the biggest names in entertainment and visiting the sets of some of our most popular shows including Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife and Strictly Come Dancing. 


With a love of nature and wildlife she’s also interviewed the leading experts in this area including David Attenborough, Chris Packham and Steve Backshall. She’s also travelled the world visiting Mongolia, Canada and South Africa to see how the best in the business make the most brilliant natural history documentaries. 


Freelance since 2013, she is now is a digital writer and editor for What to Watch, previews the best on the box for TV Times mag each week and loves being constantly surprised, entertained and informed by the amazing TV that she is lucky enough to watch.