TV Tonight: our highlights for Thursday, September 9

Joel Dommett presents the awards.
Joel Dommett presents the awards. (Image credit: ITV)

On TV tonight, Joel Dommett hosts The National TV Awards on ITV, a new spin-off series begins on Disney+, Doogie Kamealoha M.D. and Sandi Toksvig returns as the host of a new series of QI on BBC2. 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

The National TV Awards, 7.30pm, ITV

TV tonight will Strictly win big at the NTAs?

Will Strictly Come Dancing win big at the NTAs? (Image credit: BBC)

Lockdown left an enormous NTA-shaped hole in our lives earlier this year, but now television’s biggest party is back! Expect some surprise appearances and special performances as The Masked Singer front man Joel Dommett takes over as our host for the evening. And there’s no shortage of quality among the nominees. BBC1’s Line of Duty leads the field, following its record-breaking final series, with shows including Call the Midwife, Normal People, It’s a Sin and Unforgotten also up for awards. 

★★★★★ SMA

Doogie Kamealoha M.D. Disney+

TV tonight Lahela ‘Doogie’ Kamealoha (Peyton Elizabeth Lee)

The Doogie will see you now! (Image credit: Disney+)

Remember Doogie Howser, M.D., the fun US medical drama starring Neil Patrick Harris as a teenage doctor, which ran between 1989 and 1993? This remake with a Hawaiian twist follows Lahela ‘Doogie’ Kamealoha (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), a 16-year-old struggling to balance her personal life with her budding medical career. A very enjoyable remake, and it’s fascinating to compare it to the original series. 

★★★★ NC

QI, 10pm, BBC2

TV tonight Lee Mack guest stars tonight

Lee Mack guest stars tonight. (Image credit: BBC)

Sandi Toksvig returns with the long-running comedy quiz show. Regular viewers will know that each series has the theme of a letter, and in series 19 we’ve reached ‘S’, with this edition looking at all things ‘sick’. Alan Davies is joined by Jo Brand, Maisie Adam and Lee Mack as Sandi fires off questions on anything from astronomy to zoology. If that makes it sound off-puttingly cerebral, it’s not – you’re more likely to end up with the guests trying to top each other’s jokes, or an audience sing-song, than the right answers. 

★★★★ JP

Best box set to watch on TV tonight

Money Heist, season 5, Netflix

TV Tonight How will things end for Tokyo (Ursula Corbero) and co?

How will things end for Tokyo (Ursula Corbero) and co? (Image credit: Netflix)

This immaculate Spanish crime drama has been one of the most heart-stopping thrillers of recent years (not to mention one of Netflix’s biggest hits worldwide). Now, sadly, it’s drawing to a close with the first five of 10 swansong episodes (the rest will air in December). Former detective-turned-gangster Lisbon is now holed up with the rest of the crew in the Bank of Spain as they try to work out how to get the stolen gold out with the army drawing ever nearer... Meanwhile, things aren’t looking good for the heist’s mastermind, The Professor, as sacked cop Sierra has finally tracked him down. But will he play ball? 

★★★★ CC

Best film to watch on TV tonight

Monsters and Men, 9pm, Film4

TV tonight John David Washington

 John David Washington stars. (Image credit: Film4)

Considering its subject matter – the shooting of a black man by a cop – this 2018 movie could easily have been an angry drama heading in an obvious direction. But it’s a more subtle film than that, coming at the same facts from the point of view of three different people. Anthony Ramos plays the passer-by who caught the incident on his phone, John David Washington is a cop on the case and Kelvin Harrison Jr a football coach politicised by the ensuing protests. A powerful slow burner. 

Live Sport

  • European Tour Golf, 12pm, Sky Sports Main Event/NOW
  • Women's International T20 Cricket, England v New Zealand, 6pm, Sky Sports Main Event/NOW

Soaps on TV tonight

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…

Don't miss The National TV Awards on TV tonight – which shows will win big this year and who will be wearing the best frock?

Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide

Happy viewing!

Joanne Lowles
Freelance writer and editor

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.