The Apprentice hits 20 years and marks the occasion by decamping to Hong Kong for its opening episode. Dragons’ Den delivers one of its more memorable pitches involving oversized furry hats, Patience reaches its series finale with a hostage crisis, and Europa League football brings Forest, Villa and Celtic into action.
Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best
- The Apprentice – BBC One, 9pm – 20th anniversary series launches from Hong Kong
- Patience – Channel 4, 9pm – Series finale with a tense hostage standoff
- Dragons’ Den – BBC One, 8pm – The Dragons in furry hats is quite something
- Europa League – TNT Sports, 7pm – Forest, Villa and Celtic all playing
Early Evening (7pm – 8pm)
EastEnders – BBC One, 7:30pm
Joel’s assault trial continues as Vicki faces the ordeal of returning to the witness stand. The defence’s questioning has already caused her to flee the courtroom in distress, and things aren’t getting easier. Meanwhile, Ross desperately tries to reach his son, but Joel refuses all contact. The storyline exploring online radicalisation and misogynistic rhetoric builds to its climax with some unexpected developments in court.
Online Reviews: Can You Trust Them? – ITV1, 7:30pm
A timely investigation into the murky world of fake online reviews. Most of us scroll through testimonials before making a purchase, but this Tonight report reveals how scammers and dodgy traders are gaming the system with fabricated feedback. New legislation is being developed to tackle the problem, but enforcement remains challenging. Worth watching before your next online shopping spree.
Prime Time (8pm onwards)
Dragons’ Den – BBC One, 8pm
The first pitch requires all five Dragons to model oversized, flamboyant furry hats. Touker Suleyman in floppy bunny ears is an image that will stay with you. Guest investor Jenna Meek, who’s built a cosmetics empire, joins the regular panel and takes an unusually supportive approach – she tells one hopeful not to worry about her getting her investment back, preferring to focus on making the business succeed. Other pitches include a photo journal system, an African plant-based drink, and a women’s self-defence franchise. The hat negotiation is entertaining, but the real drama comes from entrepreneurs who’ve massively overvalued their companies. Again.
Lorraine Kelly’s Norwegian Odyssey – Channel 4, 8pm
The final episode finds Lorraine in the Lofoten Islands, where her childhood fishing failures are finally redeemed with an impressively large catch on her first attempt. She tries her hand at glass blowing and spinning – with predictable results and much laughter – before the obligatory husky sledge ride. But the real highlight comes at the end when, after being disappointed on previous trips, she finally witnesses the northern lights. Watching someone fulfill a lifelong dream as the sky erupts in colour is genuinely moving.
Spain with Michael Portillo – Channel 5, 8pm
Valencia gets the Portillo treatment this week. The city often plays second fiddle to Barcelona and Madrid, but Michael makes a persuasive case for it. He visits the eclectic cathedral, samples some adventurous local cuisine including crispy pig’s ear and horsemeat baguette in a neighbourhood known as “little Havana,” and strolls through the vast central park that was created by diverting an entire river. The episode climaxes, naturally, with paella – the dish that was invented here before the rest of the world claimed it.
The Apprentice – BBC One, 9pm ⭐
Your pick of the evening. Lord Sugar’s business competition reaches its 20th year, and the format gets a shake-up. The opening task takes place entirely in Hong Kong, with the boardroom overlooking the city’s dramatic skyline. There’s also an expanded roster of candidates, though at this stage they all blend into one mass of confident suits hunting for shrimp paste and decorative pineapples.
The companion show has changed too – Tom Allen’s You’re Fired has been retired, replaced by Angela Scanlon’s The Apprentice: Unfinished Business at 10:05pm on BBC Two. It’s described as a “visualised podcast” in the style of The Traitors: Uncloaked. Some things remain constant, though: the losers still turn on each other the moment things go wrong, even if the surroundings are more exotic.
Patience – Channel 4, 9pm
Series finale. A woman serving 15 years for a murder she insists she didn’t commit takes hostages at York’s criminal records department. The officer who originally handled her case happens to be DI Monroe’s former boss – the one who nearly cost her her career. So Monroe and Patience must solve the original murder to defuse the standoff, with old professional wounds adding extra tension. Jessica Hynes and Ella Maisy Purvis have been excellent throughout, and the finale delivers a satisfying, surprisingly emotional conclusion.
Long Lost Family – ITV1, 9pm
Family secrets have a way of surfacing. Tonight’s episode features two people who discovered late in life – at 56 and 18 respectively – that they had older siblings who were adopted. In one case, the sister grew up just 10 miles from the family home and still lives nearby. The other searcher believes her mother’s emotional distance stemmed from guilt about giving up her firstborn. The moment when people first see photographs of relatives they never knew existed remains the show’s most powerful recurring image.
Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild – Channel 5, 9pm
Montana this week – a landscape of mountains, bears and towns with names like Gunslinger Gulch. Ben visits Brandon and Alisa Bellrose, who abandoned Las Vegas to start an off-road touring business and raise their family in the wilderness. They’re charmingly eccentric in a distinctly American way. The kids clearly thrive in this environment, though the question of how many more brutal winters Alisa can endure hangs over proceedings.
Britain’s Favourite Railway Stations with Si King – More4, 9pm
Si King’s railway enthusiasm is infectious, and tonight he visits Glasgow Central – one of Britain’s grandest stations. The programme also explores smaller stops that serve their communities in unexpected ways: Yatton on the old Strawberry Line in Somerset, the picturesque Great Malvern, and Accrington, which was redeveloped as a model of sustainable energy. Stations, Si argues convincingly, can be much more than places to catch trains.
Sport
Europa League: Final league-phase matches with three British clubs. Nottingham Forest v Ferencvaros at 7pm on TNT Sports 1 (kick-off 8pm). Celtic v FC Utrecht at 7:45pm on TNT Sports 2 (kick-off 8pm). Aston Villa v RB Salzburg at 7:45pm on TNT Sports 4 (kick-off 8pm). Tennis: Australian Open women’s semi-finals from 7:30am on TNT Sports. Golf: Bahrain Championship day one from 8:30am on Sky Sports.
The Viewing Schedule
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30pm | BBC One | EastEnders |
| 7:30pm | ITV1 | Online Reviews: Can You Trust Them? |
| 7:00pm | TNT Sports 1 | Forest v Ferencvaros |
| 7:45pm | TNT Sports 2 | Celtic v FC Utrecht |
| 7:45pm | TNT Sports 4 | Aston Villa v RB Salzburg |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | Dragons’ Den |
| 8:00pm | Channel 4 | Lorraine Kelly’s Norwegian Odyssey |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | Spain with Michael Portillo |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | The Apprentice |
| 9:00pm | ITV1 | Long Lost Family |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | Patience |
| 9:00pm | Channel 5 | Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild |
| 9:00pm | More4 | Britain’s Favourite Railway Stations |
| 10:05pm | BBC Two | The Apprentice: Unfinished Business |
What’s On Streaming
BBC iPlayer: The Apprentice (full series), Dragons’ Den, EastEnders, The Apprentice: Unfinished Business
ITVX: Long Lost Family (full series)
Channel 4 streaming: Patience (full series), Lorraine Kelly’s Norwegian Odyssey
Channel 5 streaming: Spain with Michael Portillo, Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild
Now: Europa League football
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is The Apprentice on TV tonight?
The Apprentice is on BBC One at 9pm tonight (Thursday 29th January 2026). The 20th anniversary series launches with an opening task in Hong Kong.
What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our top pick is The Apprentice on BBC One at 9pm – the long-running business competition celebrates 20 years with a Hong Kong setting and a revamped companion show hosted by Angela Scanlon.
Is EastEnders on TV tonight?
Yes, EastEnders is on BBC One at 7:30pm tonight (Thursday 29th January 2026). Joel’s assault trial reaches a crucial moment as Vicki returns to the stand.
What Europa League football is on tonight?
Three matches tonight on TNT Sports: Nottingham Forest v Ferencvaros (TNT Sports 1), Celtic v FC Utrecht (TNT Sports 2), and Aston Villa v RB Salzburg (TNT Sports 4), all kicking off at 8pm.
What time is the Patience finale?
The Patience series finale is on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight, with a hostage situation in York bringing the series to an emotional conclusion.
Final Verdict
The Apprentice takes tonight’s top spot – the Hong Kong setting and 20th anniversary tweaks give the format a fresh feel, even if the candidates are as overconfident as ever. Patience delivers a gripping series finale, and if you want something lighter, watching the Dragons model giant furry hats on Dragons’ Den is oddly compelling viewing.
