TV Tonight: our highlights for Thursday, Jan. 27
'Martin Clunes: Islands of the Pacific' is just one of the gems on TV tonight.

On TV tonight, Martin Clunes reaches the end of his travels in Islands of the Pacific on ITV, seven leading artists paint seven survivors of the Holocaust in Survivors: Portraits of the Holocaust on BBC2 and sharp prison drama Screw continues in C4. 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
Martin Clunes: Islands of the Pacific, 9pm, ITV
The Doc Martin actor rounds off his Pacific islands tour with a trip to the stunning Galápagos archipelago, famous for its unique animal and plant species. Sniffer dogs play a crucial role on the islands – they’re the first line of defence at every harbour and airport against any foreign plants or creatures that could cause untold damage to the area. As Martin discovers, even the humble blackberry, brought over in 1968, had a devastating effect, destroying acres of native trees. Meanwhile, Martin also helps to rescue some shark pups and measures shells of tortoise hatchlings. Gentle January viewing…
★★★ HD
Survivors: Portraits of the Holocaust, 9pm, BBC2
Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, honouring those who died during the Holocaust and also marking the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1945. This programme follows a project in which Prince Charles commissions portraits of Holocaust survivors (to go on display at Buckingham Palace), and we hear their remarkable stories. At 11.15pm (not NI), The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas tells the tale of the son of a concentration camp commandant.
The latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more!
★★★★ JP
Screw, 9pm, C4
If you haven’t been watching this six-part prison drama, there is still time to catch up – it’s worth it, as it’s well-written, with a deftly handled combination of topical storylines and some very funny one-liners. There’s also a great cast headed by Nina Sosanya, who plays newly appointed wing custodial manager Leigh. In tonight’s fourth episode, Leigh introduces a controversial drugs-and-weapons amnesty ,which alienates her from the rest of her staff.
★★★★ JP
Best box set to watch on TV tonight
Ozark, season 4, Netflix
At the end of the third season of Netflix’s acclaimed money-laundering drama, we left Marty and Wendy Byrde (Jason Bateman and Laura Linney) in a very tight spot as drug cartel boss Omar Navarro (Felix Solis) informed them they would be working much more closely together from now on. Now, in the thrilling final season - split into two parts of seven episodes each, with the final seven to be released later this year - the big question is: can the Byrdes engineer their way out of their life of crime? Or is karma about to catch up with them in a big way?
Best film to watch on TV tonight
Old Boys, 9pm, Film4
Set in a ridiculously hidebound 1980s public school, this fresh and funny take on Cyrano de Bergerac finds an awkward teenage boy (Alex Lawther) helping the school's dim sporting hero (Jonah Hauer-King) woo the new French teacher's intimidatingly cool daughter (Pauline Etienne) – even though he's in love with her himself. Charming and silly in equal measure, the film boasts appealing leads and some bizarre satirical humour.
Live Sport
- Women's Super League, Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion, 7pm (k-o 7.30pm), Sky Sports Main Event/NOW
Soaps on TV tonight
- EastEnders, 7.30pm, BBC1
- Emmerdale, 7pm & 8pm, ITV
- Hollyoaks, 6.30pm, C4
- Neighbours, 6pm, Channel 5
- Home and Away, 6pm & 6.30pm, 5Star
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss Martin Clunes: Islands of the Pacific on TV tonight – Martins concludes his island hopping in the stunning Galápagos.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!

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.