TV Guide UK Tonight: Fri 21 Aug 2026 – Ann Droid, Bergerac & Amanda Knox

Friday 21 August 2026. Five shows close their books tonight, and the football season reopens at the same time. BBC One says goodbye to both Ann Droid and The Hairdresser Mysteries, BBC Two wraps up Bergerac, ITV1 draws a line under The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, and Sky Atlantic ends Station Eleven’s run. Arsenal kick off the new Premier League campaign against Coventry City at 8pm. And no, EastEnders isn’t part of any of it tonight. More on that below.

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

• Ann Droid ⭐ BBC One, 9:30pm. The comedy signs off with Sue’s dance class and Michael’s worst timing yet.
• Bergerac BBC Two, 9pm. Jim goes rogue one last time before the credits roll for good.
• The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox ITV1, 10pm. A face-to-face reckoning closes the series.
• Football: Premier League Sky Sports, 8pm. Arsenal host Coventry City to open the new season.
• EastEnders isn’t on tonight. Fridays are Walford’s night off, same as always.

Early Evening

An afternoon whodunnit gets its send-off before the evening properly gets going.

The Hairdresser Mysteries – BBC One, 2pm

The salon’s final case brings a smooth-talking newcomer to town, offering to bankroll repairs to the church tower. Vicar Etta smells a rat, and news of an escaped prisoner gives the plot somewhere else to point its suspicion before the closing credits. BBC iPlayer.

Abbey Clancy: Celebrity Homes – ITV1, 7:30pm (not STV and UTV)

A rerun from 2023 slots in ahead of the main evening, Clancy touring the homes of entrepreneur Seema Malhotra and fashion designer Alice Temperley. Pleasant, low-stakes house-envy telly.

Prime Time

Celebrity MasterChef – BBC One, 8pm

Down to the last four, the celebrities pair off to cook a smoked mackerel Scotch egg, braised chicken and a sticky toffee pudding for Giorgio Locatelli and Grace Dent, then face a recipe set by TikTok cook Seema Pankhania. Three go through to the semis by the end. BBC iPlayer.

BBC Proms – BBC Four, 8pm

BBC Four marks what would have been Miles Davis’s 100th birthday with Clive Myrie presenting the BBC Concert Orchestra in music from Sketches of Spain and Porgy and Bess, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire taking the solo lines. Worth clearing an hour for rather than half-watching. BBC iPlayer.

You’re Killing Me – U&Drama, 8pm

New series. Brooke Shields plays a paperback mystery writer whose career has stalled, forced into partnership with a much younger true-crime podcaster to solve cases in a sleepy New England town. The pair bicker constantly, which is more or less the point. Streams free on U from today.

Bergerac – BBC Two, 9pm

The last ever case, and Jim can’t help himself. Told in no uncertain terms to leave Kim’s kidnapping alone, he does the opposite, while Barney reckons he’s already cracked it and is eyeing an early finish. A stubborn, fitting way to bow out.

Station Eleven – Sky Atlantic, 9pm & 10:05pm

The finale runs as a double bill. Jeevan and Kirsten, separated for most of this pandemic drama, get the reunion the series has been building toward since episode one. Available on Now.

Heat – Channel 5, 9pm & 10:05pm

Another outing for the first two episodes of the 2023 thriller on Channel 5, Danny Dyer as a British expat in Australia whose ordinary life comes apart, with Pia Miranda alongside him.

Ann Droid – BBC One, 9:30pm ⭐

The best comedy of the year says its goodbyes properly. Sue finally starts finding her feet again at a dance class with Linda, right as her son Michael decides the robot he depends on for everything is surplus to requirements now he’s out of work and back under her roof. It lands somewhere between funny and genuinely moving, and leaves the door open without slamming it shut. BBC iPlayer.

The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox – ITV1, 10pm

Amanda has a settled life with her husband and daughter, yet the final episode finds her still unable to let go of what happened to her. After years of letters back and forth, she travels to Italy to sit down with Giuliano Mignini, the prosecutor who built the original case against her. Full series on ITVX.

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

Channel 4 closes out the compilation run with an hour of the show’s angriest walkouts and funniest meltdowns, no new material required.

Late Night

Silent Roar – BBC Two, 11:05pm

Johnny Barrington’s 2023 debut is a quiet, weather-beaten piece of filmmaking set on the Isle of Lewis, following teenager Dondo as surfing becomes his outlet for grief after his father’s death at sea. Barrington took up film-making after his camera was stolen at art school, and there’s a real eye for place here. Rated 15. BBC iPlayer.

Sport

The football season restarts properly tonight: Arsenal host Coventry City in the Premier League’s opening fixture, kick-off 8pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. Cricket has been running most of the day, with day three of England’s first Test against Pakistan live from Headingley on Sky Sports from 11am, and highlights following on BBC Four at 7pm. The women’s Tour of Britain reaches stage three, a hilly 104.7km ride from Mold to the Great Orme above Llandudno, live on TNT Sports 1 from 11:30am.

The Viewing Schedule

What’s On Streaming

• BBC iPlayer: The Hairdresser Mysteries, Celebrity MasterChef, BBC Proms, Bergerac, Ann Droid, Silent Roar
• ITVX: Abbey Clancy: Celebrity Homes, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox
• All 4 / My5: Big Fat Quiz: Best Bits, Heat
• Now / U: Station Eleven, You’re Killing Me

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EastEnders on tonight (Friday 21 August 2026)?

No. EastEnders is a Monday-to-Thursday show on BBC One, so there’s no fresh episode tonight. It picks back up on Monday, or you can catch up on iPlayer in the meantime.

Why are so many shows ending tonight (Friday 21 August 2026)?

Five series wrap up in the same evening. Ann Droid and The Hairdresser Mysteries finish on BBC One, Bergerac ends on BBC Two, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox closes on ITV1, and Station Eleven signs off on Sky Atlantic. It’s a genuine pile-up of finales.

What time is Bergerac’s last episode on, and what happens?

Bergerac airs on BBC Two at 9pm. Jim ignores a direct order to stay away from Kim’s kidnapping case, while colleague Barney is convinced he’s already solved it and is planning an early night.

What time does the Premier League season start tonight?

Arsenal host Coventry City in the season’s opening match, kicking off at 8pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. It follows day three of England v Pakistan at Headingley and stage three of the women’s Tour of Britain.

What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight (Friday 21 August 2026)?

Ann Droid on BBC One at 9:30pm is the standout, closing out its run with real warmth. Bergerac’s finale on BBC Two and The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on ITV1 are close behind.

Final Verdict

It’s a night for saying goodbye. Ann Droid ⭐ ends its run the way it played the whole series, funny then suddenly not, and takes tonight’s top spot. Bergerac goes out stubborn to the last, and The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox trades its courtroom energy for something quieter. Station Eleven gets its long-delayed reunion, and Silent Roar rewards anyone staying up for it. Away from the finales, Arsenal and Coventry City reopen the Premier League for the season. The one constant on a Friday: EastEnders stays off air.

Related: What’s On TV Tonight Friday | What’s On TV Tonight Saturday