On TV tonight, athletes from 68 countries descend on Birmingham as The Commonwealth Games: Opening Ceremony begins on BBC One. A couple of canines need the expert care of The Supervet: Noel Fitzpatrick on C4, drama The Undeclared War continues on C4, Meet the Richardsons comes to a close on Dave and there's a cautionary tale on BBC Three, My Insta Scammer Friend. Here’s what you shouldn’t miss on TV tonight.
- Our hand selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include five 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 Commonwealth Games: Opening Ceremony, 7pm, BBC One
Sporting talent from across the globe assembles in Birmingham for 11-day multi-sport extravaganza the Commonwealth Games, covered across the BBC. More than 5,000 athletes from 68 nations will compete across 20 sports, including new additions beach volleyball, women’s T20 cricket and para table tennis. There are plenty of medal prospects for the home nations, including Team England’s Roses defending the netball title they won four years ago in Australia. After today’s opening ceremony, gold medals will be contested in swimming, track cycling, artistic gymnastics, triathlon and weightlifting on Friday, with the athletics next week.
★★★★★ IM
The Supervet: Noel Fitzpatrick, season 17, 8pm, C4
This week, the McGann family travel all the way from Glasgow to Noel’s practice in Surrey to give their dog Kylo one last chance at a normal life. The gorgeous rough collie (the same breed as Lassie) has seriously deformed front legs, and the surgery is a complex operation that only Noel can carry out. But first, an independent ethics committee needs to decide whether such dramatic and risky surgery is the right thing to do. Also needing pioneering treatment is golden retriever pup Sasha, who needs a clever prosthesis to help her thrive, despite a deformed left paw.
★★★ JL
The Undeclared War, 9pm, C4
It’s Election Day 2024 in tonight’s episode of the political thriller, but thanks to continued malicious interference in the UK’s affairs, the process does not go smoothly. With the vote itself descending into chaos and the results called into question, the public mood starts to turn violent, and Danny finds himself in yet another uncomfortable COBRA meeting with the PM (Adrian Lester) discussing GCHQ’s failure to protect the nation...but things are set to get far worse before they get better. Meanwhile, Saara finds herself pulling away from her boyfriend James as she struggles with her feelings for Kathy.
★★★★ SP
Meet the Richardsons season 3, 10pm, Dave
Having weathered challenges from hamster care to planning Johnny Vegas’ wedding (not to mention a showbiz rivalry with David and Georgia Tennant), husband and wife Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont round off series three of their fly-on-the-wall mockumentary with a trip to the bright lights of Blackpool. They’re in town to film their travel show with Sally Lindsay, but Lucy is worried about Jon losing his star billing – can he avoid being overshadowed by a more famous name?
★★★★ JM
My Insta Scammer Friend, 9pm, BBC Three
With the rise of the social media influencer, a carefully curated Instagram account can earn millions of fans and a lucrative income. American student Caroline Calloway’s artsy photo captions documenting college life gained her an avid following and a book deal, but her image soured after attendees at her $165 ‘creativity workshops’ felt they’d been ripped off. This one-off documentary looks at what happens to the relationship between online celebrities and their fans when an aspirational personal brand is converted into hard cash.
★★★ JM
Best box set to watch on TV tonight
Sanditon season 2, ITV Hub
This adaptation of Jane Austen’s unfinished novel ended its first season on a major cliffhanger when heroine Charlotte (Rose Williams) left Sanditon heartbroken after true love Sidney (Theo James) married another woman to save his brother from financial ruin. As season two begins, Sidney is no longer around and a tragedy brings Charlotte back to Sanditon along with her sister Alison (Rosie Graham). Though Charlotte has sworn off romance, there’s no shortage of eligible men hoping to court her, like dashing war veteran Colonel Lennox (Tom Weston-Jones). As before, it’s a delicious Regency treat with a refreshingly modern (sense and) sensibility.
Best film to watch on TV tonight
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? 9pm, BBC Four
Robert Aldrich’s chilly grotesque classic, with Bette Davis and Joan Crawford a gruesome twosome as faded actors living in a gloomy mansion. Davis, a former child star, is sinking into an alcoholic madness that fuels her jealousy of her more successful sister (Crawford), confined to a wheelchair after a car crash. Getting nuttier by the minute, Davis locks her sister away and begins rehearsals to revive her career… Aldrich keeps a tight rein on the action and his high-powered stars to produce a thriller filled with Gothic menace. Bette & Joan: Talking Pictures (8.30pm) profiles Davis and Crawford’s bitter real-life feud.
Live Sport
- T20 Cricket, England vs South Africa, 6pm, Sky Sports Main Event/NOW
Soaps on TV tonight
- EastEnders, 7pm & 7.30pm, BBC Two
- Emmerdale, 7.30pm, 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 The Commonwealth Games: Opening Ceremony on TV tonight — a great summer of sport gets underway.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
