Thursday delivers a cracker of an evening with The Traitors reaching its penultimate episode, Emmerdale finally unmasking Ray’s killer after weeks of elaborate flashbacks, and BBC Four dedicating an entire evening to Moira Shearer on what would have been her 100th birthday. Add in two Premier League clubs in Europa League action and the usual soap double-header, and there’s plenty to choose from.
Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best
- The Traitors – BBC One, 8pm – Penultimate episode before tomorrow’s finale
- Emmerdale – ITV1, 8pm – Ray’s killer is finally revealed
- The Red Shoes – BBC Four, 10:10pm – Cinema classic for Moira Shearer’s centenary
- Aston Villa v Fenerbahce – TNT Sports, 5:45pm – Europa League from Istanbul
Early Evening (6pm – 8pm)
EastEnders – BBC One, 7:30pm
Yes, EastEnders is on tonight. The regular Thursday slot continues the ongoing storylines from Albert Square. As always, the episode drops on iPlayer at 6am if you prefer to watch early, though avoiding spoilers until broadcast requires some social media discipline.
Football: Europa League – TNT Sports, from 5pm
Two English clubs in action tonight. Aston Villa travel to face Fenerbahce in Istanbul – never a straightforward trip given the hostile atmosphere at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. Coverage starts at 5pm on TNT Sports 1, with kick-off at 5:45pm.
Later, Nottingham Forest face SC Braga in Portugal, kicking off at 8pm on TNT Sports 1 after the Villa match concludes. Forest’s European adventure continues after their surprise Premier League form this season.
Prime Time (8pm onwards)
The Traitors – BBC One, 8pm ⭐
Tonight’s essential viewing. With the finale airing tomorrow, this penultimate episode should see tension reach breaking point. The remaining Faithfuls have one last chance to identify and banish the Traitors before the final roundtable decides who walks away with the prize money.
Claudia Winkleman presides over proceedings with her trademark theatrical flair – those dramatic pauses before each banishment have become TV moments in their own right. Whether the Faithfuls can piece together the clues or fall victim to one last betrayal remains to be seen. Uncloaked follows at 9pm with Ed Gamble dissecting tonight’s drama.
Emmerdale – ITV1, 8pm
The big reveal. After weeks of flashback-heavy storytelling showing Ray’s final hours from multiple perspectives, tonight we finally learn who killed him. The suspects have ranged from Marlon, seeking revenge for what Ray did to daughter April, to Laurel, who was completely taken in by Ray’s charming facade.
Emmerdale’s approach to this whodunnit has been ambitious – jumping through time to reveal new information in fragments rather than the traditional drawing-room confrontation. Whether the complexity has enhanced the mystery or made it harder to follow probably depends on how closely you’ve been paying attention.
Spain with Michael Portillo – Channel 4, 8pm
Michael heads to the Basque Country, exploring the regenerated city of Bilbao and its elegant neighbour San Sebastian. There’s the obligatory food content as he tackles pintxos – those small Basque snacks served on wooden skewers – with more enthusiasm than elegance.
What distinguishes this from generic travelogues is Portillo’s genuine connection to Spain through his heritage. He observes local festivals, learns traditional crafts, and engages with locals in a way that feels personal rather than performative. Not groundbreaking, but pleasantly authentic.
Lorraine Kelly’s Norwegian Odyssey – Channel 5, 8pm
Lorraine continues her Scandinavian journey in northern Norway, meeting the Sami people and learning about their bond with reindeer and commitment to preserving traditional ways of life. She also tries reindeer blood pancakes at a nose-to-tail restaurant, which is definitely more adventurous than the usual breakfast TV fare.
Later she braves freezing waters to harvest seaweed off the Lofoten Islands. Susan Calman’s Nordic travelogues never required this level of physical commitment.
Coronation Street – ITV1, 8:30pm
The spotlight turns to Shona’s past tonight. She arrived on the cobbles almost a decade ago as something of a rough diamond, and while she’s softened since becoming part of the Platt household, she’s rarely discussed the family she left behind.
Now estranged sister Jodie is settling in at Number 8, and we’re starting to understand why Shona wanted a fresh start. When Jodie attends a domestic violence support group at the community centre, more of her troubled backstory emerges. The question is whether her volatile nature will eventually cause problems for the Platts.
Long Lost Family – ITV1, 9pm
Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell guide two emotional searches tonight. Scott discovered at age 12 that his “parents” were actually his grandparents and his birth mother was really his older sister. The family secrets get even more tangled when he learns she had three other children before him. When his sister Tina is finally traced, the reunion proves genuinely affecting.
The second search follows Jackie, who has known for decades about her younger sister but never felt able to search while their mother was alive. Meeting Christine, she discovers her sister had no idea she even had siblings – yet the pair are struck by their similarities.
Patience – Channel 4, 9pm
A botanist dies in a tropical greenhouse, found beneath a tree known as the death apple. Patience and DI Frankie Monroe investigate, following several misleading leads before uncovering the truth.
Notable tonight: Patience finally snaps at Frankie for constantly calling her “Headphones” instead of her actual name. It’s a moment that’s been building all series – Ella Maisy Purvis brings genuine frustration to the scene, while Jessica Hynes’s dismissive response shows Frankie still has a way to go. The original French series Astrid: Murder in Paris starts a new run tomorrow at 9pm on More4.
Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild – Channel 5, 9pm
Ben visits artists Tronde and Robert in the Scandinavian wilderness. They’re an eccentric pair – Tronde greets Ben with a “brain warmer,” a fluffy hat topped with a fish that supposedly “blows good thoughts into your brain.” Robert is the quieter of the two, while Tronde has something of David Hockney about him.
Both face serious health issues, but their combination of creativity and connection with nature seems to sustain them. It’s a gentle, contemplative episode about finding meaning through art and landscape.
Black Ops – BBC One, 9:30pm
The spy comedy continues as Kay and Dom deal with the fallout from accidentally handing state secrets to a suspected terrorist. Now ex-crime kingpin Tevin has moved into Dom’s family home, where he’s proving surprisingly charming to her dad and stepmum – though his underlying threat is clear.
The chaotic dash through London delivers entertainment, even if the characters’ consistently terrible decisions make them hard to root for. With MI5 bosses catching on, the pressure intensifies.
Moira Shearer: A BBC Four Celebration – from 9pm
BBC Four dedicates the evening to Moira Shearer, born 100 years ago this week. It begins at 9pm with a 1987 Wogan interview, followed at 9:40pm by the 2006 documentary Moira Shearer: The Reluctant Star.
The Red Shoes – BBC Four, 10:10pm
The centrepiece of the evening. Powell and Pressburger’s 1948 masterpiece stars Shearer as a ballerina caught between art and love. The film nearly starred Merle Oberon, then Lauren Bacall, then Angela Lansbury – but the directors insisted on casting a real dancer and discovered Shearer, then early in her theatrical career.
She made barely a handful of films, but this remains her defining work and one of the most visually stunning films ever made. If you’ve never seen it, tonight’s the perfect opportunity.
What We Do in the Shadows – BBC Two, 10pm
The vampire comedy finds Nandor caught in a hypnosis spell that reverts him to his old self – the ruthless Ottoman ruler rather than the loveable idiot we’ve come to know. His housemates respond with their own hypnosis spells, leading to escalating chaos as they turn each other into servants and back again. Order is eventually restored, more or less.
Sport
Football: Europa League – Fenerbahce v Aston Villa, TNT Sports 1 from 5pm (kick-off 5:45pm). SC Braga v Nottingham Forest, TNT Sports 1 from 7:45pm (kick-off 8pm).
Cricket: England v Sri Lanka – First ODI from Colombo, TNT Sports 1 from 8:30am.
Tennis: Australian Open – Day five/six coverage, TNT Sports from 6am and 12:30am.
Golf: Dubai Desert Classic – First round, Sky Sports Main Event/Golf from 7:30am.
The Viewing Schedule
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00am | TNT Sports | Tennis: Australian Open |
| 7:30am | Sky Sports | Golf: Dubai Desert Classic |
| 8:30am | TNT Sports 1 | Cricket: England v Sri Lanka |
| 5:45pm | TNT Sports 1 | Fenerbahce v Aston Villa |
| 7:30pm | BBC One | EastEnders |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | The Traitors |
| 8:00pm | ITV1 | Emmerdale |
| 8:00pm | Channel 4 | Spain with Michael Portillo |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | Lorraine Kelly’s Norwegian Odyssey |
| 8:00pm | TNT Sports 1 | SC Braga v Nottingham Forest |
| 8:30pm | ITV1 | Coronation Street |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | Uncloaked |
| 9:00pm | ITV1 | Long Lost Family |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | Patience |
| 9:00pm | Channel 5 | Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild |
| 9:00pm | Sky Showcase | Rob and Romesh vs Team GB |
| 9:00pm | More4 | Britain’s Favourite Railway Stations |
| 9:00pm | BBC Four | Moira Shearer on Wogan |
| 9:30pm | BBC One | Black Ops |
| 9:40pm | BBC Four | Moira Shearer: The Reluctant Star |
| 10:00pm | BBC Two | What We Do in the Shadows |
| 10:10pm | BBC Four | The Red Shoes |
What’s On Streaming
BBC iPlayer: EastEnders (from 6am), The Traitors, Uncloaked, Black Ops, What We Do in the Shadows, The Red Shoes
ITVX: Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Long Lost Family
Channel 4 streaming: Spain with Michael Portillo, Patience (full series)
My5: Lorraine Kelly’s Norwegian Odyssey, Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild
NOW/Sky Go: Rob and Romesh vs Team GB
TNT Sports app: Europa League matches, Australian Open
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is The Traitors on tonight?
The Traitors is on BBC One at 8pm tonight (Thursday 22nd January 2026), followed by Uncloaked with Ed Gamble at 9pm. This is the penultimate episode before tomorrow’s finale.
What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our top pick is The Traitors on BBC One at 8pm – the penultimate episode before tomorrow’s finale promises maximum tension as remaining players prepare for the endgame.
What time is EastEnders on tonight?
EastEnders is on BBC One at 7:30pm tonight (Thursday 22nd January 2026). You can also watch it early on iPlayer from 6am.
What time is Aston Villa playing tonight?
Aston Villa play Fenerbahce in the Europa League tonight, kicking off at 5:45pm on TNT Sports 1, with coverage from 5pm.
What’s on ITV1 tonight?
ITV1’s highlights include Emmerdale at 8pm (with Ray’s killer finally revealed after weeks of flashbacks), Coronation Street at 8:30pm and Long Lost Family at 9pm.
Final Verdict
The Traitors is the unmissable watch as we approach tomorrow’s finale – expect paranoia levels to peak. Emmerdale finally delivers its killer reveal after an ambitious multi-perspective arc. Film lovers should tune to BBC Four from 9pm for the Moira Shearer centenary celebration, culminating in The Red Shoes at 10:10pm. Football fans have two Europa League ties with Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest both in action. And yes, EastEnders is on at 7:30pm for your regular Albert Square fix.
