That weird week between Christmas and New Year continues, and tonight’s telly reflects the mood perfectly. A bit of classic Hitchcock, some cosy crime, and Nick Knowles getting help from actual Gladiators. Not a bad Tuesday, all things considered.
Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best
- Rear Window – BBC Two, 4:10pm – Hitchcock’s masterpiece, rare on Freeview
- DIY SOS: Gladiators Special – BBC One, 8pm – Heartwarming with added muscle
- Midsomer Murders – ITV1, 8:30pm – Treasure hunt murder mystery
- Rob & Romesh vs Shakespeare – Sky Max, 9pm – Comedy gold at the Globe
Early Evening: Family Viewing (4pm – 8pm)
Rear Window – BBC Two, 4:10pm ⭐
Here’s your Tuesday afternoon sorted. Hitchcock’s 1954 thriller is getting its first Freeview airing in years, and honestly, if you’ve never seen it, clear the diary.
James Stewart plays a photographer stuck in a wheelchair with a broken leg, nothing to do but stare out his apartment window at the neighbours. When he starts suspecting one of them has murdered his wife… well, you can guess where this goes. Grace Kelly is luminous as his girlfriend, and the single-location setup is a masterclass in building tension from nothing.
It’s the first of two Hitchcock films on BBC Two tonight – Dial M for Murder is on at 2:30pm if you want the double bill.
Hercules the Bear: A Love Story – BBC Two, 6pm
Heartwarming doc about a Scottish wrestler and his wife who adopted a grizzly bear cub in 1976. Hercules went on to star in TV ads and even Octopussy. The home movie footage is remarkable.
Prime Time Picks (8pm onwards)
DIY SOS: Gladiators Special – BBC One, 8pm
Nick Knowles and his purple-shirted army are building a youth club in Beverley, East Yorkshire, with help from actual Gladiators. The Cherry Tree Community Centre was turned into a food pantry during the pandemic, leaving local kids meeting in the park ever since.
You know exactly what you’re getting here – community spirit, emotional reveals, and probably some tears. The Gladiator involvement is inspired casting for a build that needs serious muscle.
Midsomer Murders – ITV1, 8:30pm
Jon Culshaw guests as a puzzle book author whose treasure hunt – clearly inspired by Kit Williams’s Masquerade from 1979 – has never been solved. A decade on, he’s releasing new clues. Naturally, someone gets murdered.
Sally Lindsay also turns up, continuing her seemingly endless Christmas TV tour. The premise is clever, the guest cast is solid, and it’s exactly the kind of undemanding crime drama this week calls for. Perfect with a mince pie and whatever’s left of the Christmas booze.
The Celebrity Apprentice – BBC One, 9pm
The celebrities are pitching their Christmas biscuits tonight. Lord Sugar, Baroness Brady, and Mike Soutar judge. You know if this is your thing or not.
Titanic Sinks Tonight – BBC Two, 9pm
The docu-drama continues with the ship now going down rapidly. Third-class passengers navigate the maze of corridors while those on deck scramble for lifeboat spaces. Historian Suzannah Lipscomb offers sharp commentary while actors bring survivor testimonies to life. Sobering stuff.
Rob & Romesh vs Shakespeare – Sky Max, 9pm
“I think it’s overrated,” says Romesh about Shakespeare. “We’re constantly told it’s brilliant, without any real evidence.” The two comics head to the Globe Theatre to perform Romeo and Juliet, with Martin Freeman training them up.
The process is as entertaining as the result – vocal warm-ups, sword-fighting classes, and the usual R&R bickering. Freeman is surprisingly funny as their coach.
Late Night
Live at the Apollo – BBC Two, 10pm
Mo Gilligan hosts at Hammersmith Apollo with stand-up from Laura Smyth and Josh Pugh. Decent line-up for a late-night laugh.
The Cockfields – BBC Two, 10:45pm
Joe Wilkinson’s sitcom about awkward family reunions feels painfully well-observed if your relatives have only just left. Simon visits his sweet mum (Michele Dotrice) and difficult step-dad (Gregor Fisher). A sing-song at the Red Lion awaits. The ending might make you miss those relatives. Slightly.
What’s On Streaming
BBC iPlayer: Catch up on Rear Window, Titanic Sinks Tonight, and DIY SOS
ITVX: Midsomer Murders and the Sally Lindsay back catalogue
Sky Max/Now: Rob & Romesh vs Shakespeare
The Viewing Schedule
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 4:10pm | BBC Two | Rear Window |
| 6:00pm | BBC Two | Hercules the Bear: A Love Story |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | DIY SOS: Gladiators Special |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | Geoff Capes: Britain’s Greatest Strongman |
| 8:30pm | ITV1 | Midsomer Murders |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | The Celebrity Apprentice |
| 9:00pm | BBC Two | Titanic Sinks Tonight |
| 9:00pm | Channel 5 | Ken Dodd: The Lost Tapes |
| 9:00pm | Sky Max | Rob & Romesh vs Shakespeare |
| 10:00pm | BBC Two | Live at the Apollo |
| 10:45pm | BBC Two | The Cockfields |
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Midsomer Murders on tonight?
Midsomer Murders is on ITV1 at 8:30pm tonight (Tuesday 30th December 2025).
What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our top pick is Rear Window on BBC Two at 4:10pm – Hitchcock’s classic thriller getting its first Freeview airing in years. If you miss that, Midsomer Murders at 8:30pm is solid evening viewing.
What channel is DIY SOS on?
DIY SOS: Gladiators Special is on BBC One at 8pm tonight.
What’s on BBC One tonight?
BBC One’s highlights tonight include DIY SOS: Gladiators Special at 8pm and The Celebrity Apprentice at 9pm.
Is Rear Window worth watching?
Absolutely. It’s one of Hitchcock’s finest – a perfectly constructed thriller that still holds up brilliantly 70 years later. James Stewart and Grace Kelly are both excellent.
Final Verdict
If you can catch Rear Window this afternoon, do it – proper classic cinema that rarely turns up on Freeview these days. Evening-wise, Midsomer Murders has a fun treasure hunt premise, and DIY SOS will have you reaching for the tissues. Rob and Romesh butchering Shakespeare is worth staying up for if you’ve got Sky.
