Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Hollie Richardson, Phil Harrison, Micha Frazer-Carroll and Simon Wardell

TV tonight: the epic tale of the Eiffel Tower gets a topical outing at the start of the Paris Olympics

The Eiffel Tower with fountains in front of it.
Gustave Eiffel’s remarkable masterpiece in Tower: Building the Impossible. Photograph: Bleu Kobalt

Eiffel Tower: Building the Impossible

9pm, BBC Four
On 31 March 1889, 56-year-old engineer Gustave Eiffel refused to allow anyone else to unfurl the French flag at the top of his greatest masterpiece 300m above Paris. With the world’s eyes on the city again, this in-depth documentary tells the epic story of its “iron lady”, delving into architecture in the Industrial Revolution, Eiffel’s previous creations and his ambition to make the highest tower in the world. Hollie Richardson

Jamie: What to Eat This Week

8pm, Channel 4
The cookery series emphasising seasonal produce concludes its run and even Jamie Oliver’s fiercest detractors must admit that his food never looks anything less than delicious and manageable. This week, foraged plums with crispy duck, griddled peppers and a Mediterranean-inspired rice dish showcasing his homegrown courgettes. Phil Harrison

24 Hours in A&E

9pm, Channel 4
Two motorcyclists are rushed into the emergency department this week: James, 29, has crashed into a road sign, while Peter, 49, has been airlifted after a high-speed collision. We also get to know consultant Rupert, who swapped the army for the NHS. HR

House of the Dragon

9pm, Sky Atlantic
Are Rhaenyra and Mysaria about to upend the whole battle for the iron throne after that passionate kiss? Daemon clearly has other thoughts – mostly hallucinogenic ones – on his mind, while the mob have fully turned on the Greens. It’s all up for grabs, so let’s hope they do it in fiery style in the penultimate episode. HR

Spent

10pm, BBC Two

The comedy following Michelle de Swarte’s failed model Mia flashes back to 2014 when she is at the height of her career. But in the present day, she is sounding the alarm on Jo’s fiance and trying to stop her dad from being evicted, with mixed success. Micha Frazer-Carroll

The Great

11.05pm, Channel 4
A bonktastic double bill of the Russian period romp, and in her quest for enlightenment Catherine (Elle Fanning) holds a festival of truth, jokes and stunningly clever ideas, then goes one step bolder: introducing divorce to the court. HR

Film choice

Summertime (David Lean, 1955), 4.05pm, Talking Pictures TV

With the city authorities now charging day tourists, films such as David Lean’s romance may be the only way to enjoy the wonders of Venice. And Lean conjures up a glorious picture-postcard view, one that seduces Katharine Hepburn’s lone, lonely American tourist more effectively than Rossano Brazzi’s smooth local does. There is a bittersweet edge to their affair, with the redoubtable Hepburn superb as a middle-aged woman expanding her horizons. Simon Wardell

Live sport

Olympics 2024, 8am, BBC One
Tom Daley goes for gold in the men’s 10m synchronised platform diving, plus men’s team artistic gymnastics.

The Hundred Cricket: Manchester Originals Men v Trent Rockets Men, 6.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event
From Old Trafford.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.