British Telly

Documentary traces the career of the shape-shifting Tilda Swinton. Plus: a grimly absorbing day on the crime frontline. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, Sky ArtsTilda Swinton is endlessly versatile, as this engaging deep dive into her career shows. The tone is set by an astonishingly self-possessed early interview in which she is scornful towards career progression for its own sake: “What I am working towards is what I’m doing now.” What follows, from her work with Derek Jarman to her more mainstream ventures, seems consistent with the vision of this enigmatic and engaging actor. Phil Harrison

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Has reporter Sian Reese-Williams uncovered the truth about Llŷr’s death? Plus Jack Thorne-penned Enola Holmes returns. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, Channel 4As the second season of this gloomily gripping Welsh drama concludes, the tone is more elegy than explosion as the events around the controversial reservoir expansion continue to unfold. Budding journalist Caryl Huws (Siân Reese-Williams) is probing Llŷr’s demise but this puts her on a collision course with Robert (Robert Glenister), who wants the past to remain undisturbed. It has been a bleak study in small town ennui. Phil Harrison

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The humble digestive is elevated to ancient wonder status in the competition. Plus: the US version of Doc Martin. Here’s what to watch this evening

8pm, Channel 4With a place in the final six at stake, the four remaining teams must produce two dozen perfectly executed savoury millefeuille and babka buns. Before that happens, they’re tasked with creating intricate biscuit showpieces inspired by the ancient wonders of the world (hanging gardens of bourbon, anyone?) accompanied by elegant petit gâteaux. Ali Catterall

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The inside story of the men who ruled the tennis courts, starting in the 1970s. Plus: the Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex tapes. Here’s what to watch this evening

10pm, Channel 5Just in time to get you in the mood for Wimbledon, this four-part series explores the careers of the only 29 male players who have made it to No 1 in the ATP rankings. It begins in the 1970s (arguably the liveliest era in tennis history) with the controversial but charismatic figure of Ilie Năstase, a Romanian with a sweet backhand and a bad boy reputation. Phil Harrison

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cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/51340357

Sky, the U.K. pay-TV operator, has agreed on terms to buy British broadcaster ITV’s media and entertainment division, which is its network arm.

This documentary about the star’s romantic life is one for the Swifties. Plus: the incredible concluding part to Free Nelson Mandela. Here’s what to watch this evening

11pm, Channel 4

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It’s been a funny and frantic ride with Two Weeks in August. Plus: Alexander Armstrong embarks on an American odyssey. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, BBC One

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Madge returns to Koko in Camden, where she played her first UK gig. Plus: the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. Here’s what to watch this evening

10.40pm, BBC OneIn 1983, Madonna played her first ever UK show at Camden Palace (now Koko). It’s only right, then, that she returns to the venue for this world-exclusive interview to mark her big comeback with her new album, Confessions II. Superfan Graham Norton is the man for the job, as the intimate chat hears Madge reflect on the early days, her relationship with the UK and this next chapter. Hollie Richardson

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Awestruck tribute to the boundary-pushing eternal Young One. Plus: the woman found guilty of murdering her best friend’s boyfriend. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, Sky DocumentariesStar quality is often obvious in retrospect. But it’s hard to believe that anyone who saw Rik Mayall in his early days didn’t recognise the charisma explosion he was. This wonderfully entertaining documentary tracks Mayall from his time as a student comic, via The Young Ones and The New Statesman, through to his tragically early death. Adrian Edmondson and Ben Elton are among those paying fond, slightly awestruck tribute. As director Bob Baldwin puts it: “He loved being Rik Mayall.” Phil Harrison

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The detective duo meet their nemesis in this highly watchable cop series. Plus: an Australian drama being compared to It’s a Sin. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, U&AlibiWhile it remains an essentially generic crime drama, Saint-Pierre has sustained itself convincingly across its first season and deserves its recently commissioned second run. As it ends, the case-of-the-week format finally dovetails with the longer storyline regarding James Purefoy’s crime boss Sean Gallagher. Arch and Fitz aren’t the only people on the island who had beef with Gallagher – and a series of violent incidents put our detective duo on a collision course with their nemesis. Phil Harrison

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Will sparks fly in the new series of I Kissed a Girl? Plus: England hopes for another win, this time against Ghana. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, BBC ThreeIn the context of Love Island’s somewhat reductive value system, it’s a relief to have this likable dating show for LGBTQ+ women back on our screens. Dannii Minogue is once again our host as another 10 women rock up at a country estate in Italy in search of romance. The double bill begins with a party, followed by the arrival of three new contestants. Expect sparks to fly. Phil Harrison

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Prepare yourself for more epic battles in House of the Dragon. Plus: an art-inspired murderer is on the loose in French crime thriller Polar Park

9pm, Sky AtlanticIt’s easy to forget what last happened in the disappointingly dull Game of Thrones prequel two years ago. But the bloodiest naval battle in Westeros history – the Battle of the Gullet – actually kicks season three off with a bang. The Targaryen civil war finally gets into full gory swing, with Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) orchestrating their moves for the Iron Throne. Yes, there are still too many dislikable characters moping around, and it’s not a great sign when the only one you feel anything for is a fire-breathing dragon. But there’s no denying the wow factor of epic sword clashes like this one – and there are plenty more promised ahead. Plus added James Norton! Hollie Richardson

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The excellent anti-apartheid documentary continues with protest songs for the ages and governments trying to stop civil war. Plus, a touching finale for Timothy Spall cosy crime Death Valley. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, Channel 4The second episode of this excellent series exploring the struggle against apartheid tracks the turbulent 1980s. As Nelson Mandela’s health deteriorates, the South African government begins to see that allowing him to die in custody could lead to civil war. Meanwhile, an epic outdoor concert in London showcases Jerry Dammers’s protest song for the ages, Free Nelson Mandela. Phil Harrison

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A Last Big Story is a stirring exploration of the journalist’s condition and his news instincts. Plus, a wholesome telling of the story of Indigenous Australian tennis legend Evonne Goolagong. Here’s what to watch this evening

8pm, Channel 4This documentary starts out as a meditation on the Channel 4 newsreader’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis – but the journalist in him hasn’t departed quite yet. While Jon and his wife Precious are on holiday in Victoria Falls, he stumbles upon a mining disaster that has had almost no coverage in the media. His determination to get the tragedy into the news is stirring and very moving. Phil Harrison

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The Northern Irish sitcom returns for a second season, and the lads go into a tailspin after learning about the famine. Plus: more World Cup action, with Scotland v Morocco

9pm, BBC ThreeThis offbeat sitcom from Northern Ireland, which started life as a BBC comedy short, is now in its second hilarious series – and it guest stars Steve Coogan. As we rejoin the boys of Ballymacnoose for an opening quadruple bill, Callum (Ryan Dylan)has a job as an actor at the folk museum, with an eccentric boss (Coogan). When the gang watch his performance as a peasant, they learn about the famine, and it sends each of them spiralling in different ways. Hollie Richardson

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This new series talks to the families of those who are serving prison sentences for crimes they believe they didn’t do. Plus, discover more about Britain’s first king, James I. Here’s what to watch this evening

10pm, Channel 4“People are sitting in prison cells with life sentences when there is evidence that proves categorically they didn’t do it. And they call that justice.” This new series speaks to people fighting convictions they believe are miscarriages of justice. The first divisive case is that of a street fight in 2005, when Jason Moore was found guilty of murdering Robert Darby. But Moore’s family and friends are campaigning for him to be freed. Hollie Richardson

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If you’re not going to be glued to the big match, Kirstie and Phil can provide some distraction. Plus: an utterly lovely Paul Mescal movie

8pm, Channel 4With England playing Croatia on ITV1, it’s slim pickings across the rest of the channels, but anyone immune to football fever can always count on Kirstie and Phil. This week, they are in London to revisit two couples: in the east, Molly and Sam have finally bought in Walthamstow; down south, Alan and Rachel have spent three years doing up their Victorian terrace in Crystal Palace. Hollie Richardson

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BBC Studios, Kadokawa, and Wheel In Motion are making a live-action Kiki's Delivery Service TV series. Read more at Empire.

The Light in the Hall is back, and Bear Grylls runs wild with Flight of the Conchords’ Rhys Darby. Plus: Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka! Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, Channel 4Caryl (Sian Reese-Williams) is making a midlife career change to journalism. As she trains, she is drawn to Rhys Owen (Mark Lewis Jones), who has returned to Llanemlyn after 30 years in prison for the murder of his activist cousin. What happened in Caryl’s life that makes her so curious about Rhys? And how does this fit in with the town’s controversial plans to expand the reservoir? A murky drama unravels. Hollie Richardson

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Amber Haque investigates the agencies who manage the careers of adult content creators. Plus: the Dolly the sheep scientists tell their stories. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, BBC ThreeA beacon of sexual liberation and entrepreneurship or a giant exploitation machine? As more and more money is made through adult content on OnlyFans, agencies that offer to manage creators’ careers have begun to cash in. Some do their jobs and help businesses to expand. But con artists and abusers are also on the loose. Amber Haque investigates a worryingly under-regulated sector. Jack Seale

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Those who knew him tell the remarkable story in a three-parter. Plus: a juicy drama about the scandalous Mitford sisters. Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, Channel 4

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The singer gives a hot performance at Wembley, along with Robyn, Take That and Mis-Teeq. Plus: hellish hangovers in Two Weeks in August. Here’s what to watch today

4.15pm, ITV1

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A study in obsession and delusion explores the origin of the scandal. Plus: can Dolly Parton unite the US? Here’s what to watch this evening

9pm, Sky DocumentariesThe grainy 1947 footage that purports to show the body of an alien being dissected near a crash site in Roswell, New Mexico, has now been viewed by an estimated 1 billion people. But where did it come from? This hugely entertaining three-part series tracks down the parade of eccentrics behind its release in 1995 and works as a study of obsession and mass delusion. Phil Harrison

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J Balvin and Tyla perform at the first one in Mexico City. Plus: did James Dean create a new model of vulnerable masculinity? Here’s what to watch this evening

6.15pm, ITV1Is it coming home? At this point, even asking that feels like a jinx. But here we go, with a summer of very inconveniently timed games between a whopping 48 teams. Three ceremonies will kick the tournament off, starting with one in Mexico City Stadium, where J Balvin and Tyla will perform. The Toronto and LA events follow on Friday. Hollie Richardson

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