Thursday's looking rather tasty - there's history being made with Play for Today getting a revival on Channel 5 (who saw that coming?), Taskmaster reaches its chaotic climax, and if you fancy something with actual stakes, England need a result against Serbia. Let's dig in.

Table of Contents

Quick Picks: Tonight's Best

Early Evening: Family Viewing (6:30pm - 8pm)

Classic Movies: The Railway Children - Sky Arts, 8pm

Ian Nathan dives into the 1970 adaptation of E Nesbit's beloved novel in his spotlight series. From Lionel Jeffries' inception to filming in West Yorkshire, it's a celebration of enduring childhood nostalgia. Those Yorkshire landscapes still look gorgeous, and the "Daddy, my daddy" scene remains a proper tear-jerker.

Channel 4 News - Channel 4, 7pm

Krishnan Guru-Murthy and the team deliver the day's news with their usual rigorous approach. Worth catching before the evening's entertainment kicks off.

Prime Time: Drama & Entertainment (9pm onwards)

⭐ Taskmaster: The Final - Channel 4, 9pm

This is the one. If you've ever wondered what Sanjeev Bhaskar would look like dressed as Jack Sparrow (no? just me?), tonight's your night. The "mildly sadistic" comedy gameshow - as the Guardian rather kindly puts it - reaches its conclusion, and it's going to be beautifully absurd.

Reece Shearsmith makes what's described as a "questionable cuppa" with help from Maisie Adam, and Alex Horne gets a good hose-down. Standard Thursday stuff, really. The tasks have ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime all series, and tonight's finale promises chaos as someone walks away with Greg Davies' golden head. Sanjeev, Emma Sidi, Ania Magliano, Rosie Jones, and Jack Dee have been brilliant - unpredictable, competitive, and frequently baffling.

Play for Today: Never Too Late - Channel 5, 9pm

Right, this is genuinely exciting. Channel 5 reviving the BBC's classic Play for Today strand? Didn't see that coming. The anthology drama was a cornerstone of British TV from the '70s onwards, launching careers and tackling issues mainstream telly wouldn't touch.

Tonight's opener stars Anita Dobson as Cynthia, a quick-witted septuagenarian who discovers her charismatic old flame Frank (Nigel Havers) has moved in next door at the retirement village. "Of all the retirement villages, she walks into mine" - nice Casablanca reference there. Old wounds reopen as Cynthia reckons with ageing and potentially accepting her second act. Tracy-Ann Oberman and Nina Wadia round out the cast, so you're in safe hands. It's the first in what Channel 5 hopes will be a proper anthology series. Fingers crossed they don't mess it up.

The Ridge - BBC Two, 9pm

Lauren Lyle's Mia continues to ignore every single convention of the crime-mystery genre in this unusual New Zealand-set drama. Having nearly had "disrespectful sex" at her possibly-murdered sister's wake (their words, not mine), she's now embarking on what's described as a "monster opioid comedown."

Sounds grim, but Lyle's unpredictable energy makes both her character and the show compelling. It's not your standard detective fare - more messy, more human, and definitely not cosy.

The Iris Affair - Sky Atlantic, 9pm

Neil Cross (Luther creator) wraps up his sun-drenched techno-thriller tonight. Irate codebreaker Iris (Niamh Algar) is racing to unplug "Charlie Big Potatoes" - a mysterious mainframe that sounds ridiculous but is apparently much scarier than the name suggests.

Can she outsmart both a sentient AI and sneering moneyman Pym (Harry Lloyd)? It's been a twisty ride, and if you've been following along, tonight's climax should deliver the goods.

Early Evening: Football (7pm)

England v Serbia - ITV1, 7pm

World Cup qualifying, Group K. England need points, Serbia won't make it easy. Mark Pougatch and the ITV team will talk you through the stakes, and if England turn up, it could be a decent watch. If they don't... well, you've got Taskmaster later to cheer you up.

Late Night: For Football Fans & Night Owls

Question Time - BBC One, 10:40pm

Fiona Bruce hosts the weekly political debate. After Thursday's news cycle, there'll be plenty to discuss - probably including whatever happened in that England match a few hours earlier.

Big Brother - ITV2, 9pm

The reality juggernaut rolls on with more housemate drama, alliances, and inevitable arguments over the washing up. AJ Odudu and Will Best keep things ticking along.

Newsnight - BBC Two, 10:30pm

Victoria Derbyshire and the team dissect the day's political developments with their usual forensic approach. Essential viewing if you want the full story behind the headlines.

If You're Not Into Drama

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip - BBC Two, 7pm

Two celebrities hitting the road with antiques experts, hunting for bargains at auction. It's comfort telly - no stakes, just pleasant countryside drives and the occasional surprising find.

Vera - ITV3, 8pm

Vera

Brenda Blethyn's grumpy Northumberland detective investigates "Parent Not Expected" - a young man's body washed up on the shore of a salmon farm. If you want solid, reliable crime drama with none of The Ridge's experimental chaos, Vera's your pick.

What's on Streaming

Netflix: The Diplomat season 2 continues to impress - Keri Russell navigating international crises with sharp dialogue and genuine tension.

Apple TV+: Slow Horses keeps delivering espionage gold. If you're not watching Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb, you're missing out.

Disney+: Andor remains the best Star Wars content out there. Dark, mature, and politically astute - who knew?

The Viewing Schedule

Time Show Channel Link
7:00pm England v Serbia ITV1 Watch
7:00pm Channel 4 News Channel 4 Watch
8:00pm Celebrity Race Across the World BBC One Watch
8:00pm Classic Movies: The Railway Children Sky Arts Watch
8:00pm Vera ITV3 Watch
9:00pm ⭐ Taskmaster: The Final Channel 4 Watch
9:00pm Play for Today: Never Too Late Channel 5 Watch
9:00pm The Ridge BBC Two Watch
9:00pm The Iris Affair Sky Atlantic no link
9:00pm Big Brother ITV2 Watch
10:30pm Newsnight BBC Two Watch
10:40pm Question Time BBC One Watch

Final Verdict

Thursday's a belter. Taskmaster's finale is unmissable if you've followed the series - it's been one of the stronger casts in recent years. Play for Today's revival is genuinely interesting telly history, and Channel 5 deserves credit for taking a punt on quality drama. If you're after something grittier, The Ridge and The Iris Affair both wrap up their storylines. And football fans, you've got England needing points - always nerve-wracking, rarely dull. Pick your poison and enjoy.

Need help finding what to watch? Check out our TV Guide for tonight's full schedule.