So what's on tv tonight? Tuesday's tv guide is headlined by two big draws running simultaneously at 9pm -- episode two of Babies on BBC One is where Stefan Golaszewski's drama really starts to find its bite, while ITV1 has England v Japan live from Wembley from 7pm. There's plenty else worth your time in the tv listings: Channel 4 has The Dog House at 8pm, E4 launches Vicky Pattison's very honest new documentary, and BBC Four finishes the evening with one of the more quietly extraordinary Storyville docs in recent memory. Check the tonight page for what's on right now, or browse the full schedule below in this freeview tv guide.
What's On TV Tonight: Quick Picks
- Babies -- BBC One, 9pm -- Ep 2/6; Lisa is pregnant again; Dave oversteps; the screws tighten; Paapa Essiedu and Siobhan Cullen
- England v Japan -- ITV1, 7pm (k/o 7:45pm) -- Wembley friendly; England's last home match before the World Cup
- The Dog House -- Channel 4, 8pm -- NEW EPISODE; Scooby the grieving great dane needs a companion; Woodgreen shelter
- Vicky Pattison: Maybe, Baby? -- E4, 9pm -- NEW SERIES; Geordie Shore alumna at 38 facing the children question; two-parter
- Spymasters: the Great Spy Writers -- Sky Arts, 9pm -- NEW SERIES; Kipling to le Carré; plus the extraordinary Eric Maschwitz story
TV Guide: Early Evening (7pm – 8:30pm)
England v Japan -- ITV1, 7pm (kick-off 7:45pm)
England's last home match before the 2026 World Cup, which means this Wembley friendly carries more weight than most internationals against Japan tend to. Mark Pougatch presents with Roy Keane and Ian Wright in the studio, and the selection decisions tonight -- who starts, who comes on, who gets left out -- will be scrutinised for clues about who makes the final cut. Japan are no pushover either; this is a useful test. On ITVX.
World Cup Play-Off Final -- BBC Two, 7:30pm (kick-off 7:45pm)
While England are at Wembley, BBC Two has a World Cup play-off final. The last automatic qualification spots before the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico are still being decided in some confederations, and this is one of those decisive matches. Coverage begins at 7:30pm. On iPlayer.
EastEnders -- BBC One, 7:30pm
The fallout from Monday's revelation continues tonight. Penny now knows Harry is the father of her unborn child -- a complication that threatens to turn everything upside down, particularly given Suki's growing suspicion that Penny is not who she presents herself to be. Vinny's plans cause their own stir on the Square, and Nicola is rushed to hospital. It's a busy Tuesday in Walford. On iPlayer.
Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon -- BBC One, 8pm (NEW EPISODE)
Stacey and the team land in Milton Keynes to help the Parej family. Ollie was made redundant twice and worried about providing for his wife and their five young children. The anxiety found its way into the house -- all 106 storage cubes of it. Stacey notices some decent attempts at organisation amid the clutter, which is more than most families get by way of a compliment before the full transformation kicks in. On iPlayer.
The Dog House -- Channel 4, 8pm (NEW EPISODE)
Woodgreen animal shelter is back, and tonight's standout story involves Scooby -- a gentle giant of a great dane who has been quietly grieving since losing both of his doggy sisters. Karen and Dawn are hoping they can find him a new companion to bring some life back to the house. It's an unusually tender setup even for a show that specialises in exactly this kind of thing. Also tonight, Chloe and Pratik are looking for their first dog as a couple, which raises the usual anxieties about temperament, size and whether their flat is big enough. On Channel 4 streaming.
The Yorkshire Vet -- Channel 5, 8pm (NEW EPISODE)
A little girl's beloved pony has suffered a nasty injury, and Peter Wright has to perform emergency surgery out in the open -- which is not ideal under any circumstances, but especially not when a child is watching. There's also a pet tortoise requiring attention tonight, which will be a more unusual case than the practice usually handles. On My5.
TV Tonight: Prime Time (9pm onwards)
Babies -- BBC One, 9pm (Episode 2 of 6) ★
If episode one was about the hope of a fresh start, episode two is where the fear comes back in. Lisa is pregnant again and working hard to stay positive, but the anxiety that comes with another pregnancy after a miscarriage is not the kind of thing you can just breathe through, whatever the GP from last night's episode might suggest. Dave (Jack Bannon) doesn't help by arriving with opinions he hasn't been asked for, while Amanda (Charlotte Riley) finds her composure starting to crack at the edges.
Stefan Golaszewski is particularly good at showing how well-meaning people can make a difficult situation actively harder without quite meaning to. The conversation between Stephen and Dave tonight has the specific excruciating quality that runs right through his best work. If the first episode convinced you, this one will hold you fast. If you missed Monday, the full series is on iPlayer now. On iPlayer.
The Teacher -- Channel 5, 9pm (Episode 2)
The consequences of last night's events are now spreading outward. Head teacher Simon Cookson is addressing staff after what happened, Helen is being questioned by police, and Cressida -- having secretly recorded Helen's outburst in detention -- is holding something back that gives her considerable leverage. Meanwhile, another teacher's quiet corridor conversations with a male student suggest a second uncomfortable situation is developing in parallel. Victoria Hamilton makes Helen a complicated figure to sympathise with and a difficult one to abandon. Full series on My5.
Vicky Pattison: Maybe, Baby? -- E4, 9pm (NEW SERIES)
Vicky Pattison is 38, happily married to Ercan Ramadan, has two dogs, a career that's going well, and a question she can't quite put to rest: should she and Ercan have children? This two-part documentary follows her as she tries to get an honest answer -- from herself as much as anyone else -- about what she actually wants. She's a more reflective presenter than her Geordie Shore roots might lead you to expect, and the tension she's describing is one that a lot of women her age will recognise immediately. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.
Spymasters: the Great Spy Writers -- Sky Arts, 9pm (NEW SERIES)
A new series exploring the world of spy fiction and the writers who created it -- from Rudyard Kipling and Joseph Conrad to John le Carré, via some less well-known figures along the way. The standout contribution tonight is the story of Eric Maschwitz, a man who was simultaneously head of BBC Light Entertainment and a part-time intelligence operative, and who also wrote the lyrics to These Foolish Things and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. The kind of life that makes you feel like you've done nothing with yours. This is exactly the territory Sky Arts handles best. Catch up via Now.
Miss Scarlet -- Alibi, 9pm (NEW EPISODE)
A lighter episode than usual, which the Radio Times describes as having a "cosy, fireside chat" quality. The case tonight involves the theft of a racehorse in the wake of a high-society divorce -- a setup that gives Inspector Blake and Eliza Scarlet plenty to work with without requiring the series to be at its most intense. A good Tuesday night watch if you want something easy on the nerves. Catch up via Now.
Richard Hammond's Workshop -- Quest, 9pm (NEW EPISODE)
The Cogs take their vehicles to Britain's premier car show -- a major event for the workshop -- but the smooth running of the operation is tested when Richard Hammond reappears and the wheels, somewhat inevitably, come off. James May's restored Triumph Stag is also involved tonight, which should be satisfying for anyone who's been following that particular project. On Quest.
TV Guide UK: Late Night
QI -- BBC Two, 10pm
Sandi Toksvig's panel show is at series W, episode 6, tonight. The panel includes Aisling Bea, Mark Watson and Michelle Wolf, and the theme is listed only as "volatile" -- which could mean almost anything on QI, but suggests the researchers have found something properly counter-intuitive to build an episode around. On iPlayer.
Three Dads and a Baby: Storyville -- BBC Four, 10pm
BBC Four's late Storyville slot holds tonight's most unexpected programme. The opening scene is unusual enough to justify repeating: a man with a beard walks into a Finnish clinic and tells the staff that an embryo is about to be implanted in his uterus. This is Kris, who changed legal gender in 2009 but, because Norwegian law at the time did not require gender-affirming surgery for legal gender change, was still biologically capable of becoming pregnant. The documentary follows Kris, his two partners, and the entirely unconventional family they build together. It challenges assumptions quietly and without lecture. On iPlayer.
Muslim Matchmaker -- BBC Three, 9:45pm and 10:20pm
Two episodes back to back tonight. Hoda Abrahim and Yasmin Elhady continue helping Muslim American singles find compatible matches. Episode three at 9:45pm features Fulani, Mariam and ongoing worries about Noureen. Episode four at 10:20pm brings an unexpected complication for Noureen's match. On iPlayer.
New Life ★★★★ -- Film4, 10:55pm
A properly impressive debut from director John Rosman. Jess (Hayley Erin) is a young woman running from something unspecified, trying to reach the Canadian border, pursued by a government agent called Elsa (Sonya Walger) who has her own complications to deal with. The film's first half works as a mystery; the second half recontextualises everything you've watched. It's a genre-blending 2023 film that got something of a quiet release and deserves to be seen by more people. On Channel 4 streaming.
Sport
Football: England v Japan -- ITV1 from 7pm, kick-off 7:45pm. England's last home match before the 2026 World Cup. Live from Wembley.
World Cup Play-Off Final -- BBC Two, 7:30pm, kick-off 7:45pm. One of the decisive qualification matches for the 2026 World Cup. On iPlayer.
Cricket: IPL -- Punjab Kings v Gujarat Titans -- Sky Sports Cricket from 2:50pm, Sky Sports Main Event from 3pm. Shreyas Iyer's Punjab Kings denied the IPL trophy last season open their new campaign against last year's third-placed finishers Gujarat.
Cricket: Women's ODI -- New Zealand v South Africa -- TNT Sports 2, live from 10:30pm. First ODI between the two sides.
Snooker: Tour Championship -- 5Action from 6:30pm. John Higgins plays Mark Williams to complete their quarter-final tie, with the winner to face Mark Selby.
See the full sport on TV guide for all times and channels.
Tonight's TV Listings: Full Schedule
Here are the complete TV listings for Tuesday 31st March 2026 across all major Freeview, Sky and streaming channels.
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00pm | BBC One | The One Show (JB Gill and Lauren Laverne) |
| 7:00pm | ITV1 | International Football: England v Japan (pre-match; k/o 7:45pm) |
| 7:00pm | BBC Two | Grand Tours of Scotland's Rivers (Ep 1 -- Upper Dee; Balmoral) |
| 7:30pm | BBC One | EastEnders (Penny's dilemma; Harry's parenthood secret; Nicola hospitalised) |
| 7:30pm | BBC Two | International Football -- World Cup Play-Off Final (k/o 7:45pm) |
| 7:30pm | E4 | Married at First Sight Australia (NEW SERIES -- two new couples) |
| 8:00pm | BBC One | Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon (Ep 4 -- Parej family; 106 storage cubes) |
| 8:00pm | BBC Four | Keeping Up Appearances (Ep 1 -- Hyacinth; the milkman) |
| 8:00pm | Channel 4 | The Dog House (NEW -- Scooby the grieving great dane; Woodgreen shelter) |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | The Yorkshire Vet (NEW -- pony emergency surgery; Peter Wright) |
| 8:00pm | Sky Atlantic | The Last of Us (The Price -- Joel surprises Ellie for her birthday) |
| 8:00pm | 5Action | Live Snooker: Tour Championship (Higgins v Williams) |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | Babies (NEW -- Ep 2/6; Lisa pregnant; Dave overreaches; Paapa Essiedu) |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | The Hunt: Prey vs Predator (NEW -- Ep 6; brutal reset; five predators, two prey) |
| 9:00pm | Channel 5 | The Teacher (NEW -- Ep 2; Helen questioned by police; Cressida's recording) |
| 9:00pm | E4 | Vicky Pattison: Maybe, Baby? (NEW SERIES -- Ep 1; the children question) |
| 9:00pm | Sky Arts | Spymasters: the Great Spy Writers (NEW SERIES -- Kipling to le Carré) |
| 9:00pm | Alibi | Miss Scarlet (NEW -- Trafalgar Spring; racehorse theft; high-society divorce) |
| 9:00pm | Quest | Richard Hammond's Workshop (NEW -- car show; Hammond returns; James May's Triumph Stag) |
| 9:45pm | BBC Three | Muslim Matchmaker (Ep 3 -- Fulani; Mariam; Noureen) |
| 10:00pm | BBC One | BBC News and Weather |
| 10:00pm | BBC Two | QI (Ep 6 -- Sandi Toksvig; Aisling Bea; Mark Watson; Michelle Wolf) |
| 10:05pm | ITV1 | ITV News at Ten |
| 10:20pm | BBC Three | Muslim Matchmaker (Ep 4 -- Noureen; unexpected complication) |
| 10:00pm | BBC Four | Three Dads and a Baby: Storyville (Norwegian documentary; Kris) |
| 10:40pm | BBC One | Boarders (Ep 5/6 -- final exams; distractions) |
| 10:50pm | ITV1 | Creed III (2023 film -- Michael B Jordan; Tessa Thompson) |
| 10:55pm | Film4 | New Life (2023 -- ★★★★; Hayley Erin; John Rosman debut) |
| 11:00pm | BBC Two | Forensics: The Real CSI |
| 11:25pm | BBC One | Boarders (Ep 6/6 -- series finale; Leah; saying goodbye to St Gilbert's) |
Freeview TV Guide: What's On Streaming
Can't watch live? The freeview tv guide covers all the catch-up options too. Use our now and next guide to see what's currently on, or browse the channels list for every station.
BBC iPlayer: Babies (full series), EastEnders, Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon, Three Dads and a Baby (Storyville), QI, World Cup Play-Off Final, Boarders
ITVX: England v Japan (full match), ITV News at Ten, Creed III (after broadcast)
Channel 4 streaming: The Dog House, The Hunt: Prey vs Predator (all episodes), Vicky Pattison: Maybe, Baby?, New Life (after 10:55pm)
My5: The Teacher (full series once aired), The Yorkshire Vet
Now: Spymasters: the Great Spy Writers, Miss Scarlet (Alibi)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EastEnders on TV tonight, Tuesday 31st March 2026?
Yes -- EastEnders is on BBC One at 7:30pm. Penny is dealing with the revelation that Harry is the father of her unborn child, Vinny's plans cause trouble, and Nicola is rushed to hospital. On iPlayer after.
What time is Babies episode 2 on BBC One?
9pm on BBC One. Episode 2 of 6 -- Lisa is pregnant again and trying to stay positive, while Dave arrives with opinions nobody asked for. Paapa Essiedu and Siobhan Cullen star. Episode 3 is on tomorrow at 9pm. Full series on iPlayer now.
What time does England v Japan kick off?
Kick-off is at 7:45pm on ITV1. Coverage with Mark Pougatch, Roy Keane and Ian Wright starts at 7pm. It's a Wembley friendly and England's last home match before the 2026 World Cup. On ITVX.
What is Vicky Pattison: Maybe, Baby? about?
New two-part documentary on E4 at 9pm. Vicky Pattison, 38 and happily married to Ercan Ramadan, explores the question of whether she and her husband should have children. Honest and thoughtful. Catch up via Channel 4 streaming.
What is Three Dads and a Baby: Storyville about?
BBC Four's Storyville slot at 10pm. Norwegian documentary following Kris, who changed legal gender in 2009 but became pregnant because Norwegian law at the time did not require surgery for legal gender change. He and his two partners navigate an entirely unconventional family life. On iPlayer.
What's the best thing on TV tonight?
Babies on BBC One at 9pm -- this is episode two, which is typically where Golaszewski's dramas start to fully reveal themselves. The full series is on iPlayer if you want to catch up from episode one. If sport is more your priority, England v Japan on ITV1 from 7pm is the match of the night.
TV Guide UK: Final Verdict
Tuesday's tv guide is shaped around the two storylines running all week: Babies on BBC One continues at 9pm, and the momentum from episode one should carry you straight into this second instalment without any persuasion needed. Episode two is where the real emotional work of the series begins.
The England v Japan friendly on ITV1 gives the evening a proper live event from 7pm, and the stakes are higher than your average pre-tournament friendly -- this is England's last home match before the 2026 World Cup. Channel 4's The Dog House at 8pm is the gentler counter-programming that Tuesday evenings sometimes demand.
Late on, Three Dads and a Baby on BBC Four is a documentary that earns the term Storyville, and New Life on Film4 at 10:55pm is worth staying up for if you like genre cinema that takes its audience seriously.
Browse the full channels list or check what's on now to follow the evening as it unfolds.