Saturday night's serving up Bafta-winning drama that takes down the filthy rich, gameshow nostalgia with Alan Carr, and Strictly's Blackpool showdown. Plus there's a documentary asking uncomfortable questions about Hitler's DNA. Not your average Saturday, is it?

Table of Contents

Quick Picks: Tonight's Best

  • Wild Cherry (BBC One, 9pm) ⭐ - Bafta-winning writer Nicôle Lecky skewers private school privilege with style
  • Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One, 6.25pm) - Eight couples battle for Blackpool with couples' choice, jive, and waltz drama
  • Alan Carr's Picture Slam (BBC One, 5.40pm) - The faithful entertainer returns with his £10k picture-identifying gameshow
  • Michael McIntyre's The Wheel (BBC One, 8pm) - Joey Essex on dentistry? That's exactly why this show works

Early Evening: Family Viewing (5:40pm - 8pm)

Alan Carr's Picture Slam - BBC One, 5.40pm

Fresh from his Celebrity Traitors win, Alan Carr's back doing what he does best - making Saturday teatime feel warm and slightly chaotic. The format's simple: identify pictures, win up to £10,000. First up are a mother-daughter duo from Liverpool who shout their answers with the kind of enthusiasm that'll have you doing the same at home. It's comfort telly - nothing groundbreaking, but Carr's energy makes it work.

Strictly Come Dancing - BBC One, 6.25pm

Blackpool's only a week away and you can feel the tension. Eight couples remain, all desperate to make it to that famous ballroom. Tonight's highlights include La Voix and Aljaž doing couples' choice to Barbra Streisand (bold), Vicky and Kai's jive to Girls Aloud's Sound of the Underground (guaranteed floor-filler), and Alex and Johannes waltzing to Barry Manilow because apparently we're doing full-on nostalgia tonight.

The routines are getting sharper, the stakes are higher, and someone's going home heartbroken. Standard Saturday Strictly, really - sequins, drama, and Craig Revel Horwood being magnificently mean.

New Zealand by Train - Channel 4, 8pm

Julie Walters narrates this second trip around New Zealand's rails, and honestly, it's gorgeous. The Northern Explorer leaves Auckland heading for Wellington - 420 miles of volcanic plateaus, rainforest, long bridges, and ocean views that look like they were designed by Peter Jackson's location scouts. It's basically Middle-earth: The Railway Edition.

Perfect for when you need something beautiful and undemanding. Stick it on, pour a glass of wine, and pretend you're planning a trip you'll probably never actually take.

Prime Time: Drama & Entertainment (9pm onwards)

Wild Cherry - BBC One, 9pm ⭐

This is tonight's must-watch. Nicôle Lecky - who won a Bafta for Mood - has written a Gossip Girl-meets-Boarders takedown of private school privilege, and it's got teeth. Think posh kids, shocking videos, and the kind of wealthy parents who think their money can fix anything.

Grace (Imogen Faires) and Allegra (Amelia May) are hauled in by teachers at Richford Lake after a video starts circulating among pupils. When their mothers arrive - Juliet (Eve Best) and Lorna (Carmen Ejogo) - it becomes clear the drama doesn't stop at the school gates. There are secrets at home, too.

Lecky's brilliant at exposing class dynamics without being preachy about it. She lets the characters' behaviour do the talking, and it's uncomfortable viewing in the best way. If you loved Industry's dissection of privilege, this is your Saturday night sorted.

Michael McIntyre's The Wheel - BBC One, 8pm

"The words 'Joey Essex on dentistry' is the reason I love this show," says McIntyre, and he's not wrong. The reality star's specialist subject is genuinely teeth-related, which tells you everything about The Wheel's gloriously random format.

Also helping answer questions tonight: Stacey Dooley, Maisie Adam, Oti Mabuse, Asim Chaudhry, Ricky Wilson, and Omid Djalili. It's chaotic, it's daft, and McIntyre's infectious energy makes it work. Not exactly intellectually demanding, but sometimes that's the point.

Hitler's DNA: Blueprint of a Dictator - Channel 4, 9pm

This documentary explores an American colonel's foresight in cutting a piece of blood-soaked material from Hitler's bunker couch shortly after his suicide. Scientists have since analysed this sample, and the questions it raises are fascinating: Was Hitler neurodivergent? Did he actually have Jewish ancestry despite the obvious irony?

It's the kind of documentary that makes you wonder why you never learned this stuff in school. Channel 4's done well here - it's educational without being dry, and the revelations are genuinely thought-provoking. Though fair warning: discussing Hitler's genetics does feel slightly icky, even in a historical context.

Late Night: For Film Fans

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - ITV2, 8.40pm

JJ Abrams kick-started the sequel trilogy with this 2015 crowd-pleaser that introduced Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) alongside returning favourites Han Solo and Chewbacca. Yes, it basically rehashes A New Hope's plot beats, but the chemistry between the new cast members makes it work.

The practical effects are a welcome return after the prequels' CGI overload, and that lightsaber duel in the snowy forest remains genuinely thrilling. Adam Driver's Kylo Ren is deliciously conflicted - not your standard villain. Perfect Saturday night viewing if you fancy some space battles and John Williams's iconic score.

If You're Not Into Dark Drama

Look, if private school privilege dramas and Hitler documentaries aren't how you want to spend Saturday night, stick with Strictly for sequins and wholesome competition. Or let New Zealand's stunning landscapes wash over you on Channel 4 at 8pm. Sometimes you just want telly that doesn't make you think too hard, and there's nothing wrong with that.

What's on Streaming

Netflix - The final season of The Crown drops soon, but tonight might be a good time to catch up on earlier episodes if you've fallen behind. Claire Foy's still the best Queen Elizabeth we've had, fight me.

Disney+ - If The Rise of Skywalker's got you in a Star Wars mood, The Mandalorian Season 3 continues to prove that the TV shows are currently doing better work than the films. Baby Yoda's still ridiculously cute, too.

iPlayer - Binge the earlier episodes of Mood before Wild Cherry starts. Nicôle Lecky's writing deserves your attention, and it'll give you context for why tonight's drama is such a big deal.

Tonight's Full Schedule

Time Channel Programme
5:40pm BBC One Alan Carr's Picture Slam
6:25pm BBC One Strictly Come Dancing
8:00pm BBC One Michael McIntyre's The Wheel
8:00pm Channel 4 New Zealand by Train
8:40pm ITV2 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
9:00pm BBC One Wild Cherry
9:00pm Channel 4 Hitler's DNA: Blueprint of a Dictator

Final Verdict

Saturday's got range: Nicôle Lecky's Wild Cherry is the evening's heavyweight, combining sharp social commentary with the addictive drama of privileged teenagers behaving badly. If you need lighter fare, Strictly delivers the usual sparkle, and Alan Carr's gameshow provides uncomplicated fun. There's also a genuinely interesting documentary about Hitler's DNA that'll have you Googling for hours afterward. Solid Saturday night lineup - something for every mood.

By Felicity Smith | Updated 15th November 2025