On TV tonight, there's a painful story playing out in Casualty, BBC Two celebrates Barry Manilow's 80th birthday a little early, Channel 5 looks back at the classic sitcom Some Mothers Do'Ave'Em, Sky Arts reflects on Ella Fitzgerald's life in Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things, and Manchester City faces Inter Milan in the Champions League final. Here's what you shouldn't miss on TV Tonight.
- Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include TV shows, a film, live sport and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set
- Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis
- For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide
What's on TV tonight
Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight...
Best TV shows on TV tonight
Casualty, 8.25 pm, BBC One
Acting heavyweights Di Botcher and Robert Pugh are well matched as they get stuck into the crux of Jan and Gethin’s painful euthanasia story tonight. After Jan treats dying patient Mary she begins to accept her ex-hubby’s wish to die as his MND advances. But is Jan willing to KO her life and career in order to help him? Elsewhere, Jodie is left reeling by some below-the-belt rumours fuelled by upstart Ryan on the anniversary of her mother’s death, and Jacob goes on a spontaneous first date – but worryingly, he’s still knocking back the whiskeys…
★★★ ER
Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things, 9.15 pm, Sky Arts/NOW
This documentary film about the life and career of Ella Fitzgerald, first shown on BBC Two, begins in 1934 as she takes to the Apollo Theatre stage in Harlem. A nervous teen, she may not have looked like a star, but she sounded like one. The First Lady of Song, as she became known, was soon touring with Chick Webb’s orchestra and finding global recognition. The film also reveals the racism that blighted her career, and her struggle to combine her success with family life. Featuring interviews with her son Ray Brown Jr, Tony Bennett and Smokey Robinson.
★★★★ JL
Some Mothers Do'Ave'Em: 50 Years of Laughs, 8.25 pm, Channel 5
This documentary looks at the success of sitcom Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em, which first aired in 1973. Michael Crawford’s portrayal of Frank Spencer became iconic, with mind-boggling scenes such as holding on to a Routemaster bus while on rollerskates. As well as revealing the origins of the comedy, the film also looks at Crawford’s early years, with clips of him singing and also leaping into a river giving an indication of his future in comedy and in musical theatre.
★★★ JP
Barry Manilow night, from 8.25 pm, BBC Two
Multi-platinum-selling singer Barry Manilow turns 80 this month (17 June) and BBC Two is celebrating with a night dedicated to him. Barry Manilow at the BBC features archive performances of hits including Mandy and Copacabana and is followed by a 2004 concert, One Night with Barry Manilow (9.25 pm). Later, you can see a concert in Birmingham in … at the NEC 1989 (11.10 pm) and the singer’s 2019 Proms in Hyde Park (12 am). ★★★ JP
Champions League Final, from 6 pm, BT Sport 1*
Manchester City have had a brilliant season by any standard, confidently cruising past Arsenal to win the Premier League title for the fifth time in six seasons. It’s not a stretch to say they’re the best team in the world at the moment – they recently made Real Madrid look more Championship than Champions of Europe – but Pep Guardiola has said that his time with the club won’t be complete without winning the Champions League. Tonight they have a chance to remedy that when they face Inter Milan in Istanbul (k-o 8pm). Can Manchester City finally bring home that coveted trophy?
★★★★ JP
*Fans can also see the match for free on the BT Sport YouTube channel or the BT Sport app.
Best box set on TV tonight
Poker Face, Sky Max/NOW (box set)
Rian Johnson’s anthology series has a pleasing retro feel about it from the titles onwards. Imagine, if you can, Mr Benn in the hands of Quentin Tarantino, as drifting ‘Poker Face’ Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) sets out to solve a different mystery in each episode.
★★★★ JP
Best film on TV tonight
Living, Prime Video
‘Mr Zombie. Sort of dead... but not dead.’ That’s one colleague’s verdict on frosty, progress-blocking 1950s planning officer Mr Williams (an extraordinary performance by Bill Nighy), whose days are transformed when he receives a life-changing diagnosis. Oliver Hermanus’ thoughtful direction in this Oscar-nominated remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru captures the bowler-hatted deference of 1950s Britain in sly satirical snippets of bureaucratic jostling, but he also digs deftly under the surface to find what characters are hiding from themselves. And, full of dignified restraint and yearning, it well may be the best thing Nighy has ever done.
★★★★ KS
Live Sport
- UEFA Champions League: Manchester City v Inter Milan, 6 pm (k-o 8 pm), BT Sport 1
- ITV Racing: Live from Haydock, 1 pm, ITV1
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss Casualty on TV tonight.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
