Wednesday night telly is properly stacked this week. The Traitors continues its stranglehold on the nation’s attention, Grantchester signs off with a series finale, and there’s a London derby in the League Cup as Chelsea host Arsenal. Add in some Iron Age archaeology, a neurodivergent detective, and Will Smith trudging through Antarctica, and you’ve got plenty to choose from. Plus both soaps are on if you need your regular fix.
Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best
- The Traitors – BBC One, 8pm – The psychological game show everyone’s talking about
- Grantchester – ITV1, 9pm – Series finale for the 1960s detective drama
- Chelsea v Arsenal – Sky Sports, 7pm – League Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge
- Digging for Britain – BBC Two, 9pm – Alice Roberts and a mysterious Iron Age discovery
Early Evening (6pm – 8pm)
How to Keep Your Brain Young – Channel 5, 7pm
Dr Amir Khan presents advice on maintaining cognitive health that you’ve probably heard before – eat fish, exercise, learn new skills – but with a twist. Three volunteers trial these techniques for just two weeks and have their brain function measured before and after. The results are surprisingly noticeable even over such a short period.
There’s also discussion of the gut-brain connection and, interestingly, the potential future use of psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) as a prescribed treatment. Khan believes it could be available within a decade. For now though, it remains very much illegal, so don’t get any ideas.
EastEnders – BBC One, 7:30pm
Yes, EastEnders is on tonight. Following their unexpected New Year’s Eve kiss at Harry’s Barn, Penny finds herself properly interested in Vinny rather than treating it as a one-off. It’s a pairing that gives two of Walford’s more underused characters something meaningful to work with – Penny’s got an edge to her, while Vinny’s always been a bit of a mummy’s boy, so there’s potential for interesting dynamics.
Gina, currently sharing a flat with Penny, encourages her to pursue things. Speaking of Gina, she’s been somewhat adrift since the Knight family drama settled down and could really use a storyline of her own. As always, the episode drops on iPlayer at 6am if you can’t wait until broadcast.
Chelsea v Arsenal – Sky Sports, 7pm (kick-off 8pm)
A London derby with silverware at stake. Chelsea welcome Arsenal to Stamford Bridge for the first leg of the League Cup semi-final. Both managers will want an advantage to take into the second leg, so expect a cagey tactical affair – or possibly chaos, this being cup football. Coverage starts at 7pm on Sky Sports Main Event.
Prime Time (8pm onwards)
The Traitors – BBC One, 8pm ⭐
Tonight’s pick. At this point, The Traitors has become appointment viewing in a way few shows manage anymore. Claudia Winkleman remains the perfect host – all dramatic pauses and barely concealed glee as contestants turn on each other.
The format is simple but endlessly watchable: Faithfuls try to identify the Traitors among them, while Traitors attempt to survive undetected and eliminate the competition. Every roundtable feels genuinely tense, and the paranoia spreads far beyond the Scottish castle into living rooms nationwide. If you’re not already watching, you’re missing out on prime water-cooler material.
Uncloaked follows at 9:05pm with Ed Gamble dissecting the latest developments.
Landscape Artist of the Year – Sky Arts, 8pm
The art competition returns with eight painters tasked with capturing Derwentwater in the Lake District – apparently one of the finest views they’ve ever presented to contestants. There’s a local connection too: Keswick nearby is reportedly where farmers invented the pencil back in the 1560s, fashioning crude sticks from local graphite to mark their sheep.
Stephen Mangan hosts as always, with this series introducing new judge Eva Langret, director of Frieze London. The eventual winner gets a £10,000 commission to paint Croagh Patrick in Ireland. The artists range from an impressionistic former schoolteacher to a chaplain who favours sharp angular lines – variety that makes comparing approaches genuinely interesting.
Coronation Street – ITV1, 8:30pm
The fallout from the Emmerdale crossover continues. Jodie, the mysterious woman found tied up in a crashed van, has been taken in by the Platts. David’s welcomed her, and she’s getting on well with Lily, but Nick isn’t convinced. He’s suspicious of his brother’s new houseguest, and frankly, so should viewers be.
Shona notices bruises on Jodie’s wrist – she claims they’re from the abusive relationship she was escaping. Whether that’s the truth or a convenient cover story remains to be seen. Soap rule of thumb: anyone with secrets this early in a storyline is hiding something bigger.
Grantchester – ITV1, 9pm
Series finale. The Cambridge-set detective drama wraps up with a murder at a strip club – the owner killed during a performance. It’s the 1960s, and while moral attitudes are loosening elsewhere in Britain, change comes slower to sleepy Grantchester.
When some of the club’s employees seek refuge at the vicarage, progressive young vicar Alphy finds himself navigating attitudes towards stripping and sex work. Complicating matters: fellow clergyman David Lane apparently has a connection to the establishment he’d prefer stayed quiet. Rishi Nair has grown into the lead role nicely, bringing warmth to a character who genuinely wants to help.
Patience – Channel 4, 9pm
The neurodivergent detective returns with a properly twisty case. A businessman is shot dead during a meeting just as a magpie crashes through the window – which turns out not to be coincidence. Patience (Ella Maisy Purvis) recognises the hallmarks of misdirection, the kind magicians use to fool audiences.
The investigation leads her and DI Monroe (Jessica Hynes) to an art thief whose calling card features that very bird, plus a visit to a magic museum in York and an encounter with an arrogant writer who specialises in deception techniques. The mystery is enjoyably convoluted, but the real pleasure is watching Monroe finally acknowledge Patience’s detective skills. More tomorrow if tonight’s hooks you.
Digging for Britain – BBC Two, 9pm
Alice Roberts has the enviable job of getting excited about ancient discoveries, and tonight there’s plenty to excite her. At a dig in Thetford, Norfolk, archaeologists have unearthed something mysterious and intricately decorated – possibly a carnyx or a boar standard, though even the experts aren’t certain yet.
Meanwhile, excavations near Sizewell nuclear power station have revealed an archaeological treasure trove spanning thousands of years: Neolithic buildings and axes, a Bronze Age cremation, a remarkably preserved Iron Age wooden ladder, evidence of Roman industry, and a horse burial in an Anglo-Saxon grave. That’s quite the historical cross-section from one location.
Can You Keep a Secret? – BBC One, 9:30pm
Dawn French and Mark Heap’s dark sitcom continues. Debbie has been maintaining the fiction that her husband William is dead, but that lie is starting to crack. A note through the door suggests someone knows he’s very much alive.
The show has some sharp writing – lines like “Your dad might not be dead physically, but emotionally he’s been gone since the 90s” land well – but struggles to maintain momentum between the good gags. Worth catching if you’re already invested, but not essential viewing.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – BBC Four, 10pm
The 1979 adaptation reaches its conclusion with a double bill. Alec Guinness’s George Smiley finally unmasks the Soviet mole within British Intelligence, though the revelation brings no satisfaction – only sadness. The traitor’s identity touches Smiley personally as well as professionally, and there’s something deeply melancholy about watching the mask fall.
If you’ve been following along, this is unmissable. If you haven’t, this probably isn’t the place to start.
Sport
Football: League Cup – Chelsea v Arsenal, Sky Sports Main Event/Football from 7pm (kick-off 8pm). Semi-final first leg.
Snooker: The Masters concludes its first round at Alexandra Palace. Coverage from 12:45pm on TNT Sports 2 and 1pm on BBC Two, with evening session from 6:45pm on TNT Sports 2 and 7pm on BBC Two. The big draw: Neil Robertson versus Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Cricket: India v New Zealand second ODI from Rajkot. TNT Sports 1 from 7:45am.
The Viewing Schedule
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00pm | BBC Two | Snooker: The Masters |
| 7:00pm | Channel 5 | How to Keep Your Brain Young |
| 7:00pm | Sky Sports | Chelsea v Arsenal |
| 7:30pm | BBC One | EastEnders |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | The Traitors |
| 8:00pm | Sky Arts | Landscape Artist of the Year |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts |
| 8:00pm | National Geographic | Pole to Pole with Will Smith |
| 8:30pm | ITV1 | Coronation Street |
| 9:00pm | ITV1 | Grantchester |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | Patience |
| 9:00pm | BBC Two | Digging for Britain |
| 9:00pm | Sky Witness | Matlock |
| 9:05pm | BBC One | Uncloaked |
| 9:30pm | BBC One | Can You Keep a Secret? |
| 10:00pm | BBC Four | Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy |
What’s On Streaming
BBC iPlayer: EastEnders (from 6am), The Traitors, Uncloaked, Digging for Britain, Can You Keep a Secret?, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
ITVX: Coronation Street, Grantchester
Channel 4 streaming: Patience (full series)
Channel 5 streaming: How to Keep Your Brain Young, Casualty 24/7
NOW/Sky Go: Landscape Artist of the Year, Matlock, Chelsea v Arsenal
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is The Traitors on tonight?
The Traitors is on BBC One at 8pm tonight (Wednesday 14th January 2026), followed by Uncloaked with Ed Gamble at 9:05pm.
What’s the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our top pick is The Traitors on BBC One at 8pm – the psychological game show continues to grip the nation as Faithfuls attempt to identify the betrayers in their midst.
What time is EastEnders on tonight?
EastEnders is on BBC One at 7:30pm tonight (Wednesday 14th January 2026). Penny finds herself genuinely attracted to Vinny following their New Year’s kiss, while Gina encourages her to pursue the relationship. You can watch early on iPlayer from 6am.
What time is Chelsea v Arsenal on TV?
Chelsea v Arsenal kicks off at 8pm on Sky Sports Main Event tonight (Wednesday 14th January 2026), with coverage starting from 7pm. It’s the League Cup semi-final first leg from Stamford Bridge.
What’s on ITV1 tonight?
ITV1’s highlights include Coronation Street at 8:30pm (with drama around mysterious houseguest Jodie) and the Grantchester series finale at 9pm, featuring a murder investigation at a strip club.
Final Verdict
The Traitors remains unmissable – it’s the show everyone’s discussing and tonight’s episode should deliver more paranoia and accusations. Football fans have an excellent Chelsea v Arsenal derby in the League Cup semi-final. Grantchester signs off with what promises to be a strong finale, while Digging for Britain offers fascinating discoveries for archaeology enthusiasts. And yes, EastEnders is on at 7:30pm with a potential new romance brewing between Penny and Vinny. Something for everyone this Wednesday.
