TV Tonight: our highlights for Tuesday, Jan. 18

By Joanne Lowles
published

'Winterwatch' is just one of the gems on TV tonight.

TV tonight - Chris, Michaela and Iolo are back.
Chris, Michaela and Iolo are back. (Image credit: BBC2)

On TV tonight, Winterwatch returns to BBC2, Rules of the Game continues on BBC1 and Sean Fletcher keeps on walking in Wonders of the Border on ITV. 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

Winterwatch 2022, 8pm, BBC2

TV tonight Chris Packham for Winterwatch 2022

It may be cold outside but there's still plenty of wildlife for Chris Packham and co to talk about.  (Image credit: BBC2)

In a first for the seasonal show, Michaela Strachan, Chris Packham, Iolo Williams and Megan McCubbin will be spanning three nations over the next fortnight. Chris and Michaela return to Wild Ken Hill in Norfolk, England, while Iolo is on the Isle of Mull in Scotland and Megan keeps us up to date on animal antics at WWT Castle Espie, Northern Ireland. Also, special reports follow soaring eagles, elegant egrets and amazing ice-age fish as we find out how our wildlife is coping this winter. 

★★★★ TL

Rules of the Game, 9pm, BBC1

TV tonight Iron maiden: Alison Steadman as Anita

Iron maiden: Alison Steadman as Anita. (Image credit: BBC)

HR boss Maya (Rakhee Thakrar) discovers shock new evidence about Fly Dynamic’s horrific historic culture of drink, drugs and sexual assault. And is there a murderer on the payroll? Meanwhile, COO Sam (Maxine Peake) begins to fear for the safety of her teenage daughter, Gemma, who’s doing work experience at Fly. When Maya confronts Sam with her findings, the older woman must decide how to act. Elsewhere, Alison Steadman is in terrifying form, as ruthless business matriarch Anita, who’s determined to keep the past filed away. This tense thriller concludes tomorrow. 

★★★★ ER

Wonders of the Border, 7.30pm, ITV

TV tonight Sean takes a hike along the border

Sean takes a hike along the border. (Image credit: ITV)

Sean Fletcher continues his epic 177-mile journey along the stunning Wales-England border, climbing up Cat’s Back hill in Herefordshire’s Black Mountains, before foraging in the foothills for wild plants that he later transforms into a tasty stew. Packing as much into the episode as he can, Sean also checks out the quirky book town of Hay-on-Wye, rings the church bells in Newchurch – believed to be the oldest in Wales – and takes a peek at Baskerville Hall in Clyro, said to be the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous Sherlock Holmes novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles. 

★★★★ RF

Best box set to watch on TV tonight

After Life, season 3, Netflix

TV tonight Ricky Gervais and Diane Morgan.

Ricky Gervais and Diane Morgan star. (Image credit: Netflix)

The final series of the award-winning comedy-drama written by and starring Ricky Gervais returns for its final six-part series. Although Tony still struggles to cope after the death of his wife Lisa (played in flashbacks by Kerry Godliman), this series has a more hopeful feel as Tony works through his grief and arrives at a more accepting and understanding place. He also contemplates his relationship with Emma (Ashley Jensen), and continues to be annoyed by his work colleagues, especially Kath (Diane Morgan). Meanwhile, he continues to find a kindred spirit in widow Anne (Penelope Wilton) and builds upon his friendships with eccentric locals ‘Postman Pat’ (Joe Wilkinson) and sex worker Roxy (Roisin Conaty). 

Best film to watch on TV today

Heaven Can Wait, 11.35am, Talking Pictures

A highly original comedy, this was the great director Ernst Lubitsch’s last film classic. Don Ameche is suavely tongue-in-cheek as the late lothario telling Satan his sins to engineer himself into the ‘Lower Regions’ and Gene Tierney gorgeous as his much-beset wife. The Technicolor photography is amazing.

Live Sport

  • Netball, England v Australia, 7.30pm (centre-pass 7.30pm), BBC4
  • Premier League, Brighton & Hove Albion v Chelsea, 7.30pm (k-o 8pm), BT Sport 1

Soaps on TV tonight

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…

Don't miss Winterwatch on TV tonight – keep up to date with some of the wonderful wildlife that calls the UK home. 

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

Happy viewing!

Joanne Lowles
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.