On TV tonight, Sam Ryder Rocks New Year's Eve helps us ring in 2023, Talking Pictures looks back at the life of Oscar-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, Graham Norton has New Year special, and there's a special tribute to the late Stephen Sondheim. 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
Sam Ryder Rocks New Year's Eve, from 11.30pm, BBC One
After his showstopping Platinum Jubilee performance, Eurovision legend Sam Ryder rings in the New Year with some of music’s biggest stars and sings favourite songs from across the decades. Look out for some special duets, plus London’s first full fireworks display since 2019 along the River Thames.
Over on ITV1, Jason Manford and Alesha Dixon host New Year’s Eve Big Bash (8.30 pm), the ultimate house party to celebrate memorable moments of 2022, with performances from Adam Lambert, Katherine Jenkins and Cirque du Soleil, while on BBC2, Jools Holland has guests including George Ezra, Self Esteem and The Real Thing on his Annual Hootenanny (11.30 pm).
★★★★ HD
Anthony Hopkins: Talking Pictures, 12.20 pm, BBC Two
As Sir Anthony Hopkins turns 85 today, BBC2 takes a look back at the career of the Oscar-winning actor, who won his second Academy Award just last year, for The Father. There’s also a chance to see him in two of his best roles, with Shadowlands earlier (10.15am) and The Remains of the Day following this programme (1.05pm).
★★★★ JP
Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, 5:35 pm, BBC Two
To celebrate the life of the extraordinary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who died in November 2021, aged 91, producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh put together a special evening’s entertainment in London’s West End.
An impressive cast including Julia McKenzie, Michael Ball, Bernadette Peters, Petula Clark and Dame Judi Dench performed songs from Company, A Little Night Music, Into the Woods and many more, and the concert gets its TV premiere this afternoon. Earlier, you can see the 1961 film version of one of Sondheim’s greatest successes, West Side Story (3.10 pm).
★★★★ JP
The Graham Norton New Year's Eve Show, 10.25 pm, BBC One
Teeing up the main event on BBC One tonight (Sam Ryder Rocks New Year’s Eve – see Pick of the Day), Graham and guests get us into a festive mood on the last night of the year. Vying for space on the sofa are Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward, who star together in upcoming release Empire of Light, Romesh Ranganathan, Hugh Laurie and Leah Williamson, who captained the Lionesses to victory at this year’s Euro tournament.
Music is provided by West End stars Callum Scott Howells and Madeline Brewer, who perform a couple of songs from Cabaret. Willkommen!
★★★★ JP
Best box set on TV tonight
Emily in Paris season 3, Netflix
Emily in Paris is back, and fans are no doubt dying to see more drama, laughter and love in the highly anticipated third season of the hit Netflix series. A lot of the plot has been kept under wraps until it's released, but we do know a little bit.
In season 3, Emily seems to have a massively chaotic work life with her new job with Sylvie causing her drama, and she also seems to have an equally complicated love life. Will she finally be able to settle down and balance things? We'll have to wait and see!
LB
Best film on TV tonight
The Banshees of Inisherin, Disney Plus
After his superb multi-Oscar winner Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, writer-director Martin McDonagh is back with the stars of his (also superb) In Bruges for a more Irish-flavoured comedy. Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell play Colm and Pádraic, lifelong friends until Colm announces one day that he can’t face any more of Pádraic’s inane wittering and that the friendship is over.
There’s a dark and serious point being quietly made along with all the craic and buffoonery, and some brilliantly gruff acting from Gleeson, though it’s Farrell who takes the honours as the infuriating but sweet-natured Pádraic.
★★★★ SM
Live Sport
Premier League: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United, 12:30 pm, BT Sport 1
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss Sam Ryder Rocks New Year's Eve to help you ring in 2023!
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
