From Icelandic waters to Roman railways, Saturday TV spans continents
Saturday night television settles into an easy but varied rhythm, mixing warmth, endurance spectacle and reflective drama with the steady presence of live sport running across the day. It is a schedule that does not chase noise, instead offering personality, humour and a few emotionally heavier notes as the evening unfolds.
Here is what stands out on UK screens tonight.
Scottish comedy brings heart and humour back to BBC Thre
Dinosaur, 10pm, BBC Three
One of the more quietly distinctive British comedies of recent years returns, and it does so with the same observational warmth that made its first outing land so well.
Ashley Storrie’s Nina remains a character built on precision rather than caricature, an autistic woman navigating relationships, ambition and self understanding while pursuing her palaeontology career. Eight months have passed since we last saw her, and she now faces a decision that feels small on paper but large emotionally, whether to remain on an Isle of Wight dig or return to Glasgow.
The writing continues to balance humour with sincerity, never rushing emotional beats, and never forcing sentiment. Conversations with her sister Evie bring the show back to its domestic grounding, equal parts affectionate and gently chaotic.
It remains comedy that understands stillness.
Extreme endurance meets environmental science
The Great Icelandic Swim With Ross Edgley, 7.30pm, Channel 4
Ross Edgley has built a career out of testing physical limits, but this three part challenge may be his most punishing yet.
The premise alone feels improbable, swimming the entire Icelandic coastline, roughly 1,000 miles, in sub zero waters, facing towering waves and open ocean isolation. Yet the series is framed as much around science as spectacle, exploring the physical and psychological thresholds of endurance athletes in extreme climates.
The opening episode wastes no time establishing jeopardy, hypothermia setting in early as the scale of the challenge becomes clear. There is bravado, certainly, but also vulnerability, which makes the series more engaging than a simple feat of strength narrative.
Ancient history by rail
The Roman Empire By Train With Alice Roberts, 8.30pm, Channel 4
Alice Roberts continues her slow, thoughtful exploration of ancient civilisations through modern transport networks.
This instalment focuses on the Roman Empire, beginning in Pompeii, where preserved streets and homes provide a vivid lens into everyday imperial life. Roberts examines engineering, social hierarchy and cultural expression, including some of the more risqué artistic remains the Romans left behind.
The train based framing keeps the series accessible, allowing large historical themes to unfold through physical movement and place. It is educational without feeling instructional.
Prison drama reaches its final chapter
Waiting for the Out, 9.20pm, BBC One
BBC One’s prison drama closes its run tonight, and the finale arrives with emotional threads still unresolved.
Dan’s storyline begins in deceptively lighter territory, but the consequences of earlier decisions continue to loom, particularly the legal risk tied to smuggling a phone into the prison where he teaches.
Encounters with figures from his father’s past add further introspection, bringing the series back to its core themes, accountability, legacy and the possibility of rehabilitation.
It has been a measured drama throughout, and the finale appears set to follow suit.
Chat show familiarity and music nostalgia
The Jonathan Ross Show, 9.30pm, ITV1
Saturday night chat returns in its familiar format, with Hugh Bonneville leading the guest list to discuss his latest stage work.
Riz Ahmed, Ellie Kildunne, Harriet Kemsley and Jason Derulo round out the sofa, offering the usual mix of performance insight, light anecdote and promotional circuit energy. Ross remains an efficient ringmaster, keeping tone buoyant without pushing too hard.
Rick Astley: Reel Stories, 10pm, BBC Two
Dermot O’Leary’s archive interview format turns its attention to Rick Astley, revisiting a career that has moved from chart saturation to cultural reinvention.
The programme is followed by Astley’s Glastonbury 2023 performance and BBC archive highlights, offering both nostalgia and perspective on pop longevity.
Film pick
Crossing, 9.20pm, BBC Four
Levan Akin’s drama provides the evening’s most reflective viewing.
Set in Istanbul, it follows a retired Georgian teacher searching for her estranged transgender niece. The journey moves through communities shaped by displacement, survival and chosen family, balancing hardship with compassion.
It is intimate, patient storytelling, emotionally resonant without excess.
Live sport across the day
Saturday’s sporting schedule runs from morning through late afternoon, anchored by major winter and rugby events.
Winter Olympics coverage begins at 9am on BBC Two, continuing the opening weekend from Milan and Cortina. Team GB’s mixed doubles curling pairing feature early, setting the tone for a full day of Olympic programming.
Cricket’s T20 World Cup group stage sees West Indies face Scotland at 9am on Sky Sports Main Event, while football attention turns to Manchester United vs Tottenham at 11am on TNT Sports.
Rugby dominates the afternoon. Italy vs Scotland airs at 1pm on BBC One, followed by England vs Wales at 3.45pm on ITV1, two fixtures that will immediately shape Six Nations momentum.
Streaming and watching from anywhere
With Olympic coverage, international rugby and Premier League football spread across multiple broadcasters this weekend, viewing increasingly happens across devices rather than a single television screen.
BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Sky’s digital platforms make live sport and entertainment accessible on phones, tablets and laptops as standard. For viewers travelling abroad, however, regional restrictions can interrupt access to familiar subscriptions.
Secure VPN services are often used to maintain continuity with UK streaming platforms while overseas. LibertyShield is one such option, offering encrypted connections across devices, alongside a 48 hour free trial that aligns neatly with event heavy sporting weekends like this one.
Saturday night takeaway
Tonight’s television feels balanced rather than overloaded.
Comedy returns with emotional intelligence, endurance sport pushes physical boundaries, history unfolds patiently, and drama reaches resolution. Alongside it all, the Winter Olympics and Six Nations continue to provide live sporting scale.
It is a schedule built less around spectacle alone, more around personality and perspective.