Wednesday evening serves up a genuinely varied menu. Emmerdale delivers one of its acclaimed single-character episodes with Cain Dingle facing his prostate cancer diagnosis, The Repair Shop gets its hands on a keyboard with genuine rock history, and Channel 4 launches a documentary examining Michael Jackson’s notorious 2005 trial. Football fans have the League Cup semi-final second leg at the Etihad, while Jon Richardson begins his quest to resurrect a derelict Yorkshire pub.
Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best
- Emmerdale – ITV1, 8pm – Cain Dingle’s cancer diagnosis in a powerful special episode
- The Repair Shop – BBC One, 8pm – A Stranglers keyboard and 1970s platform shoes restored
- Man City v Newcastle – Sky Sports, 8pm – League Cup semi-final second leg
- Michael Jackson: The Trial – Channel 4, 9pm – Four-part documentary begins
Early Evening (6pm – 8pm)
Rick Stein’s Australia – BBC Two, 7pm
The final leg of Rick Stein’s Australian adventure brings him back to the New South Wales coastline, a region he’s clearly grown fond of over his travels. Expect plenty of fresh seafood, scenic coastal vistas, and Stein’s relaxed, knowledgeable presenting style. It’s comfort television in the truest sense – no drama, no tension, just a pleasant meander through one of Australia’s most picturesque stretches.
Prime Time (8pm onwards)
Emmerdale – ITV1, 8pm ⭐
Tonight’s the one to watch. Emmerdale has become increasingly confident with its format-breaking episodes, and this one puts Cain Dingle – arguably the show’s most compelling long-term character – front and centre. Jeff Hordley has played Cain since 2000, and he gets proper room to work here.
The premise is brutal but dramatically rich. Cain’s wife Moira is sitting in prison, having been framed for murder, while he’s dealing with confirmation that he has prostate cancer. The show has worked with Prostate Cancer UK on this storyline, and the narrative device of hearing Cain’s internal thoughts promises something different from the usual soap mechanics.
The whole episode follows him through a single difficult day – hospital appointments, brooding silences, the weight of keeping his diagnosis secret. If you’ve ever found Cain’s gruff exterior impenetrable, this is your chance to understand what’s churning underneath. Emmerdale’s producer Laura Shaw specifically chose Cain for this story because he’s “a complex man that doesn’t normally talk about his feelings.” Quite.
Read our full episode preview.
The Repair Shop – BBC One, 8pm
Two items with proper stories behind them tonight. Dean Westmoreland tackles a pair of platform shoes from 1975 – proper 1970s monsters – that hold memories of what the owner describes as their “sole mate.” Meanwhile, David Burville gets what might be his most exciting restoration yet: a keyboard that belonged to Dave Greenfield, the late keyboardist of The Stranglers.
This is the instrument Greenfield used to record ‘No More Heroes’ and ‘Golden Brown’ – genuine pieces of British pop history. The keyboard’s current owner, Toby, went from being a teenage Stranglers fan to eventually playing keyboards with the band after Greenfield’s death. When he plays those familiar opening bars on the restored instrument, even those of us who weren’t punks in 1977 might feel something.
Silversmith Brenton West also works on a 1960s motor-racing trophy, and bookbinder Chris Shaw nervously attempts a recipe from an Indian cookbook he’s just painstakingly repaired.
Digging for Britain – BBC Two, 8pm
Alice Roberts and Tori Herridge lead us through central England’s archaeological treasures in tonight’s edition. The headline discovery is a Roman bathhouse near Gloucester – not just the stone foundations, but enough evidence of marble pillars, statues and mosaics to properly visualise what the place once looked like.
The rest of the programme covers remarkable ground: warhorses used at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, a medieval burial site that’s raised more questions than answers, the farmstead where Isaac Newton’s mother lived, a fossilised forest that predates the dinosaurs, and bones showing just how long humans and dogs have been companions. Roberts and her colleagues have a gift for making fragments speak, turning scattered stones and scraps into vivid history.
Landscape Artist of the Year – Sky Arts, 8pm
Fifty wildcard painters descend on the Lake District, setting up their easels overlooking Keswick with Skiddaw as their backdrop. From above, the scene apparently looks like “a haphazard picnic scattered over lush greenery” – and the good weather means it’s shorts and t-shirts for the contestants.
Competition for the single remaining semi-final spot is fierce. There’s a mother-daughter rivalry in the mix, and at one point a paraglider literally lands mid-contest – apparently not the first time that’s happened on the show. Judges Eva Langret, Tai Shan Schierenberg and Kathleen Soriano face the unenviable task of whittling down the field.
Football: League Cup Semi-Final – Sky Sports Main Event, 7:30pm (kick-off 8pm)
Manchester City host Newcastle for the second leg at the Etihad, already 2-0 up from the first leg at St James’ Park. Goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki in that match mean Newcastle need something special to turn this around. Not impossible – this is football – but Pep Guardiola’s side will fancy their chances of reaching the Wembley final on 22nd March. Elsewhere, Aberdeen face Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on Sky Sports Football.
Grantchester – ITV1, 9pm
Poor Alphy. It’s his birthday, and Geordie has organised a surprise party – which sounds lovely until you remember that Alphy’s still sitting on an unopened letter from his biological mother. The envelope’s been lurking like a ticking emotional time bomb, and the celebratory atmosphere only highlights what he’s avoiding.
His tentative relationship with Meg isn’t helped by his inability to move forward, and a murder investigation naturally complicates proceedings. Rishi Nair continues to bring warmth and depth to the vicar role, and this episode promises to dig into Alphy’s backstory in ways the series hasn’t quite managed yet.
Michael Jackson: The Trial – Channel 4, 9pm
Channel 4 begins a four-part documentary series re-examining the 2005 trial where Michael Jackson faced child molestation charges. With the biopic ‘Michael’ on the horizon, this feels like essential contextual viewing.
Episode one takes us back to 1999, as Jackson begins plotting his career comeback. The series promises exclusive footage and previously unheard audio tapes that reveal the singer’s mindset during this period. Over 2,000 journalists descended on Santa Maria, California for the trial – it was, without exaggeration, a media circus unlike anything seen before or since. The documentary examines not just the case itself, but Jackson’s complicated relationship with fame and scrutiny.
Continues tomorrow at 9pm.
Reform: Ready to Rule? – BBC Two, 9pm
Laura Kuenssberg tackles the question everyone’s been asking since Reform started topping certain polls. The documentary examines the gap between political popularity and actual governing capability – Reform currently has seven MPs, and at the local level, Reform councils have reportedly struggled to translate campaign promises into policy reality.
Kuenssberg interviews Reform members and attempts to gauge whether and when the party might genuinely be ready for power. The title’s question mark is doing a lot of work here.
Our Yorkshire Pub Rescue with Jon Richardson – More4, 9pm
The first episode of what promises to be a genuinely heartwarming series. Comedian Jon Richardson has bought shares in Fadmoor Community Pub Limited, joining locals in their quest to resurrect The Plough Inn – a pub that closed its doors in 2011 and has sat derelict ever since.
Richardson is refreshingly honest about being out of his depth on a building site. The villagers, many of whom are considerably handier with sledgehammers than the comedian, have volunteered their time and labour to get the place reopened by spring 2026. Tonight sees Jon meeting the committee, helping demolish the toilet block (probably more supervisory than hands-on), and nervously sampling the beers that might eventually end up on tap. His natural pessimism and the project’s spiralling costs make for good television tension.
Beau Is Afraid – Film4, 9pm
Three hours of Ari Aster and Joaquin Phoenix is not everyone’s idea of a relaxing evening. The director describes this 2023 film as a “nightmare comedy,” which gives you some idea of what you’re signing up for. Phoenix plays Beau, a deeply anxious man attempting to visit his mother (Patti LuPone). The journey becomes increasingly surreal and disturbing.
If you loved Hereditary and Midsommar, you’ll find Aster working in similar territory – dread, family dysfunction, moments of dark absurdity. Beau Is Afraid is longer and stranger than both, essentially a $35 million anxiety attack committed to film. John Waters called it the best film of 2023, which should tell you something about who it’s for.
Can You Keep a Secret? – BBC One, 9pm
Dawn French’s dark comedy continues. Debbie has been maintaining the fiction that her husband William is dead, but the lies are becoming harder to sustain. Tonight’s question: do the Fendons have more enemies than they realised? French and Mark Heap continue to make a convincing fractious couple.
The Fabulous Funeral Parlour – Channel 4, 10pm
A documentary following funeral director Hayley in Liverpool, who greets everyone – the living and the deceased – with equal warmth each morning. “They deserve the same respect as the living,” she explains, dabbing cologne on a coffin’s occupant.
The film follows three Liverpudlian families using her services, treating death with the kind of openness that remains unusual on British television. Some moments are inevitably difficult – embalming work, bodies being dressed, grieving relatives – but the overall tone is surprisingly uplifting. Death may be taboo, but Hayley treats it with practicality and compassion.
Sport
Football: League Cup Semi-Final – Manchester City v Newcastle United, Sky Sports Main Event from 7:30pm (kick-off 8pm). City lead 2-0 from the first leg.
Football: Scottish Premiership – Aberdeen v Celtic, Sky Sports Football from 7pm (kick-off 8pm).
LIV Golf Riyadh – Day one of the 2026 season opener, TNT Sports 1 from 2pm. Featuring Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson and defending champion Adrian Meronk competing under lights.
The Viewing Schedule
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00pm | TNT Sports 1 | LIV Golf Riyadh |
| 7:00pm | BBC Two | Rick Stein’s Australia |
| 7:00pm | Sky Sports Football | Aberdeen v Celtic |
| 7:30pm | Sky Sports Main Event | Man City v Newcastle |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | The Repair Shop |
| 8:00pm | BBC Two | Digging for Britain |
| 8:00pm | ITV1 | Emmerdale |
| 8:00pm | Sky Arts | Landscape Artist of the Year |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | Can You Keep a Secret? |
| 9:00pm | ITV1 | Grantchester |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | Michael Jackson: The Trial |
| 9:00pm | BBC Two | Reform: Ready to Rule? |
| 9:00pm | More4 | Our Yorkshire Pub Rescue |
| 9:00pm | Film4 | Beau Is Afraid |
| 9:00pm | Sky Witness | Matlock |
| 10:00pm | Channel 4 | The Fabulous Funeral Parlour |
What’s On Streaming
BBC iPlayer: The Repair Shop, Digging for Britain, Can You Keep a Secret?, Rick Stein’s Australia
ITVX: Emmerdale, Grantchester (full series available)
Channel 4 streaming: Michael Jackson: The Trial (full series), The Fabulous Funeral Parlour
NOW/Sky Go: Landscape Artist of the Year, Matlock, League Cup football (Sky Sports subscription required)
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Emmerdale on tonight?
Emmerdale is on ITV1 at 8pm tonight (Wednesday 4th February 2026). It’s a special episode focusing solely on Cain Dingle as he receives confirmation of his prostate cancer diagnosis while dealing with his wife Moira’s imprisonment.
What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our top pick is Emmerdale on ITV1 at 8pm – a bold, format-breaking episode that puts Cain Dingle’s inner turmoil centre stage. Jeff Hordley gives a powerful performance as the character confronts two life-altering crises simultaneously.
Is EastEnders on TV tonight?
EastEnders is not on tonight (Wednesday 4th February 2026). While the soap typically airs Monday to Thursday, tonight’s schedule doesn’t include an episode. Check BBC iPlayer for recent episodes if you need to catch up.
What time is Man City v Newcastle on TV?
Manchester City v Newcastle kicks off at 8pm on Sky Sports Main Event tonight (Wednesday 4th February 2026), with coverage from 7:30pm. It’s the second leg of the League Cup semi-final – City lead 2-0 from the first leg at St James’ Park.
What channel is Michael Jackson: The Trial on?
Michael Jackson: The Trial is on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight (Wednesday 4th February 2026). It’s the first episode of a four-part documentary series examining the 2005 trial, featuring exclusive footage and previously unheard audio.
Final Verdict
Emmerdale is tonight’s standout – a special episode that gives Jeff Hordley room to deliver a genuinely affecting performance as Cain Dingle faces his cancer diagnosis. The Repair Shop offers a dose of feel-good restoration with genuine rock history, while Man City v Newcastle should be straightforward for City but you never know. Michael Jackson: The Trial begins a timely re-examination ahead of the upcoming biopic, and Jon Richardson’s pub rescue looks like it could be this year’s unexpected warm-hug documentary. EastEnders isn’t on tonight – check BBC iPlayer if you’re behind on Walford’s latest dramas.
