A Thursday stuffed with heavyweight content and a genuine 9pm dilemma that would test even the most decisive viewer. Grantchester delivers its series finale on ITV1 with Robson Green facing down fascism and a bomb-maker. The Apprentice returns on BBC One with Lord Sugar doing what Lord Sugar does best. The Tony Blair Story concludes on Channel 4 with a final episode that catches something telling in the space between Blair’s public charm and private steel. And BBC Four rolls out one of the great American films — Bonnie and Clyde, still crackling with dangerous energy nearly sixty years on. Earlier, Dragons’ Den welcomes guest Dragon Tinie Tempah at 8pm, George Clarke tackles a tight-budget Sheffield renovation on Channel 4, and Michael Portillo throws himself into pig’s brain pies in Murcia on Channel 5. Football fans have Europa League action with Celtic hosting Stuttgart and Nottingham Forest travelling to Fenerbahce, plus Crystal Palace in the Conference League. Premier League Darts comes from Glasgow on Sky Sports, and Day 14 of the Winter Olympics from Milano Cortina. All this, and Bangers and Cash has a TR7. What more could you want from a Thursday?
TV Guide UK: Quick Picks
- Grantchester — ITV1, 9pm — Series finale: fascism, a bomb-maker and Robson Green at his finest
- The Apprentice — BBC One, 9pm — Lord Sugar’s candidates hustle once more
- The Tony Blair Story — Channel 4, 9pm — Final episode: departure from office and the face behind the charm
- Bonnie and Clyde — BBC Four, 9pm — Arthur Penn’s ground-breaking 1967 classic (★★★★½)
- Dragons’ Den — BBC One, 8pm — Guest Dragon Tinie Tempah enters the Den
- George Clarke’s Building Home — Channel 4, 8pm — A Sheffield semi on a 50k budget
- Europa League — TNT Sports, from 5pm — Forest v Fenerbahce and Celtic v Stuttgart
- Cecil: the Lion and the Dentist — Channel 4, 10pm — Trophy hunting documentary that keeps adding nuance
- Winter Olympics — BBC One from 9am, BBC Two from 1pm — Day 14 from Milano Cortina
Daytime & Afternoon (Winter Olympics & Europa League)
Winter Olympics Day 14 — BBC One from 9am, BBC Two from 1pm
Day 14 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and the medal rush intensifies as the Games approach their conclusion on Sunday. Coverage begins on BBC One from 9am before shifting to BBC Two from 1pm. With the closing ceremony on Sunday 22 February, the medal table is all but settled at the top — but the individual dramas, the photo finishes and the once-in-a-lifetime performances are still very much in play. Full coverage available on BBC iPlayer, TNT Sports and Discovery+ for those who want every event.
Europa League: Fenerbahce v Nottingham Forest — TNT Sports 1, from 5pm (k/o 5:45pm)
Nottingham Forest’s European adventure continues with a trip to Istanbul. Fenerbahce’s Chobani Stadium is one of the most intimidating grounds in European football, and Forest will need all the character they have shown this season to come away with a positive result. The atmosphere alone will test the nerve of any visiting side. Coverage from 5pm on TNT Sports 1, kick-off at 5:45pm.
UEFA Conference League: Zrinjski Mostar v Crystal Palace — TNT Sports 3, from 5pm (k/o 5:45pm)
Crystal Palace travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina for this first-leg Conference League play-off. Zrinjski Mostar may not be a household name, but European away days in unfamiliar surroundings have a habit of producing upsets. Palace will be expected to progress, but complacency is the enemy. Coverage from 5pm on TNT Sports 3, kick-off at 5:45pm.
Early Evening (7pm — 8pm)
The One Show — BBC One, 7pm
The magazine show with its usual mix of topical interviews and features. A dependable lead-in to a Thursday evening that has plenty waiting in the wings.
EastEnders — BBC One, 7:30pm
Albert Square drama continues. The ongoing storylines keep Walford’s residents on their toes, and tonight’s episode adds another chapter to the current run. Available on iPlayer from 6am if you prefer to watch on your own schedule.
Online Reviews: Can You Trust Them? Tonight — ITV1, 7:30pm
Sam Leader investigates businesses that inflate their own product ratings — a subject that will resonate with anyone who has ever been burned by a suspiciously glowing five-star review. In an age where online ratings can make or break a purchase decision, the murky world of fake reviews and paid endorsements is ripe for exposure. Also airs at 10:45pm in the Scottish transmission.
Emmerdale — ITV1, 7:30pm
The Dales drama continues. Last week’s pivotal hospital scenes for Cain Dingle set a high emotional bar, and the fallout from recent events keeps the village on edge. Catch up on ITVX.
Premier League Darts — Sky Sports Main Event, 7pm
The tungsten flies in Glasgow tonight as the Premier League Darts continues its weekly format. The atmosphere at these Scottish legs is always electric — Glasgow crowds bring volume, passion and the occasional heckle that would make a comedian blush. The best darts players in the world going head to head under the spotlight remains one of the most reliably entertaining sporting events on the calendar.
Prime Time (8pm onwards)
Dragons’ Den — BBC One, 8pm
Guest Dragon Tinie Tempah takes his seat in the Den tonight, bringing interests in property, art and consumer/lifestyle brands. The rapper-turned-entrepreneur adds fresh energy to a format that thrives on new perspectives, and his eye for lifestyle products should make for some interesting investment conversations.
The pitches tonight have real range. Peter and Julia hope that Devon dealers Lydia, Reuben, Tom and Jordan can turn loft finds into enough cash for a luxury holiday — the kind of stakes that feel delightfully low compared to the usual six-figure asks. More affecting is Carol, who brings her late mum’s porcelain collection to the Den. The collection holds priceless memories, but Carol wants to fund an assistance dog for her daughter — a pitch that carries genuine emotional weight beneath the valuation. Collector Paul also returns with vintage fishing gear for the dealers. An episode that balances heart with hustle.
George Clarke’s Building Home — Channel 4, 8pm
Solo parent Sophie faces a challenge that will resonate with anyone who has ever stared at a bathroom the size of a telephone box and wondered how to make it work. Her beloved grandparents’ down-at-heel 1930s semi in Sheffield needs dragging into the 21st century — the kitchen and bathroom were minuscule, and the rest of the house needs considerable love. The catch? She has only 50k to spend. Her brother-in-law Luke is doing the building work, which is either a blessing or a recipe for family tension at Christmas, depending on how things go.
“I’d rather have gone to the Maldives,” Sophie jokes, and you can hear the mixture of exhaustion and determination that every renovator knows intimately. George Clarke, as ever, brings warmth and practical insight to proceedings. The transformation of modest homes on tight budgets has always been the most relatable version of this show, and tonight’s episode should deliver that in spades.
Spain with Michael Portillo — Channel 5, 8pm
Michael Portillo visits underrated Murcia tonight, and the result is a delight. Starting in beautiful Cartagena — rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style after being almost destroyed in the late 19th century — he uncovers a region of Spain that most British tourists overlook entirely. Which is their loss, frankly.
Portillo learns about Murcia’s silk production, digs into local history and traditions, and — in scenes that demonstrate his willingness to commit fully to the experience — makes pig’s brain pies, tries on a traditional Huerta sombrero and smears himself with mineral-rich mud. There is something deeply endearing about a former Secretary of State for Defence covered in therapeutic mud and genuinely enjoying himself. Portillo at his unselfconsciously charming best.
Queens of Mystery — U&Drama, 8pm
This 2019 whodunnit has done the rounds, and for good reason. Julie Graham, Sarah Woodward and Siobhan Redmond are tremendous fun as the crime-writing aunties of Wildemarsh — three sisters whose combined knowledge of murder mystery tropes makes them better detectives than most actual police officers. Olivia Vinall returns to her home village, and the murder of a bestselling author who met his maker at a gorgeous country pile provides exactly the cosy-crime pleasure you want from a Thursday evening. Warm, witty and knowingly self-aware. Series 1 and 2 are available on U if you get hooked.
Bangers and Cash — U&Yesterday, 8pm
Derek Mathewson is after a TR7 that has been with its owner for 32 years. The Triumph TR7 — a car that divided opinion when it was new and continues to divide opinion now — represents exactly the kind of sentimental attachment that makes this show tick. Will the owner let go? Will Derek get the price he wants? The stakes may not be Shakespearean, but they are real.
Europa League: Celtic v Stuttgart — TNT Sports 1, from 7:45pm (k/o 8pm)
The main European football event of the evening. Celtic host Stuttgart at Celtic Park, and the atmosphere under the lights in Glasgow’s East End is one of the great experiences in European football. The Parkhead crowd will be at full volume for a knockout round tie against quality German opposition. Stuttgart have been impressive in the Bundesliga and will not be overawed, but Celtic at home in Europe are a different proposition. This should be a cracking tie.
The 9pm Battle
Four channels go head to head at 9pm tonight, and each has a strong claim on your attention. Here is the breakdown.
Grantchester — ITV1, 9pm (SERIES FINALE)
The series finale, and Grantchester goes out swinging. The notion of people turning to extreme ideology when they feel unmoored runs through tonight’s episode like a fault line. A fascist named Wilbur Church is invited to speak at the university — and those wanting to provoke outrage are often also seeking to profit, a truth that feels depressingly contemporary. Church cynically presents himself as someone who considers Oswald Mosley too moderate, a positioning designed to generate maximum shock value and media attention.
Geordie and Alphy are determined not to let this agitator take control of the emotional thermostat — a phrase that perfectly captures the way demagogues operate, turning up the heat until reasonable people lose their cool. But their task is made considerably more difficult when a bomb-maker strikes, raising the stakes from ideological threat to physical danger.
Robson Green anchors the emotional weight of the episode with the quiet authority that has made Geordie one of ITV’s most dependable characters. The show has always been at its best when it uses period settings to illuminate present-day concerns, and tonight’s finale does exactly that. A worthy conclusion. The full series is available on ITVX for anyone who needs to catch up.
The Apprentice — BBC One, 9pm
Lord Sugar is, as TV chef and rapper Big Zuu puts it in the trailer, “the original hustler” — and “hustlers gonna hustle”. The Apprentice continues its 20th series, and the formula remains stubbornly, gloriously reliable. The show is at its best when it sends objectionable management consultants in shiny suits to a market to flog eggs to uninterested members of the public. Whether tonight’s task delivers that particular pleasure remains to be seen, but the boardroom awaits either way.
Series 20 has already claimed victims in the opening weeks, and the remaining candidates know the margins are narrowing. The tasks get harder, the scrutiny intensifies, and Lord Sugar’s patience — never his most abundant resource — continues to thin. Catch up on BBC iPlayer.
The Tony Blair Story — Channel 4, 9pm (FINAL EPISODE)
The final episode of this documentary series, and it produces a quietly devastating moment. As Tony Blair finishes giving an answer to the interviewer, the camera lingers for a few seconds on his face as it resets from persuasive charm mode to something stonier. It is a cheeky editorial choice, but it gives a real sense of what is hard and steely beneath the surface — the quality that made Blair a three-time election winner and the quality that ultimately made him so polarising.
Tonight’s episode charts his departure from office and his recent ventures, and Blair himself provides the most quotable line of the series: “The irony is that as a politician you start at your most popular but least capable, and you end at your most capable but least popular.” It is the kind of observation that could serve as an epitaph for the entire New Labour project — self-aware, articulate, and carrying just enough truth to be uncomfortable for everyone, including Blair himself. A compelling conclusion to a series that has been more nuanced than many expected. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.
Bonnie and Clyde — BBC Four, 9pm (Film ★★★★½, rated 15)
Arthur Penn’s ground-breaking 1967 crime drama, and one of the films that changed Hollywood forever. Bonnie and Clyde made heroes out of crooks, telling the story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow’s exploits across 1930s America with a mixture of comedy, violence and doomed romance that audiences had never seen before. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are magnetic in the lead roles — Beatty’s swagger and Dunaway’s fierce intelligence creating a screen partnership that crackles with dangerous chemistry.
The backstory is almost as good as the film. Warner Bros boss Jack L Warner was so dismayed by a preview screening that he called it “the longest two hours and ten minutes I ever spent”. He offered star and first-time producer Warren Beatty 40% of the gross, presumably thinking this would cost the studio nothing. The film made $50 million, scored 10 Oscar nominations, and Beatty became a major Hollywood player. Warner learned an expensive lesson about dismissing the new generation.
A Talking Pictures documentary about the making of the film precedes it at 8:30pm on BBC Four — worth catching if you want the full context before the main event. Nearly sixty years on, Bonnie and Clyde still hits with the force of a freight train. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.
Late Night
Cecil: the Lion and the Dentist — Channel 4, 10pm
When a dentist from Minnesota shot a celebrated African lion in 2015, it sparked a global outcry about trophy hunting that turned Dr Walter Palmer into one of the most hated men on the internet. He reportedly paid $50,000 to kill Cecil, who was lured outside Zimbabwe’s Hwange nature reserve by an elephant carcass. Palmer used a bow and arrow from a hide in a nearby tree. “Cecil was delivered to him like a pizza,” says a local conservationist, and the image is devastating in its simplicity.
But this thoughtful documentary does something more interesting than simply rehearse the outrage. It revisits what seemed like a cut-and-dried case of first-world privilege and keeps adding layers of nuance — examining the economics of trophy hunting, the complexities of conservation funding, and the uncomfortable questions about who benefits and who suffers when the global mob moves on to its next target. The viral fury of 2015 is placed in a broader context that makes you think harder than the original headlines ever demanded. One of the more intelligent documentaries of the week. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.
Murder Trial: The Suffolk Strangler — Channel 5, 9pm
Drama-documentary about serial killer Steve Wright, the Ipswich man convicted of murdering five women in the Suffolk town in 2006. The case shocked the nation and raised urgent questions about the vulnerability of sex workers. More true crime follows at 10:30pm with a look at the case of Alan Jersey. Not easy viewing, but the format handles the material with appropriate gravity.
The Antiques Riviera — More4, 9pm
Finding items gathering dust in the attic that are worth a fortune. The antiques format that promises buried treasure and delivers the quiet satisfaction of watching someone discover their grandmother’s ugly vase is worth several thousand pounds. Light, undemanding viewing for those who prefer their Thursday evenings without existential weight.
The Traitors Ireland — BBC One, 11:40pm
The Irish spin-off of The Traitors continues with more deception and accusation from the castle. The format translates brilliantly, and the Irish contestants bring their own particular brand of warmth, wit and barely concealed suspicion to proceedings. Two episodes drop weekly on iPlayer every Monday for those who would rather not wait up until nearly midnight.
Sport
Winter Olympics: Milano Cortina 2026 Day 14 coverage on BBC One (from 9am) and BBC Two (from 1pm). Full coverage also available on BBC iPlayer, TNT Sports and Discovery+. The Games conclude on Sunday 22 February.
Europa League — Knockout Round Play-Offs: Fenerbahce v Nottingham Forest on TNT Sports 1 from 5pm (kick-off 5:45pm). Celtic v Stuttgart on TNT Sports 1 from 7:45pm (kick-off 8pm). An excellent evening of European football for English and Scottish club supporters.
UEFA Conference League — First-Leg Play-Off: Zrinjski Mostar v Crystal Palace on TNT Sports 3 from 5pm (kick-off 5:45pm).
Premier League Darts: Glasgow action on Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm.
The Viewing Schedule
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00am | BBC One | Winter Olympics Day 14 |
| 1:00pm | BBC Two | Winter Olympics Day 14 |
| 5:00pm | TNT Sports 1 | Europa League: Fenerbahce v Nottingham Forest (k/o 5:45pm) |
| 5:00pm | TNT Sports 3 | Conference League: Zrinjski Mostar v Crystal Palace (k/o 5:45pm) |
| 7:00pm | BBC One | The One Show |
| 7:00pm | Sky Sports Main Event | Premier League Darts (Glasgow) |
| 7:30pm | BBC One | EastEnders |
| 7:30pm | ITV1 | Online Reviews: Can You Trust Them? Tonight |
| 7:30pm | ITV1 | Emmerdale |
| 7:45pm | TNT Sports 1 | Europa League: Celtic v Stuttgart (k/o 8pm) |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | Dragons’ Den |
| 8:00pm | Channel 4 | George Clarke’s Building Home |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | Spain with Michael Portillo |
| 8:00pm | U&Drama | Queens of Mystery |
| 8:00pm | U&Yesterday | Bangers and Cash |
| 8:30pm | BBC Four | Talking Pictures: Bonnie and Clyde documentary |
| 9:00pm | ITV1 | Grantchester (Series Finale) |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | The Apprentice |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | The Tony Blair Story (Final Episode) |
| 9:00pm | BBC Four | Bonnie and Clyde (1967, ★★★★½) |
| 9:00pm | More4 | The Antiques Riviera |
| 9:00pm | Channel 5 | Murder Trial: The Suffolk Strangler |
| 10:00pm | Channel 4 | Cecil: the Lion and the Dentist |
| 11:40pm | BBC One | The Traitors Ireland |
What’s On Streaming
BBC iPlayer: The Apprentice, Dragons’ Den, EastEnders, Bonnie and Clyde, Talking Pictures documentary, The Traitors Ireland, Winter Olympics (full coverage)
ITVX: Grantchester (full series), Emmerdale
Channel 4 streaming: The Tony Blair Story (full series), Cecil: the Lion and the Dentist, George Clarke’s Building Home, The Antiques Riviera
Channel 5 streaming: Spain with Michael Portillo, Murder Trial: The Suffolk Strangler
TNT Sports: Europa League and Conference League (all matches)
Discovery+: Winter Olympics (full coverage), Europa League
Sky Sports/NOW: Premier League Darts
U: Queens of Mystery (series 1 & 2), Bangers and Cash
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Grantchester on TV tonight?
Grantchester is on ITV1 at 9pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). This is the series finale, in which a fascist agitator is invited to speak at the university and a bomb-maker strikes. Stars Robson Green. The full series is available to catch up on ITVX.
What time is The Apprentice on TV tonight?
The Apprentice is on BBC One at 9pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). Lord Sugar’s candidates face another task in series 20. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.
What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our top pick is Grantchester on ITV1 at 9pm — the series finale sees Geordie and Alphy confront a fascist agitator and a bomb-maker in a gripping conclusion starring Robson Green. The Tony Blair Story concludes on Channel 4 at 9pm with a revealing final episode. Bonnie and Clyde on BBC Four at 9pm is an absolute classic. Earlier, Dragons’ Den at 8pm on BBC One has guest Dragon Tinie Tempah.
What time is The Tony Blair Story on Channel 4 tonight?
The Tony Blair Story is on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). This is the final episode, charting Blair’s departure from office and his recent ventures. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.
What time is Dragons’ Den on TV tonight?
Dragons’ Den is on BBC One at 8pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). Guest Dragon Tinie Tempah joins the panel, with interests in property, art and consumer/lifestyle brands. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.
Is there Europa League football on TV tonight?
Yes, there are Europa League and Conference League matches tonight on TNT Sports. Fenerbahce v Nottingham Forest kicks off at 5:45pm on TNT Sports 1, followed by Celtic v Stuttgart at 8pm on TNT Sports 1. In the Conference League, Zrinjski Mostar v Crystal Palace kicks off at 5:45pm on TNT Sports 3.
Is EastEnders on TV tonight?
Yes, EastEnders is on BBC One at 7:30pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). Episodes are also available on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
What’s on BBC One tonight?
BBC One tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026) includes The One Show at 7pm, EastEnders at 7:30pm, Dragons’ Den at 8pm, The Apprentice at 9pm and The Traitors Ireland at 11:40pm. Winter Olympics coverage runs from 9am.
What film is on BBC Four tonight?
Bonnie and Clyde (1967) is on BBC Four at 9pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). Arthur Penn’s ground-breaking crime drama stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. Rated 15. A Talking Pictures documentary about the film airs at 8:30pm. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.
TV Guide UK: Final Verdict
A genuinely outstanding Thursday with a 9pm battle that will force difficult choices. Grantchester takes our headline pick with a series finale that tackles fascism, demagoguery and the human cost of extremism with real intelligence and emotional weight. Robson Green’s Geordie is at the heart of it, and the bomb-maker subplot raises the tension to properly gripping levels. If you have followed the series, this is a fitting conclusion. The full series is on ITVX.
But the competition at 9pm is fierce. The Tony Blair Story concludes on Channel 4 with a final episode that captures something genuinely revealing about the man — that lingering shot of his face resetting from charm to something harder is worth the hour alone, and Blair’s own reflection on starting popular but incapable and ending capable but unpopular resonates far beyond party politics. On BBC Four, Bonnie and Clyde remains one of the great American films — Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are magnetic, Arthur Penn’s direction changed Hollywood, and the Talking Pictures documentary at 8:30pm provides excellent context. And The Apprentice on BBC One delivers its reliable mix of boardroom tension and candidate hubris.
Earlier in the evening, Dragons’ Den at 8pm is a strong watch. Tinie Tempah brings fresh energy as guest Dragon, and Carol’s pitch with her late mum’s porcelain collection — priceless memories weighed against funding an assistance dog — provides the kind of genuine human moment that lifts the Den above mere business entertainment. George Clarke’s Building Home on Channel 4 at 8pm offers a relatable Sheffield renovation on a tight budget, and Spain with Michael Portillo on Channel 5 at 8pm delivers Murcia, pig’s brain pies and mineral mud with characteristic Portillo charm.
At 10pm, Cecil: the Lion and the Dentist on Channel 4 is the documentary of the night — a thoughtful re-examination of the 2015 trophy hunting scandal that adds nuance to what seemed like a straightforward story. Football fans have an excellent evening of Europa League action, with Celtic hosting Stuttgart at 8pm and Nottingham Forest travelling to Fenerbahce at 5:45pm, plus Crystal Palace in the Conference League. Premier League Darts from Glasgow on Sky Sports completes a strong sporting line-up, while Winter Olympics Day 14 continues from Milano Cortina.
This is a Thursday with serious depth and range — from fascism in 1950s Cambridge to Blair’s departure from Downing Street, from 1930s outlaws in the American South to a dentist’s bow and arrow in Zimbabwe, from a Sheffield semi on 50k to pig’s brain pies in Murcia. Something for everyone, and most of it rather good.
Related: What’s On TV Tonight Thursday | What’s On TV Tonight Thurs 12 Feb 2026 | What’s On TV Tonight Wed 18 Feb 2026
