On TV tonight, Matt Lucas shares his extraordinary family history in Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC One, The Hotel Inspector is back on Channel 5 and new drama The Lazarus Project begins on Sky Max. Law & Order: Organized Crime arrives for the first time on free to air channel Pick, documentary The Real Derry: Jamie-Lee O'Donnell is on C4 and it's the final of the brilliant Taskmaster on C4. Here’s what you shouldn’t miss on TV tonight.
- Our hand selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include six 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
Who Do You Think You Are? 9pm, BBC One
The bond that Matt Lucas had with his Jewish maternal grandmother, Margot, shines through in this moving episode of the genealogy show, as the Little Britain and The Great British Bake Off star explores the oppression a young Margot faced in Nazi Germany during the 1930s. After he discovers how Margot eventually fled to England from Berlin, Matt also visits Amsterdam to follow the story of Margot’s aunts and cousins who tried to start a new life in the Netherlands. There, he unearths an amazing link to diarist Anne Frank, before hearing about his relatives’ horrifying deaths in Nazi concentration camps. A sobering but unmissable watch.
★★★★★ CC
The Hotel Inspector, 9pm, Channel 5
In the first of a new series, Alex Polizzi gets more furious with a guest-house owner than she ever has before in the history of the show. She has the joy of checking into the LG Thai Derm Spa & Guesthouse – sitting just off the A6 in Loughborough, it’s hardly Koh Samui! Instead what greets her are filthy rooms, a broken spa and endless signs, including one telling guests that the owners don’t offer services of a sexual nature! Not surprisingly, novice hoteliers Hasmeeta and Bharat, who ploughed their life savings into the business two years ago, are losing money. Alex has her work cut out to try to turn their fortunes around.
★★★★ HD
The Lazarus Project, 9pm, Sky Max/NOW
Giri/Haji creator Joe Barton offers up a fast-paced new entry into the sci-fi canon with this eight-part series, as George (I May Destroy You’s Paapa Essiedu) gets recruited into a top-secret organisation with the power to reset time if humanity is threatened with extinction. At first, he’s delighted with his new superhero-esque gig, but then he’s struck by a personal tragedy – which he isn’t allowed to undo. This excellent thriller deploys moral dilemmas and high-octane chase scenes, and it boasts a cracking ensemble cast that includes Caroline Quentin.
★★★★ SP
Law & Order: Organised Crime, 9pm, PICK
Law & Order fans are in for a treat as the spin-off series, first shown on Sky Witness, airs on free-to-air channel Pick. The brilliant Christopher Meloni is back as Detective Elliot Stabler and this time it’s personal. ‘I want answers, closure, I need that for my children,’ he quietly rages. Back from Rome and dealing with a devastating personal loss, Stabler throws himself into investigating an international drug cartel, run by known crime boss Manfredi Sinatra (Chazz Palminteri). It’s clever and slick with great performances all round.
★★★★★ JL
The Real Derry: Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, 10pm, C4
As part of the hit comedy series Derry Girls, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell played feisty, foul-mouthed Michelle, who wasn’t afraid of anyone – as long as her best mates and the wee English fella were behind her. In this one-off, the actor returns to her native Derry to reflect on what it’s really like for the young people of the city today. As preparations get underway to mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Jamie-Lee remembers her own childhood, chats to pupils at her old school and meets up with her co-star Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Erin) for a night out.
★★★ JL
Taskmaster, 9pm, C4
Ardal O’Hanlon, Bridget Christie, Chris Ramsey, Judi Love and Sophie Duker face their final tasks in a bid to win Greg Davies’ coveted golden noggin. It's been a fantastic series as "Little Alex Horne" continues to come up with a seemingly endless list of bonkers and hilarious tasks to test the thinking powers of the contestants. From sculpting edible art (and then eating it), to mini stag dos and ordering something surprising to the Taskmaster house for £50, this series continues to be a dependable ray of sunshine on a Thursday night.
★★★★ JL
Best box set to watch on TV tonight
Hacks, season 2, Prime Video
The delay between the first series of this acerbic yet warm-hearted comedy being shown in the US and the UK was such that it had already won a clutch of awards before being screened here. But it also means that fans haven’t had to wait too long for this second series, which sees veteran comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her chaotic twentysomething joke-writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) take to the road. Their relationship has never been better – but there’s a cloud hanging over them….
Best film to watch on TV tonight
The Color Purple, 9pm, BBC Four
Director Steven Spielberg came in for a lot of flak for embarking on this handsome adaptation of Alice Walker’s award-winning novel – first for being a white director tackling a black subject, then for being a populist director trying to tackle a serious subject. But the cast is brilliant – notably Whoopi Goldberg in her first major role.
Live Sport
- US Open Golf, 1pm, Sky Sports Main Event/NOW
Soaps on TV tonight
- EastEnders, 7.30pm, BBC One
- 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 Who Do You Think You Are? on TV tonight — Matt Lucas has a truly remarkable story to share.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
