Monday night's got a proper mixed bag - from James Blake's eye-opening journey into the world of "alpha males" to the most extravagant cruise ships you'll ever see. Plus Grace Dent brings her restaurant critic nous to MasterChef. Here's what's worth your time.

Table of Contents

Quick Picks: Tonight's Best

Early Evening: Aspirational Living

Inside the World's Most Luxurious Cruises - Channel 4, 8pm

Inside the World's Most Luxurious Cruises

From the makers of Secrets of Supercheap Shopping (which feels like quite the tonal shift), this new series dives into the most expensive floating hotels on the planet. We're talking cruise ships that showcase multiple Picassos and actual Fabergé eggs like they're standard décor.

It's peak aspirational telly - the kind where you'll spend an hour gawking at things you'll never experience whilst eating beans on toast. But there's something mesmerizing about watching how the other 0.1% holiday. The production values look gorgeous, and honestly, some of these ships are basically small cities with better art collections than most museums.

Perfect Monday night escapism if you don't want anything too taxing.

Prime Time: Cooking and Drama (9pm onwards)

Celebrity MasterChef - BBC One, 9pm

Celebrity MasterChef

The big news here is Grace Dent joining as a judge alongside John Torode (Gregg Wallace having departed). Grace's restaurant reviews are sharp, funny, and never pull punches - she's going to be brilliant at this. Watching her reaction to whatever chaos unfolds under those cloches alone makes this worth tuning in for.

This year's batch of "celebrities" includes Blue's Antony Costa, comedian Gaz Choudhry, drag queen Ginger Johnson, Corrie's Katie McGlynn, and presenter Uma Jammeh. The secret ingredients challenge kicks things off, which always separates those who can actually cook from those who just own nice knives.

Ginger Johnson cooking in full drag makeup is already iconic before we've even started.

The Forsytes - Channel 5, 9pm

The period drama continues with family tensions reaching boiling point. Jack Davenport's awful James Forsyte (seriously, he's the worst) clashes with Stephen Moyer's wishy-washy Jolyon over a dodgy investment. Multiple marriages are on the rocks.

If you've been following along, this episode ramps up the melodrama. If you haven't, you might feel a bit lost - this isn't really a jump-in-anywhere kind of show.

It: Welcome to Derry - Sky Atlantic, 9pm

The Stephen King killer clown prequel set in the 1960s continues its attempt to justify its existence. This week traumatised youngster Lilly (Clara Stack) faces something even more terrifying than Pennywise: mean girls at school.

The show's folded in elements from The Shining and Shawshank Redemption alongside the It mythology, but it's struggling to find its footing. Die-hard King fans might stick with it, but it feels like they're stretching the Derry universe thinner than it needs to be.

The Chair Company - Sky Comedy, 9:45pm

Tim Robinson's back with more unhinged brilliance. Ron's conspiracy theory quest gets even more berserk (if that's possible), whilst office morale hits rock bottom. Douglas's solution? Dress up as a chicken.

If you're not familiar with Robinson's comedy, it's... a lot. Think I Think You Should Leave levels of absurdist chaos. You'll either find it genius or deeply confusing. There's not much middle ground.

Late Night: For Film Fans

Men of the Manosphere - BBC Three, 10pm ⭐

Men of the Manosphere

This is the one you shouldn't miss tonight. James Blake (the musician, not the tennis player) spends time with young men who've fallen into the world of "alpha male" influencers like Hamza Ahmed and - inevitably - Andrew Tate.

"No one respects the nice guy," explains Shayne, who took "the red pill" after a breakup. Jack, meanwhile, is 57 days into his "100-day semen retention journey" and admits "I don't worship [Tate] but I crave what he represents."

It's uncomfortable viewing in places, but genuinely insightful. Blake doesn't just dismiss these blokes as lost causes - he actually engages with them, and even addresses his own past beliefs. That honesty makes it compelling telly.

At a time when this stuff is actually influencing young men in scary numbers, it's important someone's making documentaries like this. Not preachy, not dismissive, just... human.

A Thousand and One - BBC Two, 11pm

A Thousand and One

AV Rockwell's New York drama showcases Teyana Taylor in a knockout performance as Inez, fresh out of prison and determined to reclaim her son Terry from care. One problem: that means kidnapping him and setting up an entirely fake new life.

Taylor absolutely owns the screen here. She was brilliant in that cameo in Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, but this proves she can carry a whole film. It's tough without being miserable, tender without getting schmaltzy.

First terrestrial showing, and it's a gem if you're still up at 11.

If You're Not Into Docs or Cooking Shows

Women's International Football: Spain v England - BBC One, 7pm

World Cup Group A qualifier. England away against Spain. The Lionesses are actually playing some decent football at the moment, and Spain at home are never easy. Should be a good match if you're into the women's game.

What's on Streaming

  • Netflix: The latest true crime thing everyone's talking about (probably)
  • Disney+: Your regular Star Wars or Marvel fix continues
  • Apple TV+: Severance Season 2 if you've been waiting

The Viewing Schedule Table

Time Channel Programme
7:00pm BBC One Women's International Football: Spain v England
8:00pm Channel 4 Inside the World's Most Luxurious Cruises
9:00pm BBC One Celebrity MasterChef
9:00pm Channel 5 The Forsytes
9:00pm Sky Atlantic It: Welcome to Derry
9:45pm Sky Comedy The Chair Company
10:00pm BBC Three Men of the Manosphere ⭐
11:00pm BBC Two A Thousand and One

Final Verdict

Men of the Manosphere is the standout - it's the kind of documentary that'll spark proper conversations. Celebrity MasterChef with Grace Dent should be fun, and the luxury cruise show is perfect brain-off Monday viewing. Not the worst lineup for a Monday night.