What's On TV Tonight: Wednesday 10th December 2025
Wednesday brings a genuinely difficult watch on Channel 4 - a documentary about institutional abuse that went unchecked for decades. If that's too much, there's cosy farming content and Kevin McCloud getting excited about unusual bungalows.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks: Tonight's Best
- See No Evil - Devastating documentary about barrister John Smyth's abuse cover-up (9pm, Channel 4) ⭐
- Shetland - Season finale with DI Calder closing in on a killer (9pm, BBC One)
- Grand Designs: House of the Year - RIBA reveals its 2025 winner (8pm, Channel 4)
- Winter on the Farm - Helen Skelton and goats at Cannon Hall (8pm, Channel 5)
Early Evening (7pm - 8pm)
The One Show - BBC One, 7pm
The usual magazine format with celebrity guests and topical features. Dependable early evening viewing while you're cooking dinner.
EastEnders - BBC One, 7:30pm
Walford drama continues. The Square never rests, even in December.
Emmerdale - ITV1, 7:30pm
Yorkshire soap doing what Yorkshire soaps do. If you're invested, you're invested.
Prime Time: Drama and Documentary (8pm onwards)
Grand Designs: House of the Year - Channel 4, 8pm
The moment we've been waiting for - RIBA's House of the Year 2025 gets revealed. Before the grand winner, Kevin McCloud, Damion Burrows and Natasha Sherling walk us through more contenders including a bungalow described as "part house, part hedgehog" and a gorgeously converted cowshed.
These Grand Designs specials always deliver the architectural eye candy. Even if you couldn't afford a garden shed in these properties' postcodes, it's satisfying watching people with vision (and deep pockets) create something extraordinary.
Winter on the Farm - Channel 5, 8pm
Helen Skelton, Jules Hudson and JB Gill return to Cannon Hall Farm in South Yorkshire for a three-part series. New goats need welcoming, Highland cattle need prepping for a show in Carlisle, and there's hearty seasonal cooking throughout.
Warm good humour versus frosty soil. Exactly what you want from midweek farm content - comforting, unchallenging, and full of fluffy animals.
See No Evil - Channel 4, 9pm ⭐
This is the difficult one. A two-part documentary detailing the crimes of John Smyth, a barrister involved in conservative evangelical Christian camps. Over four decades, Smyth subjected more than 100 boys to horrific sexual and physical abuse. The question at the heart of this film: why wasn't he stopped?
Witnesses include his victims and his own children, speaking about life in close proximity to this monstrous man - and about the institutional cover-up that meant he never faced justice. It's devastating viewing, but important. These stories need telling, and the people who enabled him for so long need exposing.
Not one for casual viewing. But if you can handle it, this is essential documentary filmmaking.
Shetland - BBC One, 9pm
Season finale time. Ashley Jensen's DI Ruth Calder has woken up with a hangover and fresh information about Eadie Tulloch's murder. Getting a confession from their suspect proves tricky though, especially once shocking revelations about the area's hidden past emerge.
Shetland's always been good at balancing dark deeds with stunning scenery. If you've followed this series, you'll want to see how it wraps up. The landscapes alone make it worth watching.
Late Night: For Night Owls (10pm onwards)
Ellie Taylor: Palavering! - Sky Comedy, 10pm
She's done Ted Lasso, she's done Strictly, now Ellie Taylor's back on stage for a standup special. Topics include her Strictly experience (obviously), keeping the spark alive in marriage, and coping when you accidentally double the number of children you own.
Taylor's got a good line in self-deprecating parenting humour. If you need something lighter after Channel 4's documentary, this should do the trick.
24 Hours in A&E - Channel 4, 10:05pm
The reliable hospital documentary continues. Real patients, real staff, real emergencies. It's been running for years because the formula works - human drama in high-pressure situations, handled with sensitivity.
Saving Mum: Our Family Secret - Channel 4, 11:10pm
Many people have complicated relationships with their mothers. Not many would address them via an ayahuasca ceremony. Maleena Pone's film explores a family legacy of grief, silence and alcoholism, and her attempt to break the cycle through unconventional means.
MOTD: UEFA Champions League - BBC One, 10:40pm
Highlights from tonight's Champions League action. If you missed the live games or just want to see the goals again, Gary Lineker and the team have you covered.
If You're Not Into Heavy Documentaries
Stand Up to Cancer - Channel 4, 7:55pm
Channel 4's annual fundraising campaign continues with celebrity segments and inspiring stories. Light-hearted with purpose.
The Viewing Schedule Table
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00pm | BBC One | The One Show |
| 7:30pm | BBC One | EastEnders |
| 7:30pm | ITV1 | Emmerdale |
| 8:00pm | Channel 4 | Grand Designs: House of the Year |
| 8:00pm | Channel 5 | Winter on the Farm |
| 9:00pm | Channel 4 | See No Evil |
| 9:00pm | BBC One | Shetland |
| 10:00pm | Sky Comedy | Ellie Taylor: Palavering! |
| 10:05pm | Channel 4 | 24 Hours in A&E |
| 10:40pm | BBC One | MOTD: Champions League |
| 11:10pm | Channel 4 | Saving Mum |
Final Verdict
Wednesday's headline is See No Evil - a documentary that demands attention even if it's hard to watch. The John Smyth cover-up story is infuriating and heartbreaking in equal measure. For lighter fare, Grand Designs delivers its annual House of the Year reveal, and Shetland wraps up nicely for crime drama fans. Ellie Taylor's standup offers late-night relief if you need it after Channel 4's heavier content.
Nick Bain writes about television for TVRadar.co.uk