TV Guide UK Tonight: Tues 12 May 2026 – Eurovision Semi-Final, Half Man & The Way Out

Published: 6 May 2026

Tuesday 12 May 2026. The 70th anniversary Eurovision Song Contest opens its first semi-final tonight, live from Vienna on BBC One at 8pm. Boy George represents San Marino. Five countries are boycotting. Rylan and Angela Scanlon are on UK commentary. The Way Out launches on U&Dave at 9pm as Mel Giedroyc’s Taskmaster-alike. Half Man episode 3 lands late on BBC One.

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

• Eurovision Semi-Final ⭐ — BBC One, 8pm — LIVE from Vienna. Boy George for San Marino. 70th anniversary
• The Way Out — U&Dave, 9pm — NEW SERIES. Mel Giedroyc, Ed Gamble, Nish Kumar. Escape-room gameshow
• Half Man — BBC One, 10:55pm — Episode 3. Wedding day. Violent past resurfaces
• A Deadly Betrayal: True Crime Presents — ITV1, 9pm — David Wilson on Faye Williams’s murder case
• Ian Fleming: the Curse of Bond — Sky Arts, 9pm — Fascinating bio-doc on Bond’s creator
• Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr — BBC Two, 8pm — Royal Navy mess decks, Dame Kelly Holmes guest judging

Early Evening

The Martin Lewis Money Show Live – ITV1, 7:15pm

Stocks and shares ISAs tonight. Martin Lewis brings in investment specialists to take live viewer questions. ITVX.

EastEnders – BBC One, 7:30pm

Ronni Ancona’s moment arrives. Her character Bea Pollard, Honey Mitchell’s increasingly odd new lodger, has stolen Honey’s identity and run up credit card fraud. Ian Beale tells Honey not to call the police because it might damage his Walford council position. Honey ignores him, confronts Bea, and Billy orders her out. Honey’s revenge involves a ladder. It can only end one way. BBC iPlayer.

Prime Time

Eurovision Semi-Final ⭐ – BBC One, 8pm (LIVE)

The 70th anniversary Eurovision Song Contest opens its knockout phase tonight, live from Vienna with hosts Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski. Fifteen countries compete for a place in Saturday’s final; the UK, Germany, France, Italy and defending champions Austria are through automatically.

This year’s headline arrives before a note is sung: Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have all withdrawn in protest, giving the event an edge earlier editions rarely carry. The story everyone will talk about, though, is Boy George, stepping up for San Marino alongside Italian singer Senhit. The kind of casting that sounds like a prank until he actually commits, which he does.

Rylan and Angela Scanlon handle UK commentary, easily the best combination British broadcasting has managed for this in years. Watch one thing tonight, watch this. BBC iPlayer.

Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr – BBC Two, 8pm

The brief: the mess decks at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, where sailors decompress between shifts. Six designers tasked with making them feel like somewhere you’d actually want to sit. The only firm instruction from the sailors: no helicopters, no Top Gun motifs. Guest judge Dame Kelly Holmes served in the military before becoming an Olympic gold medallist. BBC iPlayer.

Jamie’s Ultimate BBQ – Channel 4, 8pm

Episode 2 of 3. Oliver goes ambitious tonight: butterflied leg of lamb cooked directly on the coals with creamy beans and crumb-crusted leeks; spiced chicken kebabs with butter sauce; tear-and-share veggie pancake; grilled fish tacos with smoky fruit salsa. C4 streaming.

9pm

A Deadly Betrayal: True Crime Presents – ITV1, 9pm

Professor David Wilson on the case of Faye Williams, a Nottinghamshire care worker and single mother who married Marian Caliman in 2015. Family noticed bruising early. A pattern of abuse, coercive control and financial manipulation ended in Faye’s murder. Wilson examines whether police could build a case for conviction. ITVX. (Not on STV.)

Ian Fleming: the Curse of Bond – Sky Arts, 9pm

A bio-doc on Bond’s creator that takes its title from Fleming’s own words near death, after a fortune from 007: “just ashes, dear boy, ashes.” His biographer puts it more directly: Bond devoured Fleming. The film uses archive footage well, and the 007 clips are chosen with wit rather than filler. Seventy cigarettes a day and heavy drinking mean the story doesn’t end happily. Catch up via Now.

The Way Out – U&Dave, 9pm (NEW SERIES)

U&Dave’s answer to Taskmaster. Mel Giedroyc hosts an escape-room comedy gameshow with team captains Ed Gamble and Nish Kumar. Tonight’s room: stranded at sea. Players: Chloe Petts, Lou Sanders, Amy Annette and David O’Doherty. Giedroyc on her own escapology: she once managed to escape a conversation with Nick Knowles at the BBC Christmas party. Full series on U.

Late Night

Wrestling with Trump – Channel 4, 10pm

Comedian Munya Chawawa examines something hiding in plain sight: Trump’s rallies, his trash-talking style and his entire political persona owe an enormous debt to pro wrestling. Chawawa tours the US, talks to people inside both worlds, and eventually climbs in the ring himself. C4 streaming.

Berlusconi: Condemned to Win – BBC Four, 10pm

Episode 2 of the sharp Italian political documentary. Berlusconi didn’t just own AC Milan: he used the club as a launchpad, named his party Forza Italia after a football chant, and bent Italian civic life around his ego. BBC iPlayer.

Half Man – BBC One, 10:55pm (Episode 3)

A violent man from Alby’s past, someone who beat him badly twenty years ago, turns up uninvited at his wedding. Alby (Charlie de Melo) refuses to call the police, which is the episode’s main credibility problem. Richard Gadd’s writing can sustain a lot of weight, but when characters behave to serve the plot, it costs. Still operating at a high level. Just not its highest. (11:25pm Northern Ireland.) BBC iPlayer.

Sport Today

Cycling: Giro d’Italia – TNT Sports 1, 12 noon

Stage 4. A hilly 138km run from Catanzaro to Cosenza in Calabria.

IPL Cricket: Gujarat Titans v Sunrisers Hyderabad – Sky Sports Cricket, 2:50pm

From the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Also Sky Sports Premier League from 3pm.

Championship Football Play-Off Semi-Final – Sky Sports Main Event, 7pm (k/o 8pm)

Second leg of the Championship play-off semi-final. One side advances to Wembley tonight. Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.

The Viewing Schedule

What’s On Streaming

BBC iPlayer: Eurovision Semi-Final, EastEnders, Interior Design Masters, Half Man, Berlusconi: Condemned to Win
ITVX: A Deadly Betrayal: True Crime Presents, The Martin Lewis Money Show Live
Channel 4 streaming: Jamie’s Ultimate BBQ, Wrestling with Trump
U: The Way Out (full series)
Now: Ian Fleming: the Curse of Bond (Sky Arts), Bear Grylls Is Running Wild (Sky One)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EastEnders on tonight (Tuesday 12 May 2026)?

Yes. BBC One at 7:30pm. Ronni Ancona’s character Bea Pollard steals Honey Mitchell’s identity and commits credit card fraud. Ian Beale advises against calling the police to protect his council position. Honey confronts Bea; Billy demands she leave. Someone tampers with a ladder. BBC iPlayer.

What time is the Eurovision Semi-Final on BBC One tonight?

BBC One from 8pm, live from Vienna. First of two semi-finals ahead of Saturday’s 70th anniversary final. Fifteen countries perform tonight including San Marino with Boy George. Rylan and Angela Scanlon on UK commentary. BBC iPlayer.

Who is representing San Marino in Eurovision 2026?

Boy George, performing alongside Italian singer Senhit. He competes in tonight’s semi-final from Vienna.

What time is Half Man episode 3 on BBC One tonight?

10:55pm on BBC One — slightly later than usual due to Eurovision running long. 11:25pm in Northern Ireland. Richard Gadd and Jamie Bell. BBC iPlayer.

What is The Way Out on U&Dave?

A new escape-room comedy gameshow hosted by Mel Giedroyc, with team captains Ed Gamble and Nish Kumar. Starts 9pm on U&Dave. Full series on U.

Final Verdict

Eurovision Semi-Final on BBC One from 8pm is the night: Boy George for San Marino, five countries boycotting, Rylan and Scanlon on commentary, live from Vienna. The Way Out at 9pm on U&Dave (Giedroyc + Gamble + Kumar) is the smartest alternative once the sequins wear off. Stay up for Half Man episode 3 at 10:55pm — uneven, but still the most interesting drama on television.

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