TV Guide UK Tonight: Fri 17 Jul 2026 – First Night of the Proms, Ann Droid & Amanda Knox

Published: 7 July 2026

Friday 17 July 2026. Two new British dramas bookend the night: BBC One opens the 1970s hairdressing whodunnit The Hairdresser Mysteries at 2pm, then closes out the evening with the sitcom launch Ann Droid at 9:30pm. Over on BBC Two, the 2026 BBC Proms season begins with First Night of the Proms, live from the Royal Albert Hall from 7pm. ITV1 launches its eight-part true-crime drama The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox at 9pm. One thing that isn’t on tonight: EastEnders doesn’t air on Fridays, so there’s no new episode to catch.

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

• First Night of the Proms BBC Two, 7pm. The 2026 Proms season opens live from the Royal Albert Hall.
• Ann Droid BBC One, 9:30pm. New AI sitcom starring Diane Morgan and Sue Johnston.
• The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox ITV1, 9pm. New true-crime drama launches with a double bill.
• The Hairdresser Mysteries BBC One, 2pm. New cosy crime drama starring Sally Phillips.
• Michael Palin in Venezuela Channel 5, 8pm. The veteran traveller heads to South America.
• EastEnders isn’t on tonight — the soap only airs Monday to Thursday, so there’s no episode this evening.

Early Evening

The Hairdresser Mysteries – BBC One, 2pm

A new six-part series opens this afternoon, swapping police stations for a village salon. Sally Phillips plays Lily Petal, an upmarket hairdresser who trades city clientele for a sleepy market town in the 1970s, only to discover that a blow-dry and a chat can loosen tongues faster than any interrogation. Charlotte Jordan co-stars as her sharp-eyed junior stylist Clary, and the pair spend the run picking apart the secrets locals let slip between shampoo and set. Cosy, colourful and unmistakably retro. Full series on BBC iPlayer.

Our Lives: Speed without Limits – BBC One, 7pm

This half-hour strand turns its attention to Ally Chalmers, a Scottish former ski racer whose competitive career ended when a training accident left her paralysed from the waist down. Rather than step away from speed, she’s rebuilt her life around it, retraining as a wheelchair racing driver behind the wheel of a specially adapted Mini. It’s a portrait of stubborn ambition rather than a misery memoir, and it earns its uplift honestly. BBC iPlayer.

First Night of the Proms – BBC Two, 7pm ⭐

The 2026 BBC Proms season gets under way live from the Royal Albert Hall, and this opening night has real ambition behind it. Conductor Dalia Stasevska leads the BBC Symphony Orchestra through a programme running from Copland’s brassy Fanfare for the Common Man to the strutting swagger of Gershwin’s An American in Paris, with South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim tackling Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major in between. Presenters Georgia Mann and Petroc Trelawny guide viewers through the evening from the hall itself. Eight weeks of the world’s biggest classical music festival start here, and this first night sets the tone with genuine variety rather than safe programming. BBC iPlayer.

Surgery Secrets of the Super Rich – Channel 4, 8pm

A new documentary series steps inside the private clinics catering to clients who’d rather not queue for a consultation. It follows the surgeons, the sales pitches and the patients paying eye-watering sums for cosmetic work most of us will never come close to affording, and it’s as interested in the industry’s psychology as it is in the procedures themselves. Channel 4 streaming.

Michael Palin in Venezuela – Channel 5, 8pm

Michael Palin heads to a country that rarely gets the travelogue treatment, exploring an oil-rich nation shaped as much by its politics as its landscape. As ever, his approach favours curiosity over judgement, letting the people he meets along the way do the explaining. Channel 5 streaming.

Prime Time

Ann Droid – BBC One, 9:30pm

A new sitcom from Diane Morgan and Sarah Kendall imagines a near future — 2029 — where grief comes with a customer service problem attached. Sue Johnston plays Sue, a widow whose son Michael, played by Paul Ready, buys her a second-hand eldercare robot before moving out to try to save his own marriage. Morgan plays the robot, a battered AnnDroid unit named Linda who’s seen better days and isn’t shy about it. Sally Phillips and Ben Miller round out the supporting cast. It’s a stranger, drier premise than most BBC One sitcoms attempt, and that’s exactly what makes it worth a look. Full series on BBC iPlayer.

The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox – ITV1, 9pm & 10pm

This eight-part drama launches with a double bill tonight, retelling the case that dominated headlines for years: the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher in Perugia and the wrongful conviction of American student Amanda Knox that followed. Grace Van Patten plays Knox across both the ordeal itself and its long aftermath, capturing someone whose naivety was mistaken for guilt by investigators and the watching world alike. It’s a difficult watch in places, but a serious attempt to unpick how a rush to judgement took hold. ITVX.

The Sommerdahl Murders – More4, 9pm

This Danish crime drama continues with detective Dan Sommerdahl, played by Peter Mygind, investigating the death of a model found dead ahead of a fashion show in Elsinore. It’s subtitled, unhurried and built on procedure rather than shock twists — a reliable alternative if the ITV1 launch feels too heavy for a Friday night. More4 streaming.

Linda Ronstadt Night – BBC Four, 9pm

BBC Four dedicates its evening to Linda Ronstadt, opening with a 1976 edition of The Old Grey Whistle Test capturing the American singer-songwriter at the height of her powers. It’s a reminder of just how wide her range stretched, long before playlists flattened genre lines the way she once crossed them live on stage. BBC iPlayer.

Late Night

Big Fat Quiz: Best Bits – Channel 4, 10pm

Jimmy Carr hosts a highlights compilation pulled from years of Big Fat Quiz specials, stitching together the biggest laughs and most chaotic answers from the show’s starrier line-ups. Familiar territory, but it’s efficient comfort viewing for anyone who’s had a long week. Channel 4 streaming.

Austin – BBC One, 10:40pm & 11:05pm

Two episodes air back-to-back of this warm, sharply observed comedy starring autistic actor Michael Theo as Austin, a man navigating friendship, family and independence on his own terms. Ben Miller and Sally Phillips co-star. It’s funny without ever laughing at its lead, which remains the show’s biggest achievement. BBC iPlayer.

Magnum PI – U&Dave, 10pm & 11pm

U&Dave runs a double bill of the American reboot, with Jay Hernandez as the Hawaiian shirt-wearing private investigator working a fresh case for wealthy clients who’d rather not involve the police. Undemanding and briskly plotted — ideal if the rest of tonight’s schedule has been a bit heavy. All episodes on U.

My Old Ass – BBC One, 11:35pm

This 2024 film closes out BBC One’s night: Elliott, played by Maisy Stella, takes a mushroom trip on her 18th birthday and is confronted by her wiser, older self, played by Aubrey Plaza. What starts as a stoner-comedy premise turns into something more tender about the choices that shape a life. Rated 15. BBC iPlayer.

Sport

Golf takes centre stage away from the terrestrial schedule today. The Open Championship reaches day two at Royal Birkdale, with coverage from 6:30am on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Golf; BBC Two runs highlights at 9pm for anyone without a subscription. Cricket fans get the Women’s Vitality Blast Finals Day live from the Kia Oval from 10:45am on Sky Sports Cricket, while the Tour de France continues on TNT Sports 1 from 11:45am, with highlights following on Channel 5 at 7pm.

The Viewing Schedule

What’s On Streaming

• BBC iPlayer: The Hairdresser Mysteries, Our Lives: Speed without Limits, First Night of the Proms, Ann Droid, Austin, My Old Ass, Linda Ronstadt Night
• ITVX: The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox
• Channel 4 streaming: Surgery Secrets of the Super Rich, The Sommerdahl Murders, Big Fat Quiz: Best Bits
• My5: Michael Palin in Venezuela
• U: Magnum PI

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EastEnders on tonight (Friday 17 July 2026)?

No. EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One at around 7:30pm and doesn’t broadcast on Fridays, so there’s no new episode tonight. Catch up on the week’s episodes via BBC iPlayer, or wait for Monday’s return.

What time is First Night of the Proms on BBC Two?

First Night of the Proms opens the 2026 BBC Proms season live from the Royal Albert Hall on BBC Two from 7pm, conducted by Dalia Stasevska with pianist Yunchan Lim as soloist. It also streams live on BBC iPlayer.

What time does Ann Droid start on BBC One?

Ann Droid launches on BBC One at 9:30pm tonight. The new sitcom stars Diane Morgan, Sue Johnston and Paul Ready, and the full series is available on BBC iPlayer straight after broadcast.

Is The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on ITV1 tonight?

Yes. The eight-part drama starring Grace Van Patten launches tonight with a double bill on ITV1 at 9pm and 10pm, covering the 2007 Perugia case from the start. It also streams on ITVX.

What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight (Friday 17 July 2026)?

First Night of the Proms on BBC Two from 7pm is the standout, opening eight weeks of the BBC Proms in style. Ann Droid on BBC One at 9:30pm and The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on ITV1 from 9pm both make strong cases as the night’s two biggest new launches.

Final Verdict

Friday 17 July rewards picking a lane early. First Night of the Proms on BBC Two from 7pm is the unmissable event of the evening, opening this year’s festival with real ambition rather than a safe warm-up. Ann Droid on BBC One at 9:30pm and The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on ITV1 from 9pm both launch strongly and deserve a look. The Hairdresser Mysteries earlier in the day is a gentler alternative. One thing tonight isn’t offering: EastEnders sits out Fridays, so don’t go looking for it on BBC One.

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