Tonight's Essential Television Viewing
This evening's television schedule offers a powerful blend of historical documentary, charitable fundraising, and gripping drama. Leading the lineup is the continuation of David Olusoga's critically acclaimed series on the British Empire, while the annual Children in Need fundraiser returns with fresh faces.
Empire with David Olusoga: A Deep Dive into Colonial Legacy
At 9pm on BBC Two, historian David Olusoga continues his epic series, Empire. The episode delves into the brutal mechanics of the transatlantic slave trade, revealing that by the 1770s, Britain was transporting 45,000 Africans into slavery annually. Olusoga visits Bunce Island, a key site where captured Africans were sold. The narrative then shifts to the global fallout of the American revolution, taking the historian to Australia. The programme importantly notes that Australia had been home to native populations, including the Tasmanian Truganini, for at least 40,000 years before British colonisation.
Charity and Current Affairs
Earlier in the evening, Children in Need 2025 kicks off at 7pm on BBC One. The annual fundraiser will celebrate presenter Sara Cox, who has hopefully completed her gruelling 135-mile challenge. She will be joined by new presenters Big Zuu and Paddy McGuinness. A highlight promises to be a performance by a children's choir, delivering a touching cover of Coldplay's song 'Yellow'.
For those interested in hard-hitting journalism, Channel 4's Unreported World at 7.30pm features Krishnan Guru-Murthy. He investigates the hundreds of murders of Arab citizens in Israel that go unsolved each year. The report uncovers alleged links to organised crime, weapons trafficking involving security forces, and accusations of governmental inaction.
Drama, Gardens, and Undead Action
Other notable broadcasts include Gardeners' World on BBC Two at 8pm, where Monty Don creates a new woodland garden. For drama fans, Sky Atlantic's All Her Fault at 9pm sees Dakota Fanning and Sarah Snook's characters grappling with a nanny's kidnapping of a child, amid escalating media and police attention.
Action arrives on Sky Max at 9pm with The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. This instalment moves beyond rustic tranquillity to feature a massive medieval-style battle as a horde besieges the walls of Solaz del Mar.
Tonight's Film Highlights
Film choices are headlined by Bong Joon-ho's Mickey 17, a sharp social satire on class and capitalism set in space. Robert Pattinson stars as a disposable crew member on a mission led by a Trump-esque politician played by Mark Ruffalo. The film airs on Sky Cinema Premiere at 12.35pm and 8pm.
Streaming services offer poignant documentaries. On Apple TV+, Come See Me in the Good Light follows poet Andrea Gibson's journey with incurable cancer. Prime Video hosts Belén, Argentina's Oscar entry, a rousing true story about a woman jailed after a miscarriage and the lawyer who fought for justice.
