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WhatToWatch
WhatToWatch
Entertainment
Martin Shore

TV tonight: Our highlights for Friday, July 21

The Not Going Out cast in a train carriage

On TV tonight, it's Lucy's birthday in Not Going Out, US smash-hit drama Yellowstone starts from the beginning on Channel 5, the Aidan Turner tennis drama Fifteen-Love lands on Prime Video, and Claudia makes a new move against Nina in Riches. Here's what you shouldn't miss on TV Tonight.

  • Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include TV shows, a film, live sport and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set 
  • Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis 
  • For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide

What's on TV tonight

Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight... 

Best TV shows on TV tonight

Not Going Out season 13, 9 pm, BBC One/iPlayer (box set)

(Image credit: BBC/Avalon/Pete Dadds)

It’s Lucy’s birthday, and as a special treat her parents Geoffrey and Wendy have organised a trip on a vintage train, with corridors, first-class compartments, the lot, and Anna and Toby are along for the ride. Typically, this all makes Lee (Lee Mack) slightly anxious and so he reacts by pilfering a spoon from the dining carriage – as you do. Then a chatty blind man (Chris McCausland) enters their carriage and accidentally takes Lee’s seat. Lee, obviously, is going to do the gracious thing and let him stay there. Of course, he isn’t. But is there more to this blind man than, as the saying goes, meets the eye? 

★★★★ SM 

Riches, 9 pm, ITV1/ITVX (box set)

(Image credit: ITVX)

As the tussle over who’s going to take charge of Flair & Glory continues, Sarah Niles is relishing her role as the villainous Claudia, who launches her latest plot to oust her stepdaughter tonight. Nina (Deborah Ayorinde) has a vision for her late father’s cosmetics empire, but the strange hole in company finances has left her vulnerable, and Claudia is able to outmanoeuvre her when she secures outside investment. The only question is: will the shareholders accept the deal? Nina says it’s a move that will eventually lose them control of the firm, although Claudia might be happy to see the whole thing burn as long as she ends up the queen of the ash heap. 

★★★★ SMA 

Yellowstone, 9 pm, Channel 5

This modern-day Western-meets-Dynasty remains the most popular series in the US. With UK scheduling having been all over the place (it was first on 5USA, then Paramount+), here it is from the beginning. Kevin Costner is John Dutton, a ranch owner whose land is threatened by both developers and the rights of Native Americans, and Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley and Luke Grimes play his troubled children. It’s become a TV phenomenon – there are five spin-offs either made or in the works – and this opener is a compelling, if violent, start to the saga. 

★★★★ NT 

Fifteen-Love, Prime Video

(Image credit: Amazon Studios)

It's game, set and match in this tense drama set in the world of elite tennis. Poldark’s Aidan Turner plays coach Glenn, who, five years ago, guided 17-year-old prodigy Justine (Ella Lily Hyland) to the French Open semi-finals. But since an injury ruined her career, Justine has been working as a therapist at her former tennis academy. Then, she makes an explosive allegation against her former coach. But
is she telling the truth? Anna Chancellor and Ridley Road’s Tom Varey also star. 

HD 

Best box set on TV tonight

The Replacement, Channel 4

(Image credit: BBC/Left Bank)

Originally shown on BBC1 in 2017, here’s another chance to see this three-part psychological thriller on demand starring Vicky McClure and Morven Christie. Ellen (Christie) is preparing for her maternity leave from her architectural practice when she finds the perfect replacement in mum-of-one Paula (McClure). But when Paula comes in to job-shadow, Ellen begins to see her as a friend-stealing manipulator. 

Are her own insecurities to blame or is Paula trying to take over Ellen’s life, not just her job? With an air of Single White Female about it, this is a spine-tingling take on office politics, with a good amount of ambiguity as you’re never quite sure whose side you’re on. 

★★★★★ RM

Best film on TV tonight

Babylon, 9 pm, Sky Cinema Premiere/NOW

(Image credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

After Whiplash and La La Land, writer-director Damien Chazelle’s fascination with the world of entertainment comes to a climax with this gargantuan epic taking in the last days of Hollywood’s silent-movie era. The story follows a trio of wannabes – played by Margot Robbie, Diego Calva and Jovan Adepo – as they launch an assault on the big time. And then there’s Brad Pitt as Hollywood’s biggest star, a man who doesn’t realise that the talkies are going to bring his career to a screaming halt. It’s a big, baggy and glorious film – stolen conclusively by Robbie – and at three hours and a handful of minutes it’s maybe a touch too long. But what a ride, what a spectacle! 

★★★★ SM 

Soaps

Live Sport

  • FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, matches from 3.20 am, BBC Two/iPlayer/ITV1/ITVX
  • The Ashes, from 11 am, Sky Sports Main Event/NOW
  • The Open Live, 6.30 pm, Sky Sports Main Event/Golf/NOW

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…

Don't miss Not Goint Out on TV tonight.

Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide

Happy viewing!

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