TV tonight: our highlights for Thursday 14th January

By Claire Crick
( What's on TV )
published

Death in Paradise
WARNING: Embargoed for publication until 00:00:01 on 05/01/2021 - Programme Name: Death in Paradise S10 - TX: 14/01/2021 - Episode: Death in Paradise - S10 - Ep2 (No. 2) - Picture Shows: DS Florence Cassell (JOSEPHINE JOBERT), DI Neville Parker (RALF LITTLE) - (C) Red Planet - Photographer: Duncan Fowlie (Image credit: BBC / Red Planet / Duncan Fowlie)

Death in Paradise is just one of the gems on tonight...

Episode two of Death in Paradise sees Neville and Florence getting on better than they thought they would, while a brand new series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK kicks off on BBC3. 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

Death in Paradise, 9pm, BBC1

Death in Paradise

Neville and Florence realise they might be getting on better than they originally thought (Picture: BBC) (Image credit: BBC / Red Planet / Peter Jonasson)

This week’s episode looks set to be uncharacteristically short when Neville and Florence extract a confession before we even hit the 10-minute mark – but, of course, we should have known that nothing in Saint Marie is ever that simple! The deceased in this case is Professor Roger Harkness, leader of an archaeological dig alongside assistant prof Rebecca Morley (Call the Midwife’s Bryony Hannah) and student Ed Lancer (Our Girl’s Luke Pasqualino). Meanwhile, JP finds himself in repeated pursuit of wayward teen Marlon Pryce. ★★★★ SP

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, BBC3/BBC iPlayer

RuPaul's Drag Race UK season two

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is back for a second series (Picture: BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy) (Image credit: BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy)

The first series of this show was a near-perfect replica of the American original (except for the cash prizes being substituted with a ‘Ru Peter badge’). Now all that remains to be seen is whether the second series will be, to quote Baga Chipz, ‘much bettah!’. Twelve new drag queens (sample names: Asttina Mandella, Ginny Lemon and Sister Sister) are on board to fight for the crown, and guest judge Elizabeth Hurley joins Ru, Michelle Visage and Graham Norton. ★★★★ SP

Hadrian’s Wall, 9pm, Channel 5 

Started by the Roman emperor Hadrian to roughly mark the boundary between Britannia and unconquered Caledonia, Hadrian’s Wall continues to exert a grip on the imagination – The Wall in Game of Thrones was inspired by it. Robson Green joins a long list of enthusiasts to pull on his walking boots and trek the 73 miles coast to coast, east to west, starting today in Wallsend. ★★★ SM

Best box set to watch on TV tonight

Dynasties, series one, BBC iPlayer

TV tonight Dynasties

Revisit the chimp family

If you enjoyed Meerkat: A Dynasties Special over Christmas, there’s plenty more where that came from as this breathtaking wildlife series devotes episodes to vulnerable species – chimpanzees, emperor penguins, lions, painted wolves and tigers.

Best film to watch on TV tonight

Ice Cold in Alex, 4.35pm, Sony Movies Action 

‘It was horrible,’ is how Sylvia Syms remembers working on this 1958 British war movie about four Brits and a South African trying to get an ambulance across the desert to Alexandria. Where, famously, an ice cold lager awaits. Sylvia was talking about working conditions in the desert in Libya (standing in for Egypt) rather than co-stars John Mills, Anthony Quayle and Harry Andrews, a perfect cast for a perfect film. ★★★★★ SM

Live sport

  • Premier League Football: Arsenal v Crystal Palace 8pm, Sky Sports Premier League/NOW TV

Soaps on TV tonight

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight… 

Don't miss the second episode of Death in Paradise - the perfect escape for a Thursday evening.

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

Happy viewing!

Claire Crick
Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 


After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off. 


She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 


As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.