TV Guide UK Tonight: Wed 8 Apr 2026 – Twenty Twenty Six, The Copenhagen Test & Michael Jackson

Updated: 21 April 2026

Tonight’s TV highlights (Wednesday 8 April 2026): Twenty Twenty Six premieres on BBC Two at 10pm — John Morton’s sequel to W1A with Hugh Bonneville returning as Ian Fletcher. The Copenhagen Test launches on Channel 4 at 9pm as a double bill with Simu Liu. Michael Jackson: an American Tragedy opens a three-parter on BBC Two at 9pm. The Assembly returns on ITV1 at 10:05pm with Stephen Fry. PSG v Liverpool in the Champions League is on TNT Sports 1 at 8pm. EastEnders is on BBC One at 7:30pm.

Wednesday night has several things going on at once, and the smart move is to plan your evening in advance. The two big new arrivals are at opposite ends of prime time: The Copenhagen Test on Channel 4 at 9pm is a US espionage thriller that’s already proved itself across the Atlantic, and Twenty Twenty Six on BBC Two at 10pm brings John Morton and Hugh Bonneville back together for the first time since W1A, this time with the World Cup as their target. In between, the Michael Jackson documentary starts on BBC Two and the Champions League serves up PSG v Liverpool — which is quite a draw even by its own standards.

Quick Picks: Tonight’s Best

• Twenty Twenty Six ⭐ — BBC Two, 10pm — Ian Fletcher is back. New W1A-style sitcom, World Cup setting, Bonneville on fine form. New series worth the late start
• The Copenhagen Test — C4, 9pm — Bio-hacking espionage thriller. New series that hit big in the US. Two episodes tonight
• PSG v Liverpool — TNT Sports 1, 7pm (k/o 8pm) — Champions League quarter-final first leg. One of the biggest draws of the round
• Michael Jackson: an American Tragedy — BBC Two, 9pm — The rise, before the fall. New documentary series, strong first episode
• The Assembly — ITV1, 10.05pm — Stephen Fry faces neurodiverse interviewers who don’t hold back. Sounds like a good one
• The Repair Shop — BBC One, 8pm — Two items with serious historical stories this week. Worth catching

What’s New Tonight

Four new series or returns land on Wednesday 8 April 2026:

• Twenty Twenty Six — BBC Two, 10pm — New series. Ian Fletcher is back. Hugh Bonneville’s hapless chair of meetings has left the BBC behind and arrived in Miami to help organise the 2026 World Cup for a fictional football federation. W1A creator John Morton returns with another gallery of corporate monomaniacs. David Tennant narrates. Full series on BBC iPlayer from today.
• The Copenhagen Test — Channel 4, 9pm — New series (double bill, ep 2 at 10pm). Intelligence analyst Alexander Hale (Simu Liu) discovers his brain has been bio-hacked, giving unknown parties access to everything he sees and hears. He teams up with a field agent (Melissa Barrera) to expose the perpetrators. Saul Rubinek plays his mentor. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.
• Michael Jackson: an American Tragedy — BBC Two, 9pm — New series. The first of three episodes covers Jackson’s early career from child performer with his siblings to global superstar, tracking the ambition and ruthless business decisions that shaped his rise. Full series on BBC iPlayer from today.
• The Assembly — ITV1, 10:05pm — New series. Stephen Fry sits before a panel of neurodiverse interviewers for the return of the no-holds-barred chat show. Their questions go further than anything Fry expected, including some eye-watering personal queries. Catch up via ITVX.

What’s Ending Tonight

Two series sign off on Wednesday 8 April 2026:

• China with Ben Fogle — Channel 5, 9pm — Last in series. Ben Fogle’s tour concludes in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, where he meets journalist Lam Yin-pong, who has risked his freedom speaking out against Beijing’s suppression of dissent since the 2019 protests. Catch up via 5 streaming.
• Captive Audience: a Real American Horror Story — BBC Two, 10pm — Last in series. The final chapter of the Stayner family story arrives at its darkest point: Steven’s kidnapping and escape as a child, his death aged 24, and his brother Cary’s confession to four murders in Yosemite. Full series on BBC iPlayer.

Early Evening

Great British Menu – BBC Two, 7pm

The London and South East heat rolls on, and tonight the film theme is pushing chefs to some creative places. A 28-day dry-aged duck inspired by 28 Days Later is, you have to admit, a decent concept — whether it works on the plate is another matter. The heats have been strong this series and the London field tends to be competitive. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

Prime Time

The Repair Shop – BBC One, 8pm

The items that tend to make this programme worth watching are the ones that carry weight beyond the sentimental — and tonight has a few. A model Range Rover given to former serviceman Mike Webb as recognition for a pan-American driving feat in 1971 is already an interesting object, but the backstory is what makes it worth forty minutes of your evening.

The ballet shoes are even more striking. Worn on a London stage by Britain’s first professional Black ballerina, they are the kind of item that belongs in a museum and probably will at some point. There’s also a scrapbook documenting the Dick, Kerr Ladies factory football team — an important piece of early women’s football history. And then the clockwork bird cage belonging to Fenella Haffenden, who was born deaf, which has a gentler story but no less touching. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

The ‘Burbs – Sky One, 9pm

The suburban paranoia comedy continues with Keke Palmer’s Samira becoming more convinced that the enormous Victorian house at the end of the street is not just an eyesore. She has assembled what might charitably be described as a neighbourhood watch team and decided the only logical step is to break in and find out what’s actually inside.

It’s the kind of premise that could go slapstick, and there are elements of that, but the episode apparently delivers more than simple haunted-house comedy once the break-in gets underway. Palmer has been a confident lead from the start and the series has found its rhythm. Catch up via Now.

The Copenhagen Test ⭐ – C4, 9pm (NEW SERIES)

This one has been doing well in the US on Peacock, and it’s easy to see why. Intelligence analyst Alexander Hale, played by Simu Liu, discovers that someone has essentially turned his brain into a surveillance device — bio-hacked to give unknown parties access to everything he sees and hears. That’s an unsettling enough thought without the added complication of now being unable to prove his own loyalty to his employers.

He teams up with a field agent played by Melissa Barrera, and the two of them have the kind of chemistry that makes the whole enterprise considerably more watchable. The techno-conspiracy at the heart of it is gripping without being impenetrable, and Saul Rubinek as Hale’s mentor does what Rubinek always does, which is make every scene he’s in a bit more interesting than it would otherwise be. A second episode follows at 10pm. Both available on Channel 4 streaming.

Michael Jackson: an American Tragedy – BBC Two, 9pm (NEW SERIES)

Three hours dedicated to Michael Jackson and you still get the sense that there is more to say — which probably tells you everything about the scale of the subject. The production company behind Channel 4’s Tony Blair documentary has turned its attention here, and the first episode is focused on the parts of the story that are still, relatively, just thrilling: the child performer in the Jackson 5, the evolution into the most recognisable entertainer on the planet, and the fierce business mind that doesn’t always match the public image.

The ruthlessness of some of Jackson’s commercial decisions is given proper space here, which makes this feel more serious than a standard tribute. The later episodes will deal with the harder questions and the contested legacy, but for now this is, as one contributor has it, an uncomplicated joy. You know the curtain doesn’t stay there. Full series on BBC iPlayer from today.

China with Ben Fogle – Channel 5, 9pm (SERIES FINALE)

The last leg of Fogle’s China journey takes him into the most uncomfortable territory of the series. In Shenzhen, it’s spectacular enough — 40 million LEDs lighting up skyscrapers — and tech millionaire Richard Chang’s matter-of-fact announcement that AI will replace his entire factory workforce within two years is interesting viewing. But the Hong Kong section, where Fogle meets journalist Lam Yin-pong, who has put his freedom on the line by speaking out against Beijing’s crackdown on dissent since the 2019 protests, is where the series ends on something more serious. A solid travel documentary that never quite settled for the easy version of the story. Catch up via 5 streaming.

NCIS: Sydney – U&Alibi, 9pm

The action this week takes place almost entirely in an underground bunker, which is either a bold storytelling choice or a sign that the location budget needed a rest. When the bunker seals shut during the launch of a new geolocation system, agents Mackey, Eve and Blue are among those trapped inside with a dwindling air supply and a couple of hours to figure out what’s gone wrong. The confined setting actually works in the episode’s favour — less running around, more pressure. Catch up via Now.

Sport

Champions League – PSG v Liverpool – TNT Sports 1, 7pm (k/o 8pm)

Quarter-final first leg. Liverpool away in Paris, which is not where you particularly want to be in a knockout tie. PSG have been in reasonable form domestically and the Parc des Princes is a difficult atmosphere to manage. The result here sets the terms for the second leg at Anfield, so Liverpool will want to keep it tight. Build-up from 7pm on TNT Sports 1.

Champions League – Barcelona v Atlético Madrid – TNT Sports 7, 7pm (k/o 8pm)

The other quarter-final is an all-Spanish affair at the Estadi Olímpic. Barcelona and Atlético have a history of producing tight, bad-tempered European ties and there’s no reason to think this one will be any different. Both sides will fancy their chances over two legs. Coverage from 7pm on TNT Sports 7.

The Masters – Par 3 Contest – Sky Sports, 5pm

The traditional curtain-raiser to Augusta week. The Par 3 contest doesn’t count for anything officially, but it’s one of the nicest hours in the golf calendar — past champions, family caddies, and the occasional hole-in-one. Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 5pm.

Late Night

The Assembly – ITV1, 10.05pm (NEW SERIES)

The format is simple enough: a celebrity agrees to be interviewed by a group of neurodiverse people who have no interest in the PR-managed version of their story and no particular concern for social convention. The questions go wherever the questions go. Stephen Fry, who is the first guest of the new series, has said he was “taken aback” by some of what came up — including, he confirmed, some fairly direct questions about his sexuality that went considerably further than any standard press junket would venture.

What the show does well is remind you how sanitised normal celebrity interviews are. Fry can handle the frankness, and the suggestion that the episode ends with him on his feet dancing is the kind of detail that makes you want to watch. A second episode with Nicola Sturgeon airs on Friday. Catch up via ITVX.

Twenty Twenty Six ⭐ – BBC Two, 10pm (NEW SERIES)

Here is the new series to make time for. John Morton, who created both W1A and Twenty Twelve, has pointed his particular brand of satirical documentary-comedy at international football administration. Ian Fletcher — Hugh Bonneville’s permanently beleaguered meeting-chair — has left the BBC behind and arrived in Miami, wearing a suit that’s slightly too warm for the climate, to help organise the 2026 World Cup for what David Tennant’s voiceover describes, for what it claims are legal reasons, as “F-bleep-fa.”

The team Fletcher is nominally heading up is a gallery of corporate one-track minds: a VP of Pitch Protocols who “sounds like a lot of former footballers,” a VP of Sustainability who actually believes what she’s talking about, and a Legal VP who operates on the assumption that everyone around him is an idiot. The first episode involves the simple task of narrowing three semi-final venues down to two, which somehow becomes impossible, and then a celebratory speech at a Miami sports event that requires an announcement nobody has yet thought to prepare. Morton’s comic machinery is running exactly as it always did. It’s very good. Full series on BBC iPlayer from today.

Also Worth Noting

Warship: Life in the Royal Navy (Channel 5, 8pm) — JJ Chalmers visits Royal Marines training in Devon and Kate Humble boards a submarine at Faslane. Solid military documentary series.

Help! I Bought It at Auction with Sarah Beeny (C4, 8pm) — Fixer-upper properties in the South Downs and Somerset. Reliable enough if The Repair Shop doesn’t appeal.

Captive Audience: a Real American Horror Story (BBC Two, 10pm, LAST IN SERIES) — The final episode reaches the Stayner family’s darkest chapter, taking in Steven’s kidnapping, escape and early death, and his brother Cary’s later murders. Grim, but the series has handled an extraordinarily painful story with care.

The Viewing Schedule

What’s On Streaming

BBC iPlayer: The Repair Shop, Great British Menu, Michael Jackson: an American Tragedy (full series from today), Twenty Twenty Six (full series from today), Captive Audience: a Real American Horror Story
Channel 4 streaming: The Copenhagen Test, Help! I Bought It at Auction with Sarah Beeny
ITVX: The Assembly
Now: The Burbs, NCIS: Sydney
My5: China with Ben Fogle, Warship: Life in the Royal Navy

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EastEnders on tonight (Wednesday 8 April 2026)?

Yes, EastEnders is on BBC One tonight. Wednesday is a normal broadcast day — the soap airs Monday to Thursday as standard. Catch up on any missed episodes via BBC iPlayer.

What time is Twenty Twenty Six on BBC Two tonight?

Twenty Twenty Six starts at 10pm on BBC Two tonight (Wednesday 8 April 2026). The full series is also available on BBC iPlayer from today. It’s the new sitcom from W1A and Twenty Twelve creator John Morton, with Hugh Bonneville back as Ian Fletcher — this time trying to organise the World Cup in Miami for a fictional football federation.

What time is The Copenhagen Test on Channel 4?

The Copenhagen Test starts at 9pm on Channel 4 tonight, with a second episode at 10pm. It’s a new sci-fi espionage series about an intelligence analyst whose brain has been bio-hacked, giving unknown parties access to everything he sees and hears. Both episodes are available to catch up on Channel 4 streaming.

What time is the Champions League on TV tonight?

Two Champions League quarter-final first legs are on tonight. PSG v Liverpool is live on TNT Sports 1 from 7pm (kick-off 8pm). Barcelona v Atlético Madrid is live on TNT Sports 7 from 7pm (kick-off 8pm).

What is the Michael Jackson documentary on BBC Two about?

Michael Jackson: an American Tragedy is a new three-part series starting on BBC Two tonight at 9pm. The first episode covers the early years of Jackson’s career — from the Jackson 5 through to his rise as the most recognisable entertainer in the world. The full series is available on BBC iPlayer from today.

What is The Assembly with Stephen Fry?

The Assembly is back on ITV1 at 10.05pm tonight with Stephen Fry as the first guest of its new series. It’s a chat show where neurodiverse panellists ask celebrities whatever they want, without filters. Fry has said some of the questions were “eye-watering.” Catch up via ITVX. A second episode with Nicola Sturgeon airs on Friday.

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

The new show to make time for is Twenty Twenty Six on BBC Two at 10pm — John Morton and Hugh Bonneville back together, targeting international football bureaucracy with the same comic precision they brought to the BBC in W1A. Worth the slightly late start. Earlier in the evening, The Copenhagen Test on Channel 4 at 9pm is propulsive and well-cast. For sport, PSG v Liverpool on TNT Sports 1 is the Champions League tie of the night.

Is China with Ben Fogle on tonight?

Yes. Tonight (Wednesday 8 April 2026) is the final episode of China with Ben Fogle on Channel 5 at 9pm. Fogle’s tour concludes in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, where he meets journalist Lam Yin-pong, who has risked his freedom speaking out against Beijing’s suppression of dissent since the 2019 protests. Catch up via 5 streaming.

What’s on BBC One tonight (Wednesday 8 April 2026)?

BBC One tonight has EastEnders at 7:30pm and The Repair Shop at 8pm. The Repair Shop features a model Range Rover awarded for a 1971 pan-American driving record, ballet shoes worn by Britain’s first professional Black ballerina, a clockwork bird cage belonging to a woman born deaf, and a scrapbook documenting the Dick, Kerr Ladies factory football team. Catch up via BBC iPlayer.

Final Verdict

Twenty Twenty Six is the arrival of the week. Morton’s comic voice is as precise as it has always been and the World Cup setting gives him an even bigger target than the BBC. Bonneville walks back into Fletcher immediately and the supporting cast looks strong from the cast descriptions alone. The full series is on iPlayer if 10pm is too late.

The Copenhagen Test on Channel 4 is worth two hours of your time if sci-fi espionage is your thing — it’s been a genuine hit in the US and the bio-hacking premise is more unnerving the longer you sit with it.

For sport, PSG v Liverpool is the big one. Away tie, no margin for error, Anfield still to come.

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