On TV tonight, four celebrities are heading into the sewing room for a festive edition of The Great British Sewing Bee, ITVX gets the UK answer to Succession as Riches arrives on the streaming service, Luke Evans headlines an evening of songs in Luke Evans: Showtime! and Inside No. 9 returns with a spooktacular special for the Christmas season. 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
The Great British Sewing Bee, 8 pm, BBC One (Wales, BBC Two)
Judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young invite four celebs to the sewing room to showcase their stitching skills (or lack of them) in this sparkling festive special. Strictly’s Johannes Radebe displays the competitive streak we all know and love from the dancefloor, making light work of challenges involving a Christmas apron, novelty baby-outfit and Harry Styles-inspired fancy-dress jumpsuit. Presenter and rocker Rod Stewart’s wife Penny Lancaster, EastEnders’ Natalie Cassidy and podcaster Rosie Ramsey try to keep up, while host Sara Pascoe keeps nerves at bay. Look out for a rousing Dolly Parton-inspired feel-good finale! ★★★★ RF
Riches has been billed as Britain’s answer to Succession, but there’s also a whiff of Dynasty in this six-part drama about the super-wealthy Richards clan. The tale begins when the family’s patriarch Stephen (former Holby favourite Hugh Quarshie) dies unexpectedly and leaves his beauty-and-hair empire to his children from his first marriage, to the fury of his widow Claudia (Sarah Niles) and her spoiled youngsters. With plenty of sibling rivalry, boardroom battles and business backstabbings, it’s a saga that could run for years to come. And watch out for cameos from Brendan Coyle and Hermione Norris. ★★★★ SMA
Luke Evans: Showtime!, 8 pm, BBC Two (Wales, BBC One)
One of the joys of Christmas TV is when a big-name celeb gets their own special. And Beauty and the Beast star and tenor Evans is a natural showbiz fit, as he promotes his new album A Song for You. Joining him at the ICC in Newport are Beverley Knight, Olly Murs and LeAnn Rimes, who debuts her single Spaceship. ★★★ NT
Inside No. 9, 9 pm, BBC Two
Mark Gatiss has revived the tradition of Christmas ghost stories with a selection of MR James’ classics in recent years and his erstwhile colleagues Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith pay homage to that spooky genre here. The Bones of St Nicholas opens with academic Dr Jasper Parkway (Pemberton) camping for the night in a church – or ‘champing’ – only to be joined by a noisy couple (Shearsmith and Shobna Gulati). Yet they get more than they bargained for when eccentric warden Dick shares a terrifying ghost story, which is wonderfully told by guest star Simon Callow. ★★★★ SMA
Best box set on TV tonight
Tiffany and Leon are flatmates, but there's nothing conventional about their living arrangements. Despite sharing the same place, they've never actually met with Tiffany having the flat from 8 pm - 8 am, and Leon having it from 8 am - 8 pm. Over time the pair learn more about each other through post-it notes and start to develop an attraction to one another, even though they've never had an in-person conversation.
Jessica Brown Findlay and Anthony Welsh are excellent in the leading roles and with all six episodes now available on Paramount Plus, it's the perfect show for binge-watching. But will Tiffany and Leon actually become an item? You'll have to watch and find out!
★★★★ LB
Best film on TV tonight
Top Gun: Maverick, Paramount Plus
Cheesy dialogue? Check. Shimmering, loving shots of military hardware? Check. Insane, buttock-clenching action sequences? Check. Yes, Top Gun’s long-gestating sequel puts it all out there and delivers the ultimate popcorn flick. Tom Cruise is back as Maverick, this time forced into teaching a group of elite fighter pilots for a suicidal mission, including Rooster (Miles Teller), the son of Goose, who died in the first movie. The plot’s a bunch of hokum and the politics may not be to everyone’s taste, but the flying sections are simply incredible, eschewing CGI for the real thing – and it’s really noticeable. It’s laughably good fun. Higher, further, faster, baby… ★★★★★ NP
Soaps
- EastEnders, 7.30 pm, BBC One
- Emmerdale, 7.30 pm, ITV
- Hollyoaks, 6:30 pm, Channel 4
Live Sport
- EFL Cup: Manchester City vs Liverpool, 7 pm (k-o 8 pm), Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss Top Gun: Maverick on TV tonight - it's easily one of the best films of the year!
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
