A revealing documentary about Queen Victoria’s rumoured romance leads Saturday night TV, while Gladiators reaches the semi‑final stage and Premier League football continues.
Saturday evening television offers a mix of history, entertainment and sport. Channel 5 examines one of the most persistent rumours surrounding Queen Victoria’s personal life, while BBC One’s Gladiators reaches the semi‑final stage of the revived competition.
Drama continues with the latest episode of The Walsh Sisters, and Channel 4 follows comedian Bill Bailey deeper into Vietnam on his travel series.
For sports fans, the evening also features key Six Nations rugby and Premier League fixtures.
Gladiators
7.15pm, BBC One
The revived version of the classic competition show moves into the semi‑final stage.
Contestants face familiar challenges such as Hang Tough, a gruelling test of grip and endurance on overhead bars, while newer games like Everest add a more precarious twist as competitors battle on a steep tilting platform.
With a place in the final now at stake, the intensity of the contests begins to increase.
The Race for Ancient Egypt in Colour
7.15pm, Channel 4
This documentary revisits the period between the world wars when archaeology and geopolitics collided in Egypt.
Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb triggered worldwide fascination, but the programme places the discovery in a wider historical context. Rare colourised footage shows a country undergoing political change while Western interest in its ancient past continued to grow.
Six Nations Rugby
France v England
7.20pm, ITV1
The final round of the Six Nations concludes with one of the tournament’s biggest fixtures.
England travel to Paris knowing the outcome could determine the destination of the championship. Earlier in the afternoon Ireland faced Scotland and Wales played Italy, leaving the title race finely balanced heading into the evening.
Premier League Football
Arsenal v Everton
5pm, Sky Sports Main Event
Chelsea v Newcastle United
5pm, Sky Sports Premier League
Two Premier League fixtures take place simultaneously on Saturday evening.
Arsenal continue their push near the top of the table when they host Everton, while Chelsea face Newcastle at Stamford Bridge in a match that could have implications for European qualification.
The Walsh Sisters
9.10pm, BBC One
The Irish family drama continues with tensions simmering between several members of the Walsh household.
Maggie tries to persuade her reluctant husband Garv to consider starting a family, while Luke opens up about Rachel during a therapy session. Anna, still coping with grief after the recent accident, begins to form an unexpected friendship.
Queen Victoria & the Groomsman: The Scandal That Nearly Brought Down the Empire
9.15pm, Channel 5
This documentary explores the long rumoured relationship between Queen Victoria and her Scottish servant John Brown.
Historians and commentators revisit letters, accounts and rumours that circulated during Victoria’s reign, examining how the relationship was perceived at the time and why it alarmed sections of the political establishment.
The programme asks whether the controversy could genuinely have threatened the stability of the monarchy.
Bill Bailey’s Vietnam
9.15pm, Channel 4
Bill Bailey’s travel series reaches the mountain resort town of Da Lat.
The comedian visits tea plantations, explores Buddhist monasteries and reflects on Vietnam’s complex history. The programme continues Bailey’s distinctive blend of gentle humour and thoughtful travel writing.
The Football Interview
11.30pm, BBC One
Kelly Somers hosts a new series of in‑depth conversations with footballers.
The opening episode features Brentford and Republic of Ireland defender Nathan Collins. The interview begins with his career and experiences on the pitch before moving into more personal topics rarely discussed in standard sports interviews.
Film choice
Sketch
6.20pm, Sky Cinema Premiere
This family adventure blends fantasy and horror as a young girl’s drawings begin to come to life after the death of her mother.
Tony Hale plays the father attempting to hold the family together, while the children confront increasingly surreal manifestations of their grief.
A Fistful of Dollars
9pm, Sky Arts
Sergio Leone’s 1964 western helped redefine the genre and made Clint Eastwood an international star.
The film follows a wandering gunfighter who manipulates two rival criminal families in a lawless frontier town, turning their conflict to his advantage.
Watching UK TV while travelling
UK streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 normally restrict viewing outside the country because of licensing agreements.
Travellers often discover that programmes available at home suddenly disappear from the catalogue when accessing the services abroad.
A UK based VPN allows viewers to connect through domestic servers and access the services they already subscribe to while travelling. Stability can vary between providers depending on network infrastructure.
LibertyShield operates UK servers designed to maintain reliable connections to major streaming platforms. Readers can try the service using the 48-hour free trial, which allows access across devices before deciding whether to continue.