Our Editorial Approach
TV Radar publishes a daily TV guide covering the major UK Freeview channels — BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5, and their sister channels, plus key picks from BBC Four, ITV2, ITV3, E4, More4, Film4, and others. The aim is straightforward: tell you what’s genuinely worth watching tonight and save you the trouble of trawling through the listings yourself.
How our guides are made. Each day’s guide is generated automatically from the published broadcast schedule — programme titles, start times, run lengths and episode numbers — and checked against our listings data before publication. The write-up and the shortlist of roughly 10-15 programmes are produced by that automated process, not typed out by hand each evening. I spot-check the guides and correct what I catch, but not every page is read before it goes live. Where a night is thin or unusually busy, the guide says so.
We publish times, titles, durations, channel numbers and episode numbers — these are facts. We do not reproduce broadcasters’ programme synopses, which are third-party copyright.
The selection isn’t random. Priorities include new dramas, returning series, notable documentaries, strong films (especially ones that haven’t been shown to death), and anything that feels like it might slip under the radar. Repeats are included when they’re genuinely worth catching — a classic film on BBC Two or a drama you might have missed first time round.
Every guide is written from the perspective of a UK viewer watching on Freeview. If something’s only available on a paid streaming service or a premium satellite channel, it won’t be the lead recommendation.
Star Rating System
Every programme featured in the daily guide receives a star rating from 1 to 5. These aren’t arbitrary — they mean something specific.
⭐ (1 star) — It’s on. That’s about the best thing I can say. Background telly at best.
⭐⭐ (2 stars) — Watchable if nothing else takes your fancy, but don’t rearrange your evening for it.
⭐⭐⭐ (3 stars) — Good, solid television. Worth watching if the subject matter or genre appeals to you. Most decent programmes land here.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars) — Genuinely excellent. Well-made, well-acted, well worth your time. You’d be pleased you watched it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars) — Outstanding. The kind of television that reminds you why you still bother with broadcast TV. Rare by design.
The Must-Watch Rule: Only one programme per night gets the ⭐ must-watch badge. This is the single show I’d recommend if you could only watch one thing tonight. It’s the programme that best combines quality, timeliness, and broad appeal. Picking just one forces honesty — it’s easy to recommend everything, much harder to commit to a single choice.
Ratings reflect my genuine assessment on the night. A brilliant drama can get 3 stars if it’s a weaker episode. A humble nature documentary can get 5 if it’s extraordinary. The ratings serve the viewer, not the broadcaster.
Sources and Accuracy
TV listings data comes from a combination of sources: broadcaster press offices, advance schedules published by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, and cross-referencing with the Freeview TV Guide and EPG data. Programme descriptions draw on press packs, advance screeners (when available), and — where a show has already aired — actual viewing.
I make every reasonable effort to ensure listings are accurate at the time of publication. However, broadcasters do change their schedules — sometimes at very short notice, particularly for breaking news events or live sport overruns. If a programme is moved or dropped after the guide is published, that’s beyond my control, but I’ll update the guide where possible.
Reviews and opinions are based on actually watching programmes. Where a show hasn’t been previewed in advance, I’ll note that the recommendation is based on the available information rather than first-hand viewing.
All factual claims — broadcast times, channel assignments, episode numbers, cast details — are checked against at least one primary source before publication.
Corrections Policy
Mistakes happen. When they do, I fix them promptly and transparently.
If a listing error is spotted — wrong time, wrong channel, wrong episode — the guide is updated as soon as possible. Significant corrections are noted at the bottom of the article so you can see what changed. Minor typos and formatting fixes are corrected without annotation.
If a factual error appears in a review or recommendation, the text is corrected and the original claim is acknowledged. I don’t quietly rewrite history.
Speed matters with TV guides — a correction after the programme has aired isn’t much use. That’s why I prioritise getting corrections up quickly, especially on the day of broadcast.
Content Independence
TV Radar is editorially independent. No broadcaster, production company, streaming service, or PR agency has any influence over which programmes are featured, how they’re rated, or what’s said about them.
No paid reviews. Every recommendation and rating on this site reflects genuine editorial judgement. Nobody pays for coverage or higher star ratings.
No sponsored content. If something appears in the daily guide, it’s there because it’s worth mentioning — not because someone paid for the placement.
Affiliate links. Where the site links to products or services (such as streaming subscriptions or TV-related books), some of these may be affiliate links. This means TV Radar may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships never influence editorial content — the recommendations come first, and any relevant links are added afterwards.
Press materials. Broadcasters and PR agencies sometimes provide advance screeners, press packs, and images. Accepting these materials does not create any obligation to cover a programme or to cover it favourably.
Get in Touch
Spotted an error in tonight’s guide? Think I’ve been harsh on your favourite show? Want to let me know about something worth covering?
Drop me an email at [email protected] or get in touch via the TV Radar UK Facebook page.
I read everything, even if I can’t reply to every message. Corrections and schedule errors are always prioritised.
