On TV tonight, it's a real bumper evening of great TV as new reality series Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof begins on BBC One, new drama Julia starts on Sky Atlantic and DNA Journey continues on ITV. Three new comedies begin, Derry Girls season 3, on C4, Hullraisers also on C4 and new Catherine Tate comedy Hard Cell on Netflix. And if that wasn't enough, new thriller Compulsion also begins on Channel 5 – phew, good luck picking a channel! Here’s what you shouldn’t miss on TV tonight.
- Our hand selected recommendations for what's on TV Tonight include seven 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
Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof, 9pm, BBC One
Tenor Alfie Boe and actor Tamzin Outhwaite are among the eight celebrities challenging their minds and bodies in subzero temperatures under the guidance of Dutch extreme athlete and motivational guru Wim Hof, aka ‘The Iceman'. Over six episodes, Wim – who has millions of followers worldwide and uses cold-water therapy and breathing techniques to improve mental and physical health – will show the celebs just what they are capable of achieving. Prepare to be impressed as they plunge into icy holes and abseil down mountains, as hosts Holly Willoughby and Lee Mack look on with a mixture of awe and alarm from the Alpine slopes.
★★★★★ TL
Julia, 9pm, Sky Atlantic/NOW
You may remember Meryl Streep’s performance as American TV chef Julia Child in the 2009 film Julie & Julia. Now, our very own Sarah Lancashire plays the same woman, telling the story of her big break and the launch of her series The French Chef, which is credited with shaping the TV cookery genre, paving the way for the likes of Delia Smith and Jamie Oliver. Frasier star David Hyde Pierce plays Julia’s husband Paul, and the series is as much a celebration of their marriage as it is a depiction of her extraordinary career, which broke down barriers for women and home cooks alike.
★★★★ EB
DNA Journey, season 2, 9pm, ITV
Maureen Lipman and Rula Lenska became best friends after meeting on the Manchester set of Coronation Street. Now, the pair – who have a wonderful bond that’s lovely to watch on screen – are journeying further afield to learn more about their respective ancestries. Rula comes from Polish aristocracy and is the daughter of a count and countess, so the pair head off to Poland. While there, they make some remarkable discoveries relating to Maureen’s family that knock them for six. It seems these two have more in common than they ever imagined!
★★★★ TL
Derry Girls season 3, 9.15pm, C4
It’s the third and final series of the teen comedy, and Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle and James (aka ‘The wee English fella’) are on edge. Their GCSE results are out tomorrow, and Sister Michael (Siobhán McSweeney) is implying they’ve failed. So the gang take the logical (for them!) step and break into the school for a sneak preview. The beginning of a madcap and poignant goodbye to the cult classic that elbowed its way into our hearts in 2018.
★★★★★ ER
Hullraisers, 9.45pm, C4
Thirtysomething mum Toni (Leah Brotherhead) is desperate for a wild night reminiscent of her youth. She even craves a hangover. When party pal Rana (Taj Atwal) tentatively agrees to take her out, Toni gets busy contouring. But the night doesn’t go to plan, and Toni ends up round her sister Paula’s (Sinéad Matthews), giving her teen niece a terrifying talk on the facts of life! A warm-toned new friendship comedy, full of crackling Hullian dialogue, refreshingly blunt characters, situations that would curl your toes and a winning cast.
★★★★ ER
Compulsion, 9pm, Channel 5
Leanne Best leads the cast of this tense four-part thriller, which puts the spotlight on the agony of gambling addiction. She plays paramedic Jenny, who’s suffering from PTSD following a fatal train crash and is up to her eyes in debt from an online poker obsession. Along comes mysterious stranger Sasha (Anna Chancellor), who offers Jenny a risky way out. Is Sasha really a Good Samaritan or does she have a hidden agenda? Continues until Friday.
★★★★ HD
Hard Cell, Netflix
In a six-part series set inside a female prison, HMP Woldsley, Catherine Tate plays six larger-than-life characters, including hard nut Big Viv (pictured above), the Governor Laura Willis and prison guard Marco, as they come together to rehearse a play. Filmed in a 'mockumentary' style, ex-EastEnder Cheryl Fergison co-stars as the director of the play.
Best box set to watch on TV tonight
The Split, seasons 1–3, BBC iPlayer
The brilliantly overwrought Stern-Defoe clan are back for an explosive third and final series, and it was worth the wait! Available in full on the BBC iPlayer, seasons 1 and 2 (six episodes each) are also there if you’ve missed this gem of a drama and want to catch up. Season 3 begins as Hannah (Nicola Walker) and Nathan (Stephen Mangan) are tiptoeing carefully through a ‘good’ divorce, although Hannah isn’t quite ready to say farewell. However, a revelation – at one of the most awkward dinners we’ve ever witnessed! – will ensure friction for the weeks ahead. With secrets and angst also bubbling away for Hannah’s sisters Rose and Nina, the drama’s trademark mix of tears and wry humour is firmly in evidence, but get ready for some epic, life-changing curveballs.
Best film to watch on TV today
Joker, Netflix
Batman's cackling arch-enemy the Joker gets his own origin story, and it's no laughing matter. Director Todd Phillips' drama, set in a grim version of Gotham City, departs from Hollywood's usual fantasy conventions to deliver a compelling, nightmarish movie. Joaquin Phoenix is riveting as Arthur Fleck, a clown-for-hire by day whose journey takes him through beatings and a breakdown before we see hints of the future comic-book legend.
Live Sport
- Women's World Cup Qualifier, Northern Ireland vs England, 7.30pm (k-o 7.55pm), BBC Two
Soaps on TV tonight
- EastEnders, 7.30pm, BBC One
- Doctors, 7pm, 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 Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof on TV tonight – a fascinating new show that's great fun and full of interesting science too.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
