Monday's TV guide is genuinely stacked tonight, with new dramas launching on Channel 4 and BBC Two, a true-crime royal saga continuing on ITV1, and enough at 9pm to give you serious decision paralysis. Our Freeview TV guide picks out the strongest options from what's on across the terrestrial channels. Check the TV listings below and plan accordingly -- you're going to need multiple screens or a very good recording setup for this one.
What's On TV Tonight: Quick Picks
- Dirty Business -- Channel 4, 9pm -- New factual drama about water pollution with David Thewlis and Jason Watkins
- AI Confidential with Hannah Fry -- BBC Two, 9pm -- New three-part series on AI's real-world impact
- The Lady -- ITV1, 9pm -- Mia McKenna-Bruce as the Duchess of York's dresser turned killer
- Silent Witness -- BBC One, 9pm -- Jack gets into trouble in this week's two-parter
- Love Island All Stars: The Live Final -- ITV2, 9pm -- Maya Jama crowns the winning couple
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms -- Sky Atlantic, 9pm -- Season finale of the Game of Thrones prequel
- Everton v Man Utd -- Sky Sports, 8pm KO -- Premier League Monday Night Football
Is EastEnders on tonight?
Yes. EastEnders is on BBC One at 7.30pm tonight. The Brannings are gathering for Sunday lunch, which in Albert Square terms means at least three separate arguments and one piece of devastating news delivered over the roast potatoes. Elsewhere, Callum finds himself wrestling with a moral dilemma, and Ravi -- ever the opportunist -- puts himself forward for a position at the car lot. A standard Monday episode, but there's plenty ticking away beneath the surface.
TV Guide: Early Evening (7pm -- 8.30pm)
EastEnders -- BBC One, 7.30pm
The Branning family get together for what should be a straightforward Sunday meal, but this being Walford, nothing stays straightforward for long. Expect tensions simmering over the gravy. Meanwhile, Callum's got one of those situations where doing the right thing and doing the easy thing are two very different paths, and Ravi fancies his chances at the car lot. It's a table-setting episode in many ways -- the sort that quietly moves pieces into position for whatever's coming next.
Fletchers' Family Farm -- ITV1, 7.30pm
Kelvin Fletcher's farming documentary series returns with a genuinely stressful opener. A ewe falls seriously ill on the farm, which is the kind of thing that never gets easier no matter how many series you've done. On top of that, Kelvin's getting the older piglets ready for market -- always an emotional business -- and there's a wasp nest encounter that ends with someone in A&E. Never a dull moment in the countryside.
TV Tonight: Prime Time (8pm onwards)
Panorama -- The Rising Cost of Health Benefits -- BBC One, 8pm
Bronagh Munro investigates the ballooning costs of the UK's health-related benefits system for Panorama. It's the kind of topic that generates strong opinions on every side, and the programme promises to ask whether the current system is actually fit for purpose. Given the political temperature around benefits spending right now, this feels timely.
University Challenge -- BBC Two, 8.30pm
The quarter-finals are properly underway now, and tonight's winner becomes the first team through to the semi-finals. Amol Rajan asks the questions. This is where the competition starts to sort the good from the genuinely brilliant, and the pressure visibly cranks up a notch.
Coronation Street -- ITV1, 8.30pm
Mal takes the rather dramatic step of locking Bernie in the cafe so he can declare his feelings, which is definitely one way to go about it. Debbie's financial scheming continues as she instructs Ronnie to transfer money to Carl, and Steve gets unexpected news about his dad for the first time in years. Monday Corrie doing what Monday Corrie does.
Dirty Business -- Channel 4, 9pm ⭐
This is the pick of the night. Channel 4 launches a new three-part factual drama from the makers of Partygate, and it's built around a story that sounds almost too outrageous to be true. In a picture-perfect Oxfordshire village, a retired police detective called Ash -- played by David Thewlis -- notices the fish in his local river are dying. He contacts the water company to find out why. The response he gets is so evasive and strange that it sparks an investigation which, in real life, is still ongoing. Jason Watkins plays his neighbour Peter, a professor of computational biology who establishes that the local sewage works isn't treating waste properly and is dumping raw, untreated sewage directly into local waterways. Asim Chaudhry rounds out the central trio as Mickey, a whistleblowing sewage plant worker who puts his livelihood on the line to supply information from the inside. The series is based on real stories from the campaign group Windrush Against Sewage Pollution, and given that England's water companies have been front-page news for years now, this couldn't be more relevant. Thewlis and Watkins together is an inspired pairing -- you've got quiet intensity meeting avuncular determination, and it works.
AI Confidential with Hannah Fry -- BBC Two, 9pm
Hannah Fry launches a genuinely unsettling new three-part documentary series about what happens when artificial intelligence collides with real human lives. The first episode opens with the jaw-dropping story of a British teenager who developed a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot girlfriend -- and was subsequently encouraged by that chatbot to attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II. It's the kind of story that reads like science fiction but is entirely factual. Fry, who's a mathematician by training, has a gift for making technical subjects feel personal and urgent. The series goes on to explore AI grief technology, chatbot relationships more broadly, and driverless car incidents. All three episodes are on iPlayer now if you can't wait.
The Lady -- ITV1, 9pm
The second episode of ITV's four-part true-crime drama, which started last night. Mia McKenna-Bruce plays Jane Andrews, a young woman from Grimsby who answered an advert in The Lady magazine and landed a job as the Duchess of York's personal dresser at Buckingham Palace. Tonight's episode deepens the relationship between Jane and Sarah Ferguson, played by Natalie Dormer. The story is heading somewhere very dark -- Andrews was convicted in 2001 of murdering her boyfriend Thomas Cressman -- but at this stage the drama is still building the world of royal privilege and the intoxicating effect it has on someone from a very different background. Ed Speleers plays Cressman. The full boxset is on ITVX.
Silent Witness -- BBC One, 9pm
Series 29 continues its Birmingham-set run with a two-parter that puts Jack Hodgson front and centre. David Caves gets plenty to work with as Jack finds himself in a bar fight and then faces a difficult choice about whether to bring Nikki and the rest of the Bowman team into the situation. There's always been a tension between Jack's headstrong instincts and the methodical approach the job demands, and this storyline leans right into that. Part two airs tomorrow at 9pm.
Love Island All Stars: The Live Final -- ITV2, 9pm
After nearly six weeks of graft, recouplings and "I've got a text" moments, it all comes down to this. Maya Jama hosts the live grand finale of the third All Stars series, with the remaining couples hoping to be crowned winners and claim up to 50,000 pounds. The series has run since mid-January -- surviving even the South African wildfires that delayed the launch by three days -- and tonight the public get to deliver their verdict. A bumper 95-minute episode.
TV Guide UK: Late Night
Small Prophets -- BBC Two, 10pm
Mackenzie Crook's sitcom continues its gentle, peculiar run. Kacey pays Michael a visit at home to see the prophets for herself, and what she discovers leaves her genuinely taken aback. Pearce Quigley remains the heartbeat of this show, playing Michael Sleep with such understated warmth that you forget how genuinely weird the premise is. The full series is on iPlayer.
Industry -- BBC One, 10.40pm
Episode seven of eight, and things are tightening at both Tender and SternTao as secrets start tumbling out. If you've been tracking the season's escalating financial drama, this penultimate episode is where the dominoes start falling in earnest. The show continues to demand your full attention -- miss a line of dialogue and you'll lose track of a subplot -- but that's part of what makes it one of the most rewarding dramas on television right now.
The Curfew -- Channel 5, 10pm
Episode four of the dystopian thriller, and the cracks are spreading. Eddie's carefully laid plans start coming undone, Billy finds himself being pulled into the worst corners of online culture, and Helen can't feel safe at home anymore after a client begins threatening her. Sarah Parish's drama has kept up its momentum impressively since the launch.
Sport
Premier League: Everton v Manchester United: The big one tonight. Live Monday Night Football on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League from 6.30pm, kick-off at 8pm. David Moyes' Everton host Michael Carrick's Man United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Both sides are chasing European qualification -- United sit fourth, just a point ahead of Chelsea, while Everton are in eighth. It's United's first visit to Everton's new ground.
Snooker: Welsh Open: Live coverage on TNT Sports 2 from 7pm. Round one of the BetVictor Welsh Open 2026 from Venue Cymru, with the evening session at 9pm featuring world number nine Mark Allen against David Grace.
Women's FA Cup: London City Lionesses v Tottenham Hotspur from 7pm on TNT Sports 1. Fifth round tie.
EFL: Walsall v MK Dons live on Sky Sports Football from 7.50pm. League One action.
Tonight's TV Listings: Full Schedule
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30pm | Sky Sports Main Event | Live MNF: Everton v Man Utd (KO 8pm) |
| 7:00pm | TNT Sports 2 | Live Snooker: Welsh Open |
| 7:00pm | TNT Sports 1 | Women's FA Cup: London City v Spurs |
| 7:00pm | BBC Four | Wild China |
| 7:30pm | BBC One | EastEnders |
| 7:30pm | ITV1 | Fletchers' Family Farm |
| 7:50pm | Sky Sports Football | Live EFL: Walsall v MK Dons |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | Panorama: The Rising Cost of Health Benefits |
| 8:00pm | BBC Two | Mastermind |
| 8:00pm | Channel 4 | Batch from Scratch (new series) |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | Motorway Cops |
| 8:00pm | BBC Four | Raiders of the Lost Past with Janina Ramirez |
| 8:00pm | E4 | The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer |
| 8:30pm | BBC One | Trace, Track, Get My Car Back |
| 8:30pm | BBC Two | University Challenge (quarter-final) |
| 8:30pm | ITV1 | Coronation Street |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | Dirty Business (new, ep 1/3) |
| 9:00pm | BBC Two | AI Confidential with Hannah Fry (new, ep 1/3) |
| 9:00pm | ITV1 | The Lady (ep 2/4) |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | Silent Witness (ep 7/10) |
| 9:00pm | ITV2 | Love Island All Stars: The Live Final |
| 9:00pm | Sky Atlantic | A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (season finale) |
| 9:00pm | BBC Three | The Traitors Ireland (penultimate ep) |
| 9:00pm | Film4 | Flamin' Hot (2023) |
| 9:00pm | ITV4 | xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017) |
| 9:00pm | BBC Four | Call My Bluff |
| 9:55pm | BBC Three | The Traitors Ireland (finale) |
| 10:00pm | BBC Two | Small Prophets |
| 10:00pm | Channel 5 | The Curfew (ep 4/6) |
| 10:05pm | Channel 4 | Night Coppers |
| 10:40pm | BBC One | Industry (ep 7/8) |
| 11:00pm | BBC Two | Dark Waters (2019, Mark Ruffalo) |
| 11:10pm | ITV4 | Hot Fuzz (2007) |
Freeview TV Guide: What's On Streaming
Can't watch live? Use our now and next guide to see what's showing right now, or browse the full channels list for every available station.
BBC iPlayer: Silent Witness, EastEnders, Panorama, AI Confidential with Hannah Fry (all episodes), Industry, University Challenge, Small Prophets, The Traitors Ireland ITVX: The Lady (full boxset), Love Island All Stars, Coronation Street, Emmerdale Channel 4 streaming: Dirty Business, Batch from Scratch, Night Coppers Channel 5 streaming: The Curfew, Motorway Cops, Police Interceptors NOW/Sky: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (from 3am Mondays)
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Dirty Business on Channel 4 tonight?
Dirty Business starts on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight (Monday 23rd February 2026). It's the first episode of a new three-part factual drama about the water pollution scandal, starring David Thewlis and Jason Watkins.
What's the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our top pick is Dirty Business on Channel 4 at 9pm -- a gripping new factual drama about ordinary people uncovering a water company cover-up, with David Thewlis and Jason Watkins leading the cast. AI Confidential with Hannah Fry on BBC Two at 9pm and The Lady on ITV1 at 9pm are also excellent choices.
Is EastEnders on tonight?
Yes, EastEnders is on BBC One at 7.30pm tonight (Monday 23rd February 2026). The Brannings have an eventful Sunday lunch, Callum faces a moral dilemma, and Ravi applies for a job at the car lot.
What's on BBC One tonight?
BBC One's highlights tonight include EastEnders at 7.30pm, Panorama at 8pm, Trace Track Get My Car Back at 8.30pm, Silent Witness at 9pm and Industry at 10.40pm.
What time is the Love Island All Stars final?
The Love Island All Stars live final is on ITV2 at 9pm tonight (Monday 23rd February 2026). Maya Jama hosts the 95-minute grand finale where viewers choose the winning couple.
What time is Everton v Man Utd on tonight?
Everton v Manchester United kicks off at 8pm tonight on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. Coverage starts from 6.30pm for Monday Night Football.
TV Guide UK: Final Verdict
Dirty Business on Channel 4 at 9pm is our pick of the night -- the pairing of David Thewlis and Jason Watkins in a factual drama about England's sewage scandal is inspired casting, and the story itself is one of those truth-is-stranger-than-fiction tales that Channel 4 does so well. From the same team that made Partygate, it turns the unglamorous subject of water pollution into properly compelling TV.
The 9pm slot is a battlefield tonight. AI Confidential with Hannah Fry on BBC Two is a genuinely important piece of documentary-making about the dangers of AI relationships, anchored by one of the best science communicators working today. The Lady on ITV1 continues its absorbing journey from Buckingham Palace to a murder conviction, and Silent Witness on BBC One delivers another dependable two-parter from its new Birmingham base.
If you're after something lighter, the Love Island All Stars live final on ITV2 caps off a marathon series, while A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wraps its first season on Sky Atlantic. For the night owls, Industry at 10.40pm on BBC One is essential if you've been following the season. And sport fans have Everton v Man Utd on Sky Sports from 6.30pm plus Welsh Open snooker on TNT Sports. Not bad for a Monday. For a quick look at what else is on TV tonight across all channels, check our tonight's highlights page.