Wondering what's on TV tonight? Thursday's TV guide has a properly stacked evening ahead, with the Winter Olympics dominating the daytime schedules, a strong 8pm slot across the board, and then a 9pm battleground that would give any TV executive a migraine. Our Freeview TV guide picks out the best of the bunch from Dragons' Den and a brand new Grantchester through to the Tony Blair documentary's final chapter and a cracking film on BBC Four. Check the TV listings below -- you'll need a plan of attack for this one.
What's On TV Tonight: Quick Picks
- Grantchester -- ITV1, 9pm -- Brand new series opener with a Fascist speaker investigation
- Dragons' Den -- BBC One, 8pm -- Tinie Tempah joins the panel as guest Dragon
- The Tony Blair Story -- Channel 4, 9pm -- Final episode, Blair forced from office
- The Apprentice -- BBC One, 9pm -- The candidates tackle a TV ad campaign for bottled water
- Bonnie and Clyde -- BBC Four, 9pm -- Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway in the 1967 classic
- Winter Olympics 2026 -- BBC One / BBC Two, all day -- Day 13 from Milano Cortina
Is EastEnders on tonight?
Yes. EastEnders is on BBC One at 7.30pm tonight. After the explosive anniversary week, things are still raw in Walford. Tensions rise between Johnny and Callum, Sam supports Lily on the anniversary of Martin's death, and Harry opens up to Penny about his love life. It's a standard half-hour episode tonight, back to the regular rhythm after the rollercoaster earlier in the week.
TV Guide: Early Evening (7pm -- 8pm)
EastEnders -- BBC One, 7.30pm
Back to the regular thirty minutes after the 40th anniversary madness earlier this week, but there's still plenty going on. Johnny and Callum are at odds again, Sam is trying to be there for Lily as the anniversary of Martin's death weighs on her, and Harry decides Penny is the one to hear about his romantic situation. It's a breather episode in the context of the week, but EastEnders doesn't really do quiet.
TV Tonight: Prime Time (8pm onwards)
Dragons' Den -- BBC One, 8pm
Tinie Tempah -- chart-topping rapper turned serial entrepreneur -- takes the guest Dragon's chair tonight, and he slots in rather well. The pitches are a wonderfully varied bunch. First up is a skincare range made from the manufacturing by-products of olive oil, orange juice, breakfast cereal and tomato ketchup, which sounds absolutely mad until you hear the business case. Deborah Meaden is the obvious target and the negotiations get properly entertaining. There's also a portable golf ball cleaning gadget that has the Dragons sniggering, though Peter Jones takes it deadly seriously and offers some sharp advice on how to improve the product. An app to help people pay off their mortgage faster and "flavour bombs" to spice up cooking round out the evening. Good fun.
George Clarke's Building Home -- Channel 4, 8pm
Sophie's taken on the considerable emotional challenge of renovating her grandparents' house in Sheffield -- a home they lived in for over 50 years. This is the kind of renovation story that resonates because the emotional stakes are as high as the financial ones. Ripping out rooms that hold decades of family memories is genuinely difficult, and the programme handles that tension between preservation and progress with care. George Clarke is at his best when the projects have heart, and this one has it in spades.
Grantchester -- ITV1, 9pm ⭐
This is the pick of the evening. A brand new series of the Cambridge-set detective drama, and the opener doesn't waste any time getting stuck in. A Fascist speaker named Wilbur Church is invited to address the university student union, a death follows, and Alphy and Geordie find themselves disagreeing fundamentally about how the investigation should be handled. That tension between the two leads -- Rishi Nair's measured, thoughtful vicar and Robson Green's gruffly instinctive detective -- has always been what drives Grantchester, and when they're at odds it lifts the whole thing. The 1960s setting gives the political themes an added edge, and the production values remain gorgeous. A confident, gripping return.
The Tony Blair Story -- Channel 4, 9pm
The final chapter of this absorbing three-part documentary, and it covers the bitter end of Blair's tenure. Weakened irreparably by the Iraq war, Blair finds himself pushed out of Downing Street by his own party -- a humiliating conclusion for a man who won three general elections. The second half follows his attempts to reinvent himself on the world stage, building a global advisory business and taking on the Middle East peace envoy role, only to find that every public appearance circles back to Iraq. It's a portrait of a man who can't outrun his own legacy, and whether you feel sympathy or satisfaction at that depends entirely on your politics. A strong finish to a documentary that deserved three hours.
The Apprentice -- BBC One, 9pm
The candidates are handed the task of creating a TV advertisement and a social media campaign for bottled water. This is the kind of challenge that separates the people who think they understand marketing from the people who actually do, and the gap between the two groups is usually spectacular. Lord Sugar's boardroom awaits at the other end, and you can bet the social media element will trip at least one team up. Analysis follows on BBC Two at 10pm with The Apprentice: Unfinished Business, presented by Angela Scanlon.
Love Island All Stars -- ITV2, 9pm
The final week is upon us, and the pressure inside the Villa is reaching boiling point. With the grand final looming, every conversation carries double the weight and every coupling is under the microscope. If you've been following the series, this is where it all gets properly intense. If you haven't, it's frankly too late to start now.
Murder Trial: The Suffolk Strangler -- Channel 5, 9pm
A drama-documentary with courtroom access that revisits the case of Steve Wright, who pleaded guilty to the murder of a 17-year-old, 27 years after the victim was found dead. The format -- part dramatisation, part real courtroom footage -- gives it an unsettling immediacy that a straightforward documentary wouldn't achieve. Not an easy watch, but a compelling piece of true crime television.
Bonnie and Clyde -- BBC Four, 9pm
BBC Four is giving over the entire evening to Bonnie and Clyde, and it's a belter of a line-up. It starts at 8.30pm with Talking Pictures, where Celia Imrie tells the story behind Arthur Penn's 1967 film, then the main event rolls at 9pm. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are electric as the Depression-era outlaws who robbed banks, killed lawmen, and became folk heroes. The film was genuinely revolutionary when it came out -- the violence shocked audiences, the style influenced everything that followed, and that final scene remains one of the most iconic moments in cinema. Followed by The Real Bonnie and Clyde on Timewatch at 10.45pm for the true story.
TV Guide UK: Late Night
Question Time -- BBC One, 10.40pm
Fiona Bruce hosts the weekly topical debate. Given the political week we've had, this should be a lively one.
Cecil: The Lion and the Dentist -- Channel 4, 10pm
The story of Cecil -- Africa's most famous lion, and the American dentist who killed him during a trophy hunt in Zimbabwe in 2015, sparking worldwide outrage. The documentary traces Cecil's life, the circumstances of his death, and the extraordinary global backlash that followed. It became one of the first truly viral conservation stories, and the film examines whether all that anger actually changed anything.
The Myth of Marilyn Monroe -- Sky Arts, 9pm
A thoughtful exploration of how Monroe embodied the American dream during the 1950s, and how the decade's relentless demands slowly dismantled both the myth and the woman behind it. One for the cultural history enthusiasts.
Sport
Winter Olympics 2026: Day 13 of the Milano Cortina Games dominates both BBC channels. BBC One has live coverage from 9am-1pm and 2pm-5.15pm, with BBC Two picking up from 1pm-2pm and then a huge block from 5.15pm right through to 10pm. Also on BBC Red Button.
Live Snooker: Players Championship: The elite tournament continues on Channel 5 (6.30pm-8pm) and 5 Action (8pm-11pm evening session). The top 16 players in the world, including Judd Trump, John Higgins and Neil Robertson.
Rugby League: World Club Challenge: BBC Three from 7pm. Super League champions Hull KR take on NRL winners Brisbane Broncos. A genuine cross-hemisphere showdown.
Europa League: Celtic v Stuttgart kicks off at 8pm. Coverage on BBC Radio Scotland from 7pm. TV coverage likely on TNT Sports but outside our Freeview listings.
Looking Ahead: Six Nations Round 3 on Saturday -- England v Ireland on ITV1 (2.10pm KO) and Wales v Scotland on BBC One (4.40pm KO).
Tonight's TV Listings: Full Schedule
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00am | BBC One | Winter Olympics 2026 Day 13 |
| 1:00pm | BBC Two | Winter Olympics 2026 |
| 5:15pm | BBC Two | Winter Olympics 2026 (through to 10pm) |
| 6:30pm | Channel 5 | Live Snooker: Players Championship |
| 6:50pm | Film4 | Sleepless in Seattle (1993) |
| 7:00pm | BBC Three | Rugby League: Hull KR v Brisbane Broncos |
| 7:30pm | BBC One | EastEnders |
| 7:30pm | BBC Two | Winter Olympics 2026 |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | Dragons' Den (new -- Tinie Tempah guest Dragon) |
| 8:00pm | Channel 4 | George Clarke's Building Home |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | Spain with Michael Portillo |
| 8:00pm | U&Yesterday | Bangers and Cash |
| 8:00pm | 5 Action | Live Snooker: Players Championship (evening) |
| 8:30pm | BBC Four | Talking Pictures: Bonnie and Clyde |
| 9:00pm | ITV1 | Grantchester (new series) |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | The Tony Blair Story (ep 3, finale) |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | The Apprentice |
| 9:00pm | ITV2 | Love Island All Stars |
| 9:00pm | Channel 5 | Murder Trial: The Suffolk Strangler |
| 9:00pm | BBC Four | Bonnie and Clyde (1967) |
| 9:00pm | ITV4 | Hot Fuzz (2007) |
| 9:00pm | Film4 | White House Down (2013) |
| 9:00pm | Sky Arts | The Myth of Marilyn Monroe |
| 9:00pm | U&Drama | Blue Lights |
| 10:00pm | Channel 4 | Cecil: The Lion and the Dentist |
| 10:00pm | BBC Two | The Apprentice: Unfinished Business |
| 10:40pm | BBC One | Question Time |
| 10:45pm | BBC Four | The Real Bonnie and Clyde: Timewatch |
| 10:45pm | ITV1 | Safe House (2012, Denzel Washington) |
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: Dragons' Den, The Apprentice, EastEnders, Bonnie and Clyde, Question Time, Winter Olympics (full coverage) ITVX: Grantchester, Love Island All Stars, Emmerdale, Coronation Street Channel 4 streaming: The Tony Blair Story, George Clarke's Building Home, Cecil: The Lion and the Dentist Channel 5 streaming: Murder Trial: The Suffolk Strangler, Spain with Michael Portillo Sky Arts: The Myth of Marilyn Monroe (via Freeview/Freesat or NOW)
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Dragons' Den on TV tonight?
Dragons' Den is on BBC One at 8pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). This episode features chart-topping rapper Tinie Tempah as guest Dragon.
What's the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our top pick is Grantchester on ITV1 at 9pm -- a brand new series with a gripping opener investigating a death linked to a Fascist speaker at Cambridge. The Tony Blair Story finale on Channel 4 at 9pm and Dragons' Den with Tinie Tempah on BBC One at 8pm are also excellent choices.
What time is Grantchester on ITV1 tonight?
Grantchester is on ITV1 at 9pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). This is the first episode of a brand new series, with Alphy and Geordie investigating a death connected to a Fascist speaker at the university.
What's on BBC One tonight?
BBC One's highlights tonight include EastEnders at 7.30pm, Dragons' Den with Tinie Tempah at 8pm, The Apprentice at 9pm, and Question Time at 10.40pm. Winter Olympics Day 13 coverage runs from 9am to 5.15pm.
Is EastEnders on tonight?
Yes, EastEnders is on BBC One at 7.30pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). Tensions rise between Johnny and Callum, Sam supports Lily on the anniversary of Martin's death, and Harry confides in Penny.
What time is The Tony Blair Story on Channel 4?
The Tony Blair Story episode 3 is on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight (Thursday 19th February 2026). This is the final episode, covering Blair's departure from office and his attempts to build a post-Downing Street legacy.
TV Guide UK: Final Verdict
Grantchester on ITV1 at 9pm is our pick of the night -- a confident, gripping return that puts its new leads front and centre with a case that crackles with political tension. Robson Green is never less than compelling, and the Cambridge setting remains one of the most handsome on British television.
Earlier in the evening, Dragons' Den at 8pm delivers one of the more entertaining episodes in recent memory, with Tinie Tempah proving himself a worthy addition to the panel and a skincare pitch that generates genuine belly laughs. At 9pm the schedule is a battlefield: The Tony Blair Story wraps up its three-part run with a final episode that's essential viewing for anyone who's followed the series, The Apprentice offers reliable Thursday night chaos, and Bonnie and Clyde on BBC Four is simply one of the greatest American films ever made. Sport fans, meanwhile, have the Winter Olympics across both BBC channels, live snooker on Channel 5, and a tasty rugby league showdown on BBC Three. A Thursday that punches well above its weight. For a quick look at what else is on TV tonight across all channels, check our tonight's highlights page.