Claudia Winkleman debuts a new BBC chat show while Death in Paradise delivers another tropical mystery and Big Cats 24/7 continues its Botswana drama.
Friday night television mixes light entertainment, crime drama and wildlife storytelling. BBC One launches The Claudia Winkleman Show, a new late night chat programme that aims to capture the relaxed celebrity banter audiences associate with traditional sofa formats.
Elsewhere, Death in Paradise returns with another puzzle for the Saint Marie police team, while BBC Two’s Big Cats 24/7 continues its detailed look at life in the Okavango delta.
The Claudia Winkleman Show
10.40pm, BBC One
Claudia Winkleman steps into the late night chat show space with a new programme that shares a producer with The Graham Norton Show.
The format will feel familiar. Celebrity guests gather on the sofa, anecdotes flow freely and the host attempts to keep the conversation moving at an energetic pace.
For the opening episode Winkleman has assembled a strong lineup. Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Saunders, Vanessa Williams and Tom Allen all appear as guests, a group known for entertaining stories and quick humour.
The programme also promises audience participation both in the studio and at home, suggesting the BBC hopes to give the traditional celebrity chat format a slightly more interactive twist.
Death in Paradise
9pm, BBC One
The long running Caribbean crime drama continues with another puzzle for DI Mervin and the Saint Marie police team.
This week the investigation centres on the poisoning of a newspaper agony aunt. The case brings flamboyant local journalist Anton back into the spotlight, played with scene stealing enthusiasm by Gary Wilmot.
The show continues to balance familiar detective storytelling with its bright island setting and gentle humour.
Gardeners’ World
8pm, BBC Two
Monty Don returns for a new series of the long running gardening programme as spring approaches.
The opening episode focuses on practical seasonal tasks including planting raspberries and potting dahlias. Adam Frost begins work on a new garden after moving house, while Arit Anderson visits the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.
Big Cats 24/7
9pm, BBC Two
The Botswana based wildlife series continues to follow the fortunes of the Xudum lion pride.
With the dominant male lion absent, the females and cubs have become scattered across the Okavango delta. The episode follows their struggle to regroup while rival lions move into the territory.
The programme’s patient filming approach continues to reveal the complex social dynamics of life in the wild.
The Last Leg
10pm, Channel 4
Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker return to dissect the week’s news with their usual mix of satire and audience interaction.
Actor and comedian Richard Ayoade joins the panel alongside American comedian Michelle Wolf, providing commentary on what has been another busy week in politics and culture.
Other Voices 2026: Dingle, Ireland
10.05pm, BBC Four
BBC Four brings coverage from the intimate Irish music festival held each year in Dingle.
Hosted by Annie Macmanus, Huw Stephens and MayKay, the programme features performances from Dermot Kennedy, Miles Kane and Wunderhorse among others, filmed inside the atmospheric St James’ Church.
Film choice
Materialists
8pm, Sky Cinema Premiere
Celine Song follows her acclaimed debut Past Lives with a romantic drama set in New York’s high end matchmaking world.
Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a professional matchmaker caught between two very different romantic possibilities. One is her financially struggling former partner, the other a wealthy financier who appears to offer security and stability.
The film explores modern dating culture and the uncomfortable balance between romance and practicality.
Live sport today
There is relatively little major live sport on UK television tonight following a busy midweek of European football.
Coverage from the Cheltenham Festival continues earlier in the afternoon on ITV1, with further races from one of the most prominent meetings in the National Hunt calendar.
Watching UK TV while travelling
Streaming platforms such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 usually restrict access outside the UK because of programme licensing agreements.
Travellers sometimes discover that programmes they normally watch at home become unavailable once they leave the country.
A UK based VPN can allow viewers to connect through domestic servers and access the services they already subscribe to while abroad. Reliability varies between providers depending on server stability and network management.
LibertyShield operates UK-based servers designed for this purpose, and readers can test compatibility using the 48-hour free trial, allowing the service to be tried across multiple devices before deciding whether to continue.