TV Guide UK Tonight: Thurs 18 Jun 2026 – The Traitors US, The Hardacres Finale & Reported Missing

Updated: 24 July 2026

Thursday 18 June 2026. The Traitors US arrives on BBC Three tonight with four episodes back to back — Alan Cumming, Ardross Castle, 23 players including Maura Higgins, and one secret betrayal waiting to detonate. EastEnders is back in its usual 7:30pm slot on BBC One: the BBC One World Cup game today is an afternoon kick-off, leaving the evening clear. The Hardacres wraps on Channel 5, and a new Channel 4 documentary strand opens after 10pm.

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

• ⭐ The Traitors US BBC Three, from 9pm. Alan Cumming hosts. Four episodes. Maura Higgins. Ardross Castle.
• The Hardacres Channel 5, 9pm. Series finale. Julie Graham, comeuppances, one big announcement.
• Reported Missing BBC One, 9pm. Edinburgh police searching for missing adults. Patient, affecting.
• George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds Channel 4, 8pm. Windsor bungalow, bathroom window, sauna ambitions.
• Queen James BBC Two, 9pm. Gareth Russell on James VI and I. Better than you’d expect.
• Switzerland v Bosnia & Herzegovina ITV1, 7pm (kick-off 8pm). World Cup keeps rolling. Free.

Sport

FIFA World Cup 2026: Czech Republic v South Africa – BBC One, 4:30pm (kick-off 5pm)

Afternoon action from Atlanta. Done well before 7:30pm — which is exactly why EastEnders is back in its usual slot tonight. Free on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Switzerland v Bosnia & Herzegovina – ITV1, 7pm (kick-off 8pm)

Tonight’s main evening fixture. Coverage from 7pm, kick-off 8pm UK time. Free on ITV1 and on ITVX.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Canada v Qatar – ITV1, 10:30pm (kick-off 11pm)

Co-hosts Canada at home in Vancouver. ITV1 from 10:30pm, ITVX.

Early Evening

EastEnders – BBC One, 7:30pm

Back in its normal slot — more than it managed earlier this week. This week’s Walford storylines continue. BBC iPlayer.

Build Your Dream Home in the Country – BBC Two, 7pm

Mark Millar in Yorkshire with a couple converting a countryside property into a four-bedroom family home. BBC iPlayer.

Prime Time

George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds – Channel 4, 8pm

A Windsor bungalow held hostage by a lean-to built around a bathroom window. George Clarke wants the whole back wall gone — open-plan living, sauna and loft conversion on the wish list. Good puzzle, and the solution’s worth seeing. Channel 4 streaming.

Cornwall: a Year by the Sea – Channel 5, 8pm

Port Isaac RNLI training in 45mph winds, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary releasing rescued pups Yum Yum and Doughnut, and a visit to Britain’s largest tea plantation near Truro — which sounds made up but isn’t. 5 streaming.

Reported Missing – BBC One, 9pm

Edinburgh police on missing-persons cases. Sergeant Davie Stupart searches for Laura, 52, feared sleeping rough in sub-zero temperatures after two weeks missing, and Santra, 22, an international student gone for over a week. Patient, real documentary. BBC iPlayer.

Queen James – BBC Two, 9pm

Gareth Russell on James VI and I — the king his enemies mocked as “Queen James”, a slur aimed at his sexuality. Russell unpicks the politics of the royal court and bedchamber, with James McArdle reading the king’s own letters to camera. Good history. BBC iPlayer.

The Traitors US ⭐ – BBC Three, from 9pm

Alan Cumming hosts the fourth American series, filmed at Ardross Castle in Scotland. Twenty-three players — most from US reality TV, including Maura Higgins and dancer Mark Ballas — with a Secret Traitor buried among them. Four episodes tonight. That’s your evening sorted. BBC iPlayer.

The Hardacres – Channel 5, 9pm (SERIES FINALE)

Ma (Julie Graham) gambles big. Lady Imelda (Michele Dotrice) gets her comeuppance. Mary (Claire Cooper) faces the closure of her school. Joe (Adam Little) drops an announcement his father won’t take well. Period drama that ends on its own terms. 5 streaming.

Late Night

The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? – Channel 4, 10pm (NEW SERIES)

New strand on potential miscarriages of justice. First case: Jason Moore, a professional gambler convicted of the 2005 murder of Robert Darby in a street fight. Moore maintains his innocence; ex-partner Sandra Dumont campaigns for him. The case turns on eyewitness evidence. Channel 4 streaming.

Swipe Right for Sperm – BBC Two, 10pm

BBC Wales doc (Gemma Dunstan) on private sperm donation arranged through social media and dating apps — soaring fertility clinic costs driving people toward cheaper but riskier alternatives. BBC iPlayer.

The Viewing Schedule

What’s On Streaming

• BBC iPlayer: The Traitors US, Reported Missing, Queen James, EastEnders, Czech Republic v South Africa, Build Your Dream Home in the Country, Swipe Right for Sperm
• ITVX: Switzerland v Bosnia & Herzegovina, Canada v Qatar
• Channel 4 streaming: George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds, The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt?
• 5 streaming: The Hardacres, Cornwall: a Year by the Sea

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EastEnders on Thursday 18 June 2026?

Yes — back in its usual 7:30pm slot on BBC One. Today’s BBC One World Cup game (Czech Republic v South Africa) kicks off at 5pm, so the evening is clear. This week’s Walford storylines continue. BBC iPlayer.

What time is The Traitors US on and is it the US or UK version?

BBC Three from 9pm — the American version. Alan Cumming hosts both series; both are filmed at Ardross Castle. The fourth US series opens tonight with four episodes back to back. Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas are among the 23 players. BBC iPlayer.

What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight (Thursday 18 June 2026)?

The Traitors US on BBC Three from 9pm — four episodes, Alan Cumming, Ardross Castle. For something shorter: Reported Missing BBC One 9pm; The Hardacres finale Channel 5 9pm; George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds Channel 4 8pm.

What is The Hardacres about and is tonight the series finale?

Yes — Channel 5, 9pm. Period family drama. In the finale: Ma (Julie Graham) gambles big, Lady Imelda (Michele Dotrice) gets her comeuppance, Mary (Claire Cooper) faces her school closing, Joe (Adam Little) makes an announcement his father won’t welcome. 5 streaming.

What World Cup games are on TV tonight (Thursday 18 June 2026)?

Three fixtures. Czech Republic v South Africa BBC One 4:30pm (kick-off 5pm, BBC iPlayer). Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina ITV1 7pm (kick-off 8pm, ITVX). Canada v Qatar ITV1 10:30pm (kick-off 11pm, ITVX).

Final Verdict

The Traitors US on BBC Three from 9pm — Alan Cumming, four episodes, Ardross Castle. Event telly, not close. The Hardacres wraps on Channel 5 and Reported Missing on BBC One are both at 9pm and both worth your time. EastEnders is back at 7:30pm on BBC One. And The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? on Channel 4 at 10pm is the late pick worth noting.

Related: What’s On TV Tonight Thursday | What’s On TV Tonight Wed 17 Jun 2026 | What’s On TV Tonight Fri 19 Jun 2026