TV Guide UK Tonight: Thurs 9 Apr 2026 – Taskmaster Series 21, The Apprentice Interviews & The Miniature Wife

Published: 3 April 2026

Thursday is a busy night without an obvious headliner — it’s more a case of picking your lane. Taskmaster Series 21 at 8pm on Channel 4 is the entertainment event of the evening, The Apprentice interviews round follows at 9pm on BBC One, and Sky Atlantic launches The Miniature Wife, a high-concept comedy-drama that’s worth an hour of your time. Meanwhile, The Masters Round 1 is under way at Augusta from 2pm and three European ties kick off at 8pm for those who need football.

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

• Taskmaster ⭐ — C4, 8pm — Series 21, incredible lineup. Kumail Nanjiani, Armando Iannucci, Joel Dommett, Joanna Page, Amy Gledhill. One of the strongest casts they’ve booked
• The Apprentice — BBC One, 9pm — The interviews round. The one week where it properly earns its reputation
• The Miniature Wife — Sky Atlantic, 9pm — New series. Macfadyen and Banks in a comedy-drama where someone ends up six inches tall. Better than that sounds
• Inside Barlinnie — BBC Two, 9pm — Returning documentary about Scotland’s largest prison. Not easy watching, but worth it
• The Masters — Sky Sports, 2pm — Round 1 at Augusta. Rory McIlroy defending
• Race Across the World — BBC One, 8pm — Four teams, 25 minutes between them. Istanbul bound

Early Evening

Great British Menu – BBC Two, 7pm

The London and South East heat reaches its deciding stage tonight, with Simon Callow presiding over which dishes earn a place at the banquet table. Two of the heat’s highest scorers go head to head — always the point in the week when the competition stops being polite about it. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

Prime Time

Race Across the World – BBC One, 8pm

Four teams, 25 minutes separating last from first as they leave Fiskardo for Istanbul. At that kind of gap, everyone essentially runs the same race — and sure enough, they all end up trying to catch the same lift from the same spot on the island. From there the episode turns on luck and charm in roughly equal measure. Margo and Mark get what the show describes as a genuine act of generosity from a stranger with a car, while Jo and Kush lean on personality to make friends who, it becomes clear, operate at a rather unhurried pace.

The budget subplot is developing nicely this series. “Being a tight b*d works” is not the most refined travel philosophy, but as a competitive strategy in Race Across the World it has something going for it. The trick, as always, is knowing when to stop being careful with money and just move. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

Taskmaster ⭐ – C4, 8pm

Twenty-one series in and Taskmaster has stopped worrying about what it is and started just doing it very well. This year’s lineup is worth pausing on: Joel Dommett, who is better known in some circles for his arms than his stand-up; Kumail Nanjiani, who followed up filming this series by presenting at the Oscars; Armando Iannucci, who was once nominated for one, for writing In the Loop; Joanna Page from Gavin & Stacey; and Amy Gledhill from Last One Laughing. That’s a proper cross-section of British and international comedy in 2026.

Tonight the five of them face a food-based riddle and are handed a T-shirt cannon each, with Greg Davies and Alex Horne evaluating the results with their usual combination of theatrical disappointment and barely suppressed enjoyment. It’s a settled, confident series and this episode is a good example of why the format still works in its third decade. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.

Paul Merton: Driving Amazing Trains – C4, 8pm (NEW SERIES)

Paul Merton’s childhood fascination with trains was, he says, partly down to watching his father drive London Underground stock — which makes the Isle of Wight an oddly fitting starting point for this new series, since the Island Line runs on refitted tube carriages that were retired from the Underground. He gets in the cab, learns what the job actually requires, and explores the island beyond the railway as well, including its D-Day connections and — in a sequence that suggests the producers were willing to follow whatever happened — helping a cow give birth.

It’s the kind of programme that works because Merton’s curiosity about things is real and his enthusiasm for the unexpected is long-established. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.

The Apprentice – BBC One, 9pm

The interviews round. The week that separates people who have a coherent business from people who have been very confident for ten episodes. Lord Sugar’s five remaining candidates sit in front of his panel of advisors one by one, and this year Mike Soutar has come prepared — he’s devised specific product-knowledge tests for two of the candidates to see whether they actually know what they’re selling. That’s a nice touch and, based on past series, the kind of thing that tends to expose the gap between the pitch and the product.

Claude Littner, meanwhile, does what Claude Littner does, which is create the kind of atmosphere that makes confident businesspeople visibly reconsider their life choices. The interviews round is the one week where The Apprentice actually delivers on its premise. Worth watching. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

Inside Barlinnie – BBC Two, 9pm

Scotland’s largest prison gets a two-part documentary treatment on BBC Two. The governor describes Barlinnie as “iconic, notorious, infamous” and says things can go from calm to 99 in seconds — which is not a description designed to make you feel relaxed about what follows. The first episode tracks three inmates: JP, a drug user since he was 13, is rushed to hospital after collapsing from an overdose; Norry is trying to process what his past has cost him; and Ryan, previously violent, has turned to religion.

It’s the kind of documentary that takes the subject seriously without being sensationalist about it. A penal system under significant strain, seen from the inside. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

The Miniature Wife – Sky Atlantic, 9pm (NEW SERIES)

This is not the wholesome family fantasy the basic premise might suggest. Before inventor Les Littlejohn (Matthew Macfadyen) accidentally reduces his wife Lindy (Elizabeth Banks) to six inches tall, the two of them are deep into one of those marriages that has curdled from affection into competitive irritation — point-scoring, long-held resentments, the occasional proper argument. The pre-shrink section of the episode is deliberately wearing, which is part of the point.

Once the sci-fi concept arrives, things become more interesting. The show has something to say about how much of the dynamic between two people is about ego and physical presence, and whether any of that changes when one of them can fit in a coat pocket. Macfadyen is well-suited to this kind of deadpan absurdism and Banks brings the right amount of fury to Lindy’s situation. Not an instant classic, but there’s enough here to stay with it. Catch up via Now.

Queens of Mystery – U&Drama, 8pm

The second series continues on U&Drama with a spa-set murder mystery, and while the overall story arc about Mattie’s missing mother is moving at its own deliberate pace, the individual cases remain enjoyable. This week’s crime turns on a motive that’s more unusual than the standard revenge-or-money setup, and the episode takes a satisfying dark turn in its final act. Series 1 and 2 are both available on U for anyone catching up. Catch up via U.

Yorkshire’s Poshest Hotel: Grantley Hall – Channel 5, 8pm

A Nashville country singer’s wedding is the centrepiece of tonight’s episode, which means the events team, the housekeeping team, the kitchen team, and — less glamorously — the gardeners are all fully deployed. The floating duck house needs cleaning. The ponds need clearing. The chefs are moving at speed. The result is as polished as you’d expect from a hotel that charges what Grantley Hall charges. Catch up via 5 streaming.

Sport

The Masters – Round 1 – Sky Sports Main Event/Golf, 2pm

The first Major of 2026 gets under way at Augusta National today, with Rory McIlroy defending the title he won in 2025. If he manages it, he would join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods as back-to-back Masters champions — a short but significant list. Round 1 coverage is on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 2pm.

Europa League – Porto v Nottingham Forest – TNT Sports 1, 7pm (k/o 8pm)

Forest away in Porto for the Europa League quarter-final. A tough draw but not an impossible one — Nottingham Forest have made this competition their own this season and Porto, while formidable at home, are beatable. Coverage from 7pm on TNT Sports 1.

Europa League – Bologna v Aston Villa – TNT Sports 2, 7pm (k/o 8pm)

Aston Villa travel to Italy for a tie that looked very winnable on paper when the draw was made. Bologna have been inconsistent domestically this season. Villa will back themselves. Coverage from 7pm on TNT Sports 2.

Europa Conference League – Crystal Palace v Fiorentina – TNT Sports 3, 7pm (k/o 8pm)

Palace at home in the Conference League quarter-final against Fiorentina. Selhurst Park is a difficult place to come and the draw has been kind to them. Coverage from 7pm on TNT Sports 3.

Late Night

Brideshead Revisited ★★★ – BBC Four, 8pm

The 2008 adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel gets a relatively rare outing tonight, timed to mark 60 years since Waugh’s death. Ben Whishaw is well cast as the charismatic, troubled Sebastian Flyte and Matthew Goode holds his own as Charles Ryder over the two tumultuous decades the story spans. For those who want more, a 1960 interview with the sometimes difficult Waugh follows at 10.05pm, and the evening continues with Gosford Park at 10.30pm, introduced by Dame Helen Mirren. A decent BBC Four evening for anyone who fancies staying in properly. Cert 12. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

Jane McDonald in Nashville – Channel 5, 9pm

The Scottish singer arrives in Nashville wearing a stetson — which is reasonable, given where she is — and makes straight for the Ryman Auditorium, where she naturally ends up on stage. The programme is broader than a straightforward country music tour: she tries the meat-and-three at Arnold’s, learns how to muddy spider for line dancing, visits the city’s surprisingly intact Parthenon, and discovers more about Nashville’s whiskey history than she was perhaps expecting. She also notes, walking the country music walk of fame, that if she’d married Michael McDonald she wouldn’t have needed to change her name at all. Part two follows tomorrow at 9pm. Catch up via 5 streaming.

Also Worth Noting

This Farming Life (BBC Two, 8pm) — Adam and Lucy attempt to persuade their dairy cows to take on beef calves. Agricultural problem-solving on a Thursday evening.

Cannabis Cove: Operation Seal Bay (BBC One, 10.40pm) — Part one of a two-part documentary about a major cannabis smuggling operation uncovered in a west Wales fishing village in 1983. Sounds like a proper story.

The Viewing Schedule

What’s On Streaming

BBC iPlayer: Race Across the World, The Apprentice, Inside Barlinnie, Great British Menu, Brideshead Revisited, This Farming Life
Channel 4 streaming: Taskmaster, Paul Merton: Driving Amazing Trains
Now: The Miniature Wife
My5: Yorkshire’s Poshest Hotel: Grantley Hall, Jane McDonald in Nashville
U: Queens of Mystery (Series 1 and 2)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EastEnders on tonight (Thursday 9 April 2026)?

Yes, EastEnders is on BBC One tonight. Thursday is a standard broadcast day — the soap runs Monday to Thursday as normal. Catch up on any missed episodes via BBC iPlayer.

What time is Taskmaster on Channel 4 tonight?

Taskmaster Series 21 is on Channel 4 at 8pm tonight (Thursday 9 April 2026). Tonight’s episode sees Joel Dommett, Kumail Nanjiani, Armando Iannucci, Joanna Page, and Amy Gledhill tackle a food-based riddle and a T-shirt cannon challenge. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.

What time is The Apprentice on BBC One tonight?

The Apprentice is on BBC One at 9pm tonight (Thursday 9 April 2026). It’s the interviews round, with the final five candidates facing Lord Sugar’s panel of advisors. Mike Soutar has devised product-knowledge tests and Claude Littner is, as ever, on intimidating form. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

What is The Miniature Wife on Sky Atlantic?

The Miniature Wife is a new comedy-drama series starting tonight on Sky Atlantic at 9pm. Matthew Macfadyen plays inventor Les Littlejohn, who accidentally shrinks his wife Lindy (Elizabeth Banks) to six inches tall. The show uses the absurd premise to explore ego, power, and what happens to a marriage when everything changes. Catch up via Now.

What time is The Masters golf on TV today?

Round one of The Masters 2026 is live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Golf from 2pm today. Rory McIlroy is defending the title. He’d join a very short list if he wins back-to-back.

What football is on TV tonight?

Three European quarter-finals tonight: Porto v Nottingham Forest and Bologna v Aston Villa are both Europa League ties on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports 2 from 7pm (kick-off 8pm). Crystal Palace v Fiorentina is a Europa Conference League tie on TNT Sports 3 from 7pm (kick-off 8pm).

What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight?

Taskmaster on Channel 4 at 8pm is the pick of the evening — Series 21 has one of the strongest lineups in the show’s history and tonight’s tasks look like good fun. For something with more weight, The Apprentice interviews round on BBC One at 9pm is never dull, and Inside Barlinnie on BBC Two at 9pm is proper documentary television. For sport, The Masters Round 1 is on Sky Sports from 2pm.

Final Verdict

Taskmaster is the easy recommendation tonight. Twenty-one series in and the format still works, and when you’re booking Kumail Nanjiani and Armando Iannucci for the same series you’re clearly not running out of ideas. Worth the 8pm slot.

The Apprentice interviews round delivers every year without fail. The candidates look confident until they don’t, and Claude Littner’s continued ability to make that happen quickly is the show at its most watchable.

For something new, The Miniature Wife on Sky Atlantic at 9pm is worth trying. Macfadyen in a deadpan absurdist comedy-drama is not a combination you see often enough.

And if sport is the priority, The Masters is at Augusta from 2pm and three European ties follow in the evening. Thursday is earning its keep.

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