Thursday 8 October 2026. EastEnders is on at 7.30pm, and The Celebrity Traitors reaches episode three on BBC One at 8pm, with Uncloaked following at 9.05pm. Channel 5 has a strong run of animals and vets, Taskmaster is on Channel 4 at 9.05pm, and there is a Bruce Willis action film and a horror classic if you would rather skip the telly. Nothing live on Freeview sport tonight.

Page Contents

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

See also: Tonight's TV | Tomorrow's TV | Films on TV tonight

The Celebrity Traitors BBC One, 8pm. Episode three, Uncloaked at 9.05pm.
Taskmaster Channel 4, 9.05pm. Ayoade, Conti and a giant Greg Davies problem.
All Creatures Great and Small Channel 5, 9.05pm. Birthday plans and a risky cow operation.
Die Hard 2 Film4, 9pm. Bruce Willis against an airport full of terrorists.
EastEnders BBC One, 7.30pm. Yes, it is on tonight.

Early Evening

Sam and Ade Go Birding – Channel 5, 7pm

Samuel West and Adrian Edmondson have gone to Wales to watch birds in the nesting season, and the main attraction is a site where red kites are fed and gather in numbers. The red kite was once down to a handful of breeding pairs in Wales and is now a common sight over the hills, which makes it an unusually cheerful story for a wildlife series. Neither presenter claims to be an expert, so the jokes arrive at the speed of two men crouching in a hide trying not to be heard. West is also in All Creatures Great and Small on this channel at 9.05pm.

Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing – Dave, 7pm

Bob Mortimer has one boyhood ambition left unfulfilled, which is landing a salmon, so he and Paul Whitehouse head for the Tay in Scotland. The format has barely moved since the first series: two friends, a riverbank, a lot of talk about their health and the fish as an afterthought. Dave does not mark this as a new episode, so expect a repeat, though it repeats better than most. A salmon is the one catch nobody can promise you, which gives the hour a little suspense. Would I Lie to You? follows at 7.40pm and again at 8.20pm, with QI XL at 9pm.

EastEnders – BBC One, 7.30pm

Yes, it is on. Thursday is the last EastEnders of the week. Tonight Nicola and Ryder are still getting to know each other, until Ryder shows up at Harry’s Barn with a date. Ian is keeping his family at arm’s length, and the evening takes a turn when he finds that someone has vandalised the chippy. That is all the detail available this far ahead, so expect the rest to unfold on the night. If you lose track of which nights the soaps are on, our guide to when the soaps and big shows are on sets out the weekly pattern.

Buyer Beware: Retirement Properties – ITV1, 7.30pm

Richard Gaisford looks into flats sold on leasehold to retired buyers. Owners tell him the service charges have climbed to the point where nobody will buy the property, so they cannot sell up and move on, which is the kind of trap that is rarely obvious when the lease is signed. It earns its slot by being practical, and anyone with a parent in one of these developments should watch. Viewers in the STV region get it later, at 10.45pm. ITV1 goes straight into the soaps at 8pm.

Prime Time

The Celebrity Traitors – BBC One, 8pm ⭐

Episode three, and the point at which a famous cast stops being polite. The faithful believe the banishment may have snared a traitor, and the traitors, who have the most to lose, are working hard to keep it off their faces. Claudia Winkleman presides, and the series airs on Thursdays and Fridays, so episode four follows tomorrow.

It works for the same reason the civilian series does: nobody, however famous, is any good at lying across a table to people they have been sharing a castle with. Practised performers are arguably worse, because they believe they are good at it. By now there are murdered players to account for as well as the banished.

Uncloaked follows at 9.05pm, with Ed Gamble speaking to the newest casualties of the castle about what they were thinking and how they took the reveal of who the Traitors really are. If you only watch one thing tonight, make it the hour before that.

The Yorkshire Vet – Channel 5, 8pm

Peter Wright’s patient is a pygmy hedgehog, which sounds like a job for tiny hands and a great deal of patience. Elsewhere, Matt Smith looks after a rescued pig, Julian Norton goes out with a team of huskies, and Shona Searson is called to a Highland cow. Farm calls plus an unusual guest list of animals is the series’ reliable recipe, and this week’s menagerie is better than most. It makes a gentle watch before the more demanding options later, and Channel 5 follows it with All Creatures Great and Small.

The Chelsea Detective – Drama, 8pm

This is the series finale, and the threat is personal: developers want the spot where Max keeps his houseboat, and they have a hotel in mind. Adrian Scarborough plays DI Max Arnold, and the show works best when a case brushes against his own life, which is why the houseboat plot is a smart way to end. The Drama listing also describes a second Cambridge murder and a plot that ties the two killings together, so there is a proper investigation too. A Remarkable Place to Die follows at 9pm, then New Tricks at 10pm.

Bangers and Cash – Yesterday, 8pm

Derek Mathewson gets back a Mercedes SL that he sold earlier and that has since been restored, Paul collects an old rally car, and a Vauxhall VX from 1974 fetches a good price at auction. After a decade the formula is untouched: odd vehicles, optimistic reserves and Derek’s patter. Yesterday is clearly confident about it, because Dream Car Fixers is on at 9pm and Bangers & Cash returns at 10pm, 11pm and midnight, so you could watch nothing else all night.

Vera – ITV3, 8pm

Brenda Blethyn’s DCI Vera Stanhope is called to a killing: a witness has been beaten to death a day before he would have given evidence in a trial. ITV3 carries no new label, so treat it as a repeat of the long-running series. It gets a two-hour window before Downton Abbey at 10pm, which suggests a feature-length case or a double, and either way Vera arriving at a crime scene in a bad mood is the main pleasure.

Emmerdale – ITV1, 8pm

The golf club may hold the key to something the village is trying to solve, Jacob and Sarah settle on a plan, and Billy volunteers to look in on Gabby in hospital. Listings never give much more than that and tonight’s is no exception, so expect the real story to develop on screen. Emmerdale is on at 8pm, before Coronation Street at 8.30pm. If you have lost the thread, our Emmerdale page catches you up on the Dales.

Coronation Street – ITV1, 8.30pm

Shona and Jodie’s long-running row reaches its worst point: secrets are exposed, the shouting turns into accusation, and a shot is fired at Number 8. That is a lot for thirty minutes even by Weatherfield standards. Our Coronation Street page has the background on the storylines, and the Street follows Emmerdale on ITV1 as usual.

Long Lost Family – ITV1, 9pm

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell keep doing what they do, which is bringing together relatives who have lost each other. Both stories this week are about brothers, and Peter MacDonald hopes to be reunited with his after 58 years apart. Have tissues to hand. It is never a subtle hour of television, but the length of the separations is what makes the reunions work, and the production knows when to stop talking.

All Creatures Great and Small – Channel 5, 9.05pm

Skeldale House is busy with Mrs Hall’s birthday, and everyone has a surprise in mind. Tristan is trying to find out where a mystery dog has come from, while James and Siegfried take on a difficult operation on a cow. Anna Madeley plays Mrs Hall, Callum Woodhouse is Tristan, Nicholas Ralph is James and Samuel West is Siegfried, the same Samuel West who was watching red kites at 7pm. It is a new episode, followed at 10pm by a behind-the-scenes programme. Easily the most comforting hour of the night.

The Hunting Party – Alibi, 9pm

Kevin McHale plays Dylan Miles, a stand-up comedian who performs with a ventriloquist’s dummy and has taken to killing, and Melissa Roxburgh’s Bex has to work out his next target before the body count rises. A daft premise played absolutely straight, which is the correct way to do it. Alibi shows it as a new episode at 9pm, after Death in Paradise at 8pm.

Taskmaster – Channel 4, 9.05pm

Richard Ayoade, Nina Conti and Chloe Petts are among the contestants, and the first challenge is built around something called the Gregulator. Ayoade has designs on the set, Conti is handed a shovel and Petts keeps getting things wrong. This episode steps out of the usual studio for a group game at the London Museum of Water and Steam, which features three towering effigies of Greg Davies. The show is at its best when a task is being badly misread, so Ayoade is ideal casting. Petts is also on Live at the Apollo later tonight.

Not Going Out – BBC One, 9.30pm

A Cameo greeting recorded by Nigel Planer, a hero of Lee’s, leaves Lee convinced the two of them are friends. That belief is tested when he sees the Young Ones star eating in the restaurant where the family is celebrating, and he walks over and joins him. Lee being confidently wrong is what drives this sitcom, and a guest who has to play it straight is the best way to use that.

Die Hard 2 – Film4, 9pm

John McClane is at Dulles airport waiting for his wife’s flight when a gang of mercenaries seizes the airport’s control systems and holds the place hostage to spring a drug baron. Renny Harlin directed this 1990 sequel, which is louder, sillier and baggier than the first film, with William Sadler a pleasingly cold villain. A lesser film than the original, but a very good Thursday-night one. Film4 follows with A Most Wanted Man at 11.25pm, with Philip Seymour Hoffman. Certificate 15.

Late Night

Break Clause – Channel 4, 10.05pm

Two episodes back to back. In the first, Ben and Lil go home to Leeds for a christening, where Ben sets about proving he is a decent man and Lil sets out to find the woman he had an affair with. In the second, the couple throw a Thanksgiving dinner party for friends, and the turkey is one Ben rescued from a bin. Lara Ricote and Samuel Bottomley play the couple, and Jack Shep and Tamika Bennett show up in the second. It follows Taskmaster neatly.

The Wicker Man – BBC Four, 9.55pm

Robin Hardy’s 1973 horror film. Edward Woodward is a devout police sergeant sent to a remote Scottish island to find a missing girl, and Christopher Lee is the courteous lord of a community that has gone back to older gods. Woodward’s wounded dismay as he works out what kind of island it is makes the film, and the ending has been copied for fifty years without being matched. Earlier, BBC Four shows the war adventure The Bridge at Remagen at 8pm. After the film comes a making-of at 11.25pm.

Live at the Apollo – BBC Two, 10pm

Babatunde Aléshé is the host, with Chloe Petts and Lindsey Santoro doing stand-up at the Hammersmith Apollo. BBC Two also has an earlier option, Surgeons: At the Edge of Life at 9pm, a documentary series that returns tonight with teams from Royal Papworth and Addenbrooke’s hospitals operating on a tumour that threatens a patient’s life. Newsnight is at 10.30pm.

The Last Samurai – ITV1, 10.45pm

Tom Cruise plays Nathan Algren, a veteran of the American Civil War brought to Japan to train its new imperial army, who ends up living with and then fighting alongside the samurai he was meant to defeat. Ken Watanabe is superb as the rebel leader, and Edward Zwick directed. It is long, handsome and a little too reverent, but it gets away with a lot by being all three. It runs past 1am, so record it or commit.

The Paper – Sky One, 11pm

The Office spin-off reaches the end of its run, with two episodes at 11pm and 11.30pm. It follows the staff of a failing Toledo newspaper in the same mockumentary style, across a short series of ten episodes. It is not on Freeview, so you will need Sky or Now.

Sport

There is no live sport on the main Freeview channels tonight. On subscription, the one-day Gran Piemonte cycling race in Italy’s Piedmont region is on TNT Sports 1 from 1.45pm. The China Open tennis from Beijing is on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports Main Event from 6am. Golf’s Baycurrent Classic from Yokohama is on Sky Sports Golf and Main Event at 6am, and MotoGP’s first practice session in Indonesia is on TNT Sports 2 at 2am.

What’s On Streaming

BBC iPlayer — The Celebrity Traitors, Uncloaked, Not Going Out.

ITVX — Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Long Lost Family, Buyer Beware.

Channel 4 — Taskmaster, Break Clause.

5 — Sam and Ade Go Birding, The Yorkshire Vet, All Creatures Great and Small.

U — The Chelsea Detective, Bangers and Cash.

Now — The Hunting Party, The Paper.

Tonight by Channel

A channel-by-channel breakdown of Thursday 8 October 2026, so you can jump straight to the one you actually watch.

BBC One

7pm — The One Show
7.30pm — EastEnders
8pm — The Celebrity Traitors
9.05pm — The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked
9.30pm — Not Going Out
10.40pm — Question Time

BBC Two

8pm — Monty Don’s British Gardens
9pm — Surgeons: At the Edge of Life
10pm — Live at the Apollo

ITV1

7.30pm — Buyer Beware: Retirement Properties
8pm — Emmerdale
8.30pm — Coronation Street
9pm — Long Lost Family
10.45pm — The Last Samurai

Channel 4

8pm — Our Tiny Islands
9.05pm — Taskmaster
10.05pm — Break Clause

Channel 5

7pm — Sam and Ade Go Birding
8pm — The Yorkshire Vet
9.05pm — All Creatures Great and Small

Film4

6.55pm — Dad’s Army
9pm — Die Hard 2
11.25pm — A Most Wanted Man

Dave

7pm — Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
9pm — QI XL

ITV3

8pm — Vera
10pm — Downton Abbey

The Viewing Schedule

Time	Channel	Programme
2am	TNT Sports 2	MotoGP: Indonesian Grand Prix first practice
6am	Sky Sports Tennis	Tennis: China Open
6am	Sky Sports Golf	Golf: Baycurrent Classic
1.45pm	TNT Sports 1	Cycling: Gran Piemonte
6.55pm	Film4	Dad’s Army
7pm	Channel 5	Sam and Ade Go Birding
7pm	Dave	Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
7pm	BBC One	The One Show
7.30pm	BBC One	EastEnders
7.30pm	ITV1	Buyer Beware: Retirement Properties
7.40pm	Dave	Would I Lie to You?
8pm	BBC One	The Celebrity Traitors
8pm	Channel 5	The Yorkshire Vet
8pm	Drama	The Chelsea Detective
8pm	Yesterday	Bangers and Cash
8pm	ITV3	Vera
8pm	ITV1	Emmerdale
8pm	BBC Two	Monty Don’s British Gardens
8pm	Channel 4	Our Tiny Islands
8pm	Alibi	Death in Paradise
8pm	BBC Four	The Bridge at Remagen
8.20pm	Dave	Would I Lie to You?
8.30pm	ITV1	Coronation Street
9pm	ITV1	Long Lost Family

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EastEnders on tonight (Thursday 8 October 2026)?

Yes. EastEnders is on BBC One at 7.30pm tonight. Ryder turns up at Harry’s Barn with a date and Ian discovers someone has vandalised the chippy. It runs Monday to Thursday, so this is the last episode of the week and the next one is Monday 12 October.

What time is The Celebrity Traitors on tonight?

The Celebrity Traitors is on BBC One at 8pm tonight, with The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked following at 9.05pm. It is episode three of the series, and Uncloaked has Ed Gamble talking to the players who were banished and murdered in it.

What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight (Thursday 8 October 2026)?

The Celebrity Traitors on BBC One at 8pm. If you want comedy instead, Taskmaster is on Channel 4 at 9.05pm, and if you want a film, Die Hard 2 is on Film4 at 9pm.

What live sport is on TV tonight: Thursday 8 October 2026?

Nothing live on the main Freeview channels. The Gran Piemonte cycling race is on TNT Sports 1 from 1.45pm, and the China Open tennis and the Baycurrent Classic golf start on Sky Sports at 6am. MotoGP’s first Indonesian Grand Prix practice is on TNT Sports 2 at 2am.

What’s on Channel 5 tonight?

Sam and Ade Go Birding is on at 7pm, The Yorkshire Vet at 8pm and All Creatures Great and Small at 9.05pm. A behind-the-scenes programme about the drama follows at 10pm.

What time is Taskmaster on tonight?

Taskmaster is on Channel 4 at 9.05pm. Richard Ayoade, Nina Conti and Chloe Petts are among the contestants, and the comedy drama Break Clause follows at 10.05pm.

Is Big Brother on tonight?

Yes. Big Brother is on ITV2 at 9pm, with Big Brother: The Group Chat at 10pm, presented by Kate Lawler and GK Barry.

Is Coronation Street on tonight?

Yes. Coronation Street is on ITV1 at 8.30pm, after Emmerdale at 8pm. Tonight Shona and Jodie’s feud comes to a head and a shot is fired at Number 8.

What film is on TV tonight?

Die Hard 2 is on Film4 at 9pm, The Wicker Man is on BBC Four at 9.55pm and The Last Samurai is on ITV1 at 10.45pm. Film4 also has Dad’s Army at 6.55pm and A Most Wanted Man at 11.25pm.

What channel is The Chelsea Detective on?

The Chelsea Detective is on Drama at 8pm tonight, and it is the series finale. A Remarkable Place to Die follows at 9pm.

Final Verdict

Start with The Celebrity Traitors at 8pm, because episode three is where the lying gets properly expensive for somebody, and stay on BBC One for Uncloaked and Not Going Out. If the castle is not for you, Channel 5 has an easy run from the birds to the vets to All Creatures, and Taskmaster is the best comedy hour on the dial.

For films, Die Hard 2 is the loud one and The Wicker Man, on BBC Four from 9.55pm, is the one to remember.

Written by

TV Radar Team

TV Radar Team is the byline on TV Radar's automatically generated TV guides — covering BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 and beyond. Each evening's schedule is built from the published listings (titles, start times, run lengths and episode numbers) and checked against our listings data before publication, so you can decide in two minutes what to record and what to skip. These guides are generated automatically rather than written by hand; a human editor spot-checks them, but not every page is read before it goes live. Based in London, updated every day.