What’s On TV Tonight: Tuesday 6th January 2026

First proper Tuesday of the new year, and the schedules are finally shaking off that festive stupor. Paddy McGuinness gets overexcited about biscuits, Rick Stein heads Down Under for a new travelogue, and Jeremy Clarkson strips away all the faff from his quiz show. There’s also a grim true-crime doc if you can stomach it, plus a rare chance to see a piece of television history on BBC Four.

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

• Inside the Factory – BBC One, 8pm – Paddy discovers how Jammie Dodgers get their jam
• Rick Stein’s Australia – BBC Two, 7pm – The chef’s personal journey across New South Wales
• Catching a Killer – Channel 4, 9pm – Essex Police hunt a killer in a disturbing case
• Culloden – BBC Four, 10pm – Peter Watkins’ revolutionary 1964 war docudrama

Early Evening (7pm – 8pm)

Rick Stein’s Australia – BBC Two, 7pm

Rick Stein has been visiting Australia since he was a child – his family has deep roots there going back decades. This new six-part series sees him embarking on a 5,000km odyssey across New South Wales, starting in Sydney where he’s recently opened another restaurant.

It’s more than a food show, though there’s plenty of that. Rick explores how immigration has transformed Australian cuisine, from the European influence to Indigenous cooking traditions that predate colonisation by millennia. He’s clearly emotionally invested in this one. The Sydney harbourside scenes alone make for gorgeous armchair travel.

Millionaire Hot Seat – ITV1, 7:30pm

Tired of watching contestants umm and ahh for five minutes before answering a question about capital cities? This Australian format strips the fat from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Six players compete simultaneously, rotating through the hot seat with strict time limits. No lifelines. No phone a friend. No dramatic lighting cues.

Wrong answer? You’re gone, and the jackpot drops. You can pass once, but you’ll be sent to the back of the queue and might not get another go. Clarkson seems energised by the pace – it suits his impatient style.

Prime Time (8pm onwards)

Inside the Factory – BBC One, 8pm ⭐

Your pick for the evening. Paddy McGuinness heads to South Wales to witness Jammie Dodgers being manufactured at a plant that’s been making biscuits since before the Second World War. His childlike wonder at industrial machinery is genuinely endearing – he reacts to a conveyor belt of shortcake rounds like he’s watching the Champions League final.

Cherry Healey handles the science segments, including an experiment to determine which biscuit survives best when dunked in tea (crucial research, obviously). Ruth Goodman provides historical context, visiting the site of the old Peek Freans factory to explore how Victorian workers risked life and limb in early biscuit production. There’s a surprisingly poignant section about how treats like these lifted spirits during the Blitz.

What Not to Eat – Channel 4, 8pm

Tim Spector has become Britain’s most prominent critic of ultra-processed foods, and this new series puts his research into practice. Alongside Dr Kandi Ejiofor, he deconstructs seemingly healthy supermarket products to reveal what’s actually in them.

The segment on milkshakes is properly eye-opening – some strawberry versions contain zero actual strawberries. They offer practical alternatives that don’t require you to become a full-time health fanatic, which makes a nice change from the usual preachy nutrition programming.

Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly – Channel 5, 8pm

Graeme Hall returns with his no-nonsense approach to canine chaos. This series opener features owners visiting his Cotswolds training facility, where they discover that most dog problems are actually people problems. If your spaniel rules your household, this might provide some tough love.

Waterloo Road – BBC One, 9pm

The school drama continues with Jon Richardson’s deputy head Darius proving that being ethically questionable doesn’t mean you can’t occasionally be useful. A new student arrives with serious behavioural issues – we’re talking physical violence against staff within minutes of arrival – and somehow the morally flexible Darius connects with her.

Meanwhile, Denise Welch’s Steph Haydock tackles an STI outbreak among students with surprising competence, despite remaining utterly hopeless at actually teaching her subject. The show continues to juggle soapy drama with genuine social commentary.

Catching a Killer – Channel 4, 9pm

This one’s not for the faint-hearted. Essex Police investigate the 2024 murder of Cumali Turhan, whose dismembered remains were discovered after a killing at a Chelmsford bar. The disturbing detail that customers returned the following day without noticing extensive blood evidence speaks to how unobservant people can be.

DCI Louise Metcalfe leads the investigation with a dry wit that cuts through the grimness. The documentary follows the painstaking forensic work required to piece together what happened. Fair warning: the details of where body parts were eventually found are genuinely upsetting.

The Good Ship Murder – Channel 5, 9pm

The cruise ship mystery series serves up a Hollywood-themed episode featuring a pompous director and his reluctant protégée. Former Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach – who won Strictly in 2023 – guest stars as the murder victim, following the well-trodden path from Weatherfield to guest spots via the ballroom.

The fictional director character seems like an amalgamation of several real auteurs, none of whom would be flattered by the comparison. Light, formulaic fun.

QI XL – BBC Two, 9pm

Sandi Toksvig welcomes comedians Nabil Abdulrashid, Holly Walsh and Sam Campbell for an extended episode themed around the letter W. Expect wildebeest facts, walrus trivia, and at least one incredibly obscure question about wombat digestion. The panel show formula remains reliable comfort viewing.

Culloden – BBC Four, 10pm

A tribute screening following the death of director Peter Watkins last October. His 1964 BBC film revolutionised documentary-making by presenting the 1746 Battle of Culloden as if contemporary news crews had been present to cover it.

Watkins interviews soldiers and commanders in the middle of the carnage, treating historical figures as modern talking heads. The approach was shocking in 1964 and remains remarkably effective today. The brutal defeat of the Jacobite cause is presented without romance – this is war as chaos and suffering rather than glory. A making-of documentary follows at 11:10pm with Kirsty Wark.

Sport

Football: West Ham host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at 7:30pm on Sky Sports Main Event (kick-off 8pm). Cricket: Day four of the fifth and final Ashes Test from Sydney at 11pm on TNT Sports 1. Tennis: ATP and WTA tours from Brisbane, Auckland and Hong Kong at 6am and 10:30pm on Sky Sports Tennis.

The Viewing Schedule

What’s On Streaming

BBC iPlayer: Inside the Factory, Rick Stein’s Australia, Waterloo Road (full series), QI XL, Culloden
ITVX: Millionaire Hot Seat, The Martin Lewis Money Show
Channel 4 streaming: What Not to Eat, Catching a Killer
Channel 5 streaming: Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, The Good Ship Murder

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is Inside the Factory on TV tonight?

Inside the Factory is on BBC One at 8pm tonight (Tuesday 6th January 2026). Paddy McGuinness visits the Jammie Dodgers factory in Wales.

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

Our top pick is Inside the Factory on BBC One at 8pm – Paddy McGuinness gets excited about Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels, Cherry Healey conducts scientific dunking tests, and Ruth Goodman explores biscuit history.

What time is Rick Stein’s Australia on?

Rick Stein’s Australia is on BBC Two at 7pm tonight. It’s a new six-part series following Rick on a 5,000km journey across New South Wales.

What time is Millionaire Hot Seat on ITV?

Millionaire Hot Seat is on ITV1 at 7:30pm tonight. It’s a faster-paced spin-off with Jeremy Clarkson, time limits, and no lifelines.

What’s on Channel 4 tonight?

Channel 4’s highlights include What Not to Eat at 8pm (Professor Tim Spector exposes ultra-processed foods) and Catching a Killer at 9pm (investigating a gruesome murder case in Chelmsford).

Final Verdict

Inside the Factory is tonight’s pick – Paddy’s enthusiasm is infectious and there’s something oddly satisfying about watching biscuits roll off a production line. If you’re after something meatier, Catching a Killer offers unflinching true-crime, while Culloden on BBC Four is essential viewing for anyone interested in television history. Rick Stein’s Australia kicks off what looks like a lovely new series for armchair travellers.

Clint Edgar

Clint is a writer and self-proclaimed professional binge-watcher who treats the "Skip Intro" button with the suspicion it deserves. When he isn't dissecting plot holes or getting emotionally invested in fictional characters, you can find him scrolling through streaming queues or arguing about why The Office is a masterpiece. Clint lives in London with a dangerously comfortable couch and a remote control that he guards with his life.