TV Guide UK Tonight: Sat 4 Jul 2026 – World Cup R16, Titanic & The Weakest Link

Updated: 3 July 2026

Saturday 4 July 2026. Sport dominates tonight, with two FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 ties across BBC One and ITV1 kicking off at 6pm and 10pm. Wimbledon’s third round and rugby from Johannesburg fill the afternoon, Titanic anchors Channel 4 at 6:30pm, and The Weakest Link returns to BBC One at 8:30pm. EastEnders is not on tonight.

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

• FIFA World Cup 2026: Round of 16 BBC One & ITV1, 6pm & 10pm. Two knockout ties — lose and you’re out.
• Titanic Channel 4, 6:30pm. Cameron’s 1997 epic, still worth three hours.
• The Weakest Link BBC One, 8:30pm. Repeat edition, Romesh Ranganathan in the chair.
• Wimbledon 2026 BBC Two & BBC One, from 11am. The third round wraps up.
• The Creator Channel 4, 10:15pm. Gareth Edwards’ handsome 2023 sci-fi.
• No EastEnders tonight — not broadcast on Saturdays. Box set on BBC iPlayer.

Sport

FIFA World Cup 2026: Round of 16 – BBC One & ITV1, 6pm & 10pm ⭐

Two Round of 16 knockout ties take centre stage today, shared between BBC One and ITV1. The first kicks off at 6pm, the second at 10pm. Knockout football at this stage rewards composure over flair — one mistake and a team is on a plane home within hours. Free on BBC One, ITV1, BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

Earlier in the day, the Tour de France gets underway with its Grand Départ, a team time trial in Barcelona, live on TNT Sports 1 from 3:30pm. A Perfect Planet continues on U&Yesterday from 2pm, with David Attenborough narrating.

Wimbledon 2026 – BBC Two & BBC One, from 11am

The first Saturday of the Championships brings the third round to a close, with BBC Two carrying the action from 11am before handing over to BBC One at 12:20pm. Week one’s shocks have already thinned the draw, and by close of play today the shape of week two should be clear. Free on BBC Two, BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Rugby Union: South Africa v England – ITV4, 4:30pm (k/o 4:40pm)

England travel to Johannesburg for a Nations Championship Test against South Africa, with ITV4’s coverage starting at 4:30pm ahead of a 4:40pm kick-off. A trip to altitude against the world champions is a tough assignment. Free on ITV4 and ITVX.

Early Evening

Titanic – Channel 4, 6:30pm

James Cameron’s 1997 epic gets a Saturday night outing on Channel 4 from 6:30pm. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio’s doomed shipboard romance has lost none of its pull nearly three decades on, and the film earns every minute of its three-hour-plus running time. If you’ve only ever caught the famous scenes in clips, this is the one to put the phone down for. Channel 4 streaming.

Prime Time

The Weakest Link – BBC One, 8:30pm

Romesh Ranganathan hosts a repeat outing of the quiz, with Kaye Adams and Helen Flanagan among tonight’s contestants. The format hasn’t changed because it doesn’t need to. Strangers turning on each other under pressure stays watchable, and Ranganathan’s dry needling suits the chair. BBC iPlayer.

50 American Music Icons at the BBC – BBC Two, 9pm

Today is 250 years since American independence, and BBC Two digs into its archive to mark the occasion. The special pulls together vintage performance clips from Madonna, Louis Armstrong and Nirvana, among others. It’s less a documentary than a well-chosen clip show. BBC iPlayer.

Starter for 10 – BBC Four, 9pm

James McAvoy stars in this 2006 comedy drama as a working-class Bristol student chasing a place on University Challenge, with Benedict Cumberbatch, Rebecca Hall and Mark Gatiss in support. It’s a coming-of-age story dressed up as a quiz-show film, sharper than its premise suggests. Cert 12. BBC iPlayer.

Late Night

Schitt’s Creek – BBC Three, 9:30pm

Three episodes air back to back from 9:30pm, with Moira and David attempting to sell cosmetics to the bemused locals of the town that gives the show its name. These episodes first aired in 2019, but the writing holds up on a repeat watch better than most sitcoms manage first time round. BBC iPlayer.

The Creator – Channel 4, 10:15pm

Gareth Edwards’ 2023 sci-fi follows a former special forces agent, played by John David Washington, hunting an AI weapon built to end a war between humanity and artificial intelligence, set in 2070. A handsome, big-idea blockbuster that didn’t find the audience it deserved at the cinema. Cert 12. Channel 4 streaming.

The second Round of 16 tie kicks off at 10pm, again shared between BBC One and ITV1. BBC Four closes the day with Woolly Mammoth: Secrets from the Ice at 11:30pm — Professor Alice Roberts’ 2012 documentary on what permafrost has preserved of the prehistoric world. It’s a repeat, but the footage of the mammoth carcass itself is still worth staying up for.

The Viewing Schedule

What’s On Streaming

• BBC iPlayer: Wimbledon 2026, FIFA World Cup 2026: Round of 16 (BBC One coverage), The Weakest Link, 50 American Music Icons at the BBC, Starter for 10, Woolly Mammoth: Secrets from the Ice
• ITVX: FIFA World Cup 2026: Round of 16 (ITV1 coverage), Rugby Union: South Africa v England
• Channel 4 streaming: Titanic, The Creator
• UKTV Play: A Perfect Planet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EastEnders on tonight (Saturday 4 July 2026)?

No. EastEnders does not air on Saturdays — there is no new episode tonight. The show returns with its next scheduled broadcast during the week. The full box set is available on BBC iPlayer if you want to catch up.

What time does the World Cup start tonight?

Two Round of 16 knockout ties are on today, shared between BBC One and ITV1. The first kicks off at 6pm and the second at 10pm. Free on BBC One, ITV1, BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

What time is Titanic on Channel 4 tonight?

Titanic is on Channel 4 from 6:30pm tonight. James Cameron’s 1997 film stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Available on Channel 4 streaming after broadcast.

What time is The Weakest Link on BBC One tonight?

The Weakest Link is on BBC One at 8:30pm tonight, a repeat edition hosted by Romesh Ranganathan, with Kaye Adams and Helen Flanagan among the contestants. BBC iPlayer.

What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight (Saturday 4 July 2026)?

The two World Cup Round of 16 ties at 6pm and 10pm across BBC One and ITV1 are the headline events. Titanic on Channel 4 from 6:30pm is the pick if you’d rather avoid football, and The Creator at 10:15pm is the late-night film option.

Final Verdict

A sport-heavy Saturday, and rightly so. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 ties at 6pm and 10pm on BBC One and ITV1 are the must-watch of the night, with Wimbledon and the rugby filling out the afternoon. Titanic on Channel 4 at 6:30pm is the obvious escape if football isn’t for you, and The Creator at 10:15pm rounds off a strong night for film. The Weakest Link at 8:30pm is solid, undemanding entertainment in between. Remember: EastEnders is not on Saturdays — the box set is on BBC iPlayer.

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