What’s on TV tonight and this week: House of the Dragon returns with an epic sea battle and more
What’s on TV tonight and this week: House of the Dragon returns with an epic sea battle and more
Stephen KellyMon, June 22, 2026 at 8:03 AM UTC
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Emma D'Arcy's Rhaenyra continues her quest to take the Iron Throne from her half-brother - HBOWhat's on TV tonight?
House of the DragonSky Atlantic, 2am & 9pm; also available on NOW/HBO MaxGame of Thrones made its name through shocking deaths of major characters and no less shocking sex and violence, but secured its legend through a succession of pioneering battle sequences. Tonight, it is the turn of this fitfully excellent prequel series, which begins its third season with – after half an episode of slow build laced with incestuous undertones and a sense of realigning alliances as Emma D'Arcy's Rhaenyra realises that victory may be as elusive as ever – the Battle of the Gullet. Showrunner Ryan Condal claims it is "arguably the craziest episode of television ever made".
"Arguably" does a fair bit of heavy lifting. This naval assault, led by the Triarchy of Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh against the Sea Snake's blockade of King's Landing, is undeniably spectacu0lar – anyone wanting ignoble or heroic deaths and plenty of dragons will be satisfied – but its relative brevity and CGI-stuffed visuals make for a choppy, overstuffed narrative at times. Still, stars Steve Toussaint (as Corlys Velaryon), Abigail Thorn (as Sharako Lohar) and Phoebe Campbell (as Rhaena Targaryen) make their big moments count in a brutal collision with lasting consequences for Westeros.
FIFA World Cup 2026BBC One, 6pm & 9.30pm / ITV 12.15am & 3.30amThree of the tournament's superstars will hope to continue their flying starts as Lionel Messi leads Argentina against Iraq and Kylian Mbappé's France face Austria (6pm and 9.30pm on BBC One), before Erling Haaland may find Senegal's defence less generous than Iraq's and Jordan face Algeria in, to all intents and purposes, an eliminator (12.15am and 3.30am on ITV1).
Millionaire Superyacht: Why Ships SinkBBC Two/iPlayer, 8pmThis forensic examination of the 2024 sinking of the Bayesian, the superyacht owned by controversial British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, pulls apart the accident that claimed seven lives and how a combination of adverse weather and human error brought it about.
Dover 24/7Channel 4, 8pmBorder control has long been a reliable source for a docusoap, and Dover 24/7, with the added complications of Brexit, capitalises on it handsomely. The series opens with a major drugs haul, a road accident and a possible hitch in the touring plans of rock star Yungblud.
Secrets of Celebrity Sex TapesChannel 4, 11.05pmThis American-made documentary series has an intriguing premise beneath its grimly lurid subject matter, investigating matters of intent and consent in the sex tapes that both made (Kim Kardashian) and broke (Rob Lowe) careers and reputations.
Polar ParkChannel 4, midnightWalter Presents specialises in sniffing out eccentric policiers, and Polar Park is a corker featuring John-Paul Rouve as Parisian crime novelist David Rousseau, attempting to unblock his creativity with a trip to his home town, where personal history interweaves with a local serial killer with a macabre sense of style. GT
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Tuesday 23 June
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell embezzled more than £459,000 from the party - Jane Barlow/PA
Peter Murrell: The Man with the MoneyBBC Two/iPlayer, 7pmIt's an indication of how horrified the whole of the UK is by Scotland's biggest political scandal in decades (possibly ever) that this report has been scheduled not to clash with tonight's England World Cup match. Then again, the story of how Scotland's longest-serving First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was brought down by the avariciousness and dishonesty of her own husband remains a genuine jaw-dropper. Not only in terms of its impact on Sturgeon, or the headline-grabbing luxury purchases that Murrell made with the defrauded funds (from the notorious luxury motor home to the almost comically extravagant Lalique salt-and-pepper set, the list runs to over a hundred pages). But even more so in relation to how lax security was around finances at the top of the Scottish Nationalist Party, which enabled its CEO to spend, spend, spend more than £400,000 of party funds on himself without anyone apparently noticing or caring to question where the cash was coming from. Not even, she insists, his wife. With insider testimony, analysis and yet more revelations from the case, it's a shocking tale of power, criminal corruption and the worst kind of betrayal.
FIFA World Cup 2026: England v GhanaBBC One/iPlayer, 8pm England began their world campaign on a high, defeating Croatia 4-2 last week. Today they face Ghana in Miami, with coverage starting at 8pm on BBC One (kick-off 9pm). Earlier, Portugal takes on Uzbekistan (ITV1, 5pm/kick-off 6pm) in Houston, while overnight there's also live coverage of Panama v Croatia (BBC One 11.50pm/kick-off midnight) and Colombia v DR Congo (ITV1, 2.30am/kick-off 3am).
I Kissed a GirlBBC Three, from 9pm; all episodes will be available today on iPlayerDannii Minogue plays Cupid again with a second series of the all-female dating show. Ten single women head to a luxury estate in southern Italy in search of love, with each coupled-up pair starting their journey with a chemistry-testing kiss. Episodes one and two air tonight.
Bake Off: The ProfessionalsChannel 4, 8pmThe teams must up their game by transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary. Tonight, they're challenged to create a reimagined version of the classic Bakewell slice, plus a showpiece that demands jam roly-poly be given the haute cuisine treatment.
The Light in the Hall: Still WatersChannel 4, 9pmWhen a new lead re-ignites Caryl's (Sian Reese-Williams) investigation into the bombing, Rhys (Mark Lewis Jones) discloses new information about his involvement. Meanwhile, objections to the reservoir expansion deepen and protests push the community further apart.
Reuben Owen: Life in the DalesChannel 5, 8pmReuben offers to help his girlfriend Jess during one of the most stressful times in the farming calendar, her dairy herd's annual TB test. Away from the cattle sheds, he puts his latest acquisition to the test, an industrial stone crusher bought to expand his groundwork business. GO
Wednesday 24 June
Netflix's documentary examines the USA, 250 years after its creation
The American ExperimentNetflixThe United States of America was founded on the radical idea that the sovereignty of a nation lies not with a monarch, but with its people. This grand political experiment – a vast republic of states, governed by elected representatives – was remarkable not just for its scale, but for its contradictions. Who holds the power, for instance, between the federal government and individual states? How can a nation founded on the idea that "all men are created equal" tolerate racism and slavery?
This sweeping five-part documentary argues that, 250 years later, the USA is still wrestling with those contradictions. Directed by Brian Knappenberger, best known for his Turning Point documentaries, it enlists political figures from across the political divide to tell the story of the American Revolution, among them Mike Pence, Hillary Clinton and Al Gore. On one side, Senator Ted Cruz waxes lyrical about America as a nation in which "anyone can become anything". On the other, former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris reflects on how America's "ideals of liberty and freedom" have often fallen short. In a lavish twist, scenes from America's founding are re-enacted with The West Wing's Martin Sheen playing the role of George Washington. But the real star is America itself – an experiment still ongoing.
The Welcome TableHBO MaxThe climate crisis, argues filmmaker Josh Fox, is also an immigration crisis. In this earnest documentary, he tells the story of people around the world who have been forced to migrate due to climate change, bringing them together at the end for a unifying sing-along in New Orleans.
The Repair ShopBBC One/iPlayer, 8pmThe barn reopens for a special one-off episode. England fan Steph brings in a timely World Cup Willie mascot that was bought at the 1966 World Cup. The little lion is fragile. Can teddy bear experts Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch restore it to its former glory?
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Location, Location, LocationChannel 4, 8pmAnother reflective episode of the property staple. In 2022, engaged couple Camilla and Liam bought a home in the West Midlands that was brimming with potential. Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer find out if it's lived up to their expectations.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Scotland v BrazilBBC One/iPlayer, 10pm Scotland continue their World Cup campaign in pursuit of their first ever win against Brazil (kick-off 11pm). Alongside coverage of Morocco v Haiti at 10.50pm on BBC Two, you can also catch Switzerland v Canada (ITV1, 7pm), Czech Republic v Mexico (BBC One, 1.45am) and South Africa v South Korea (BBC Two, 1.50am).
Peter Flannery Remembers... Our Friends in the NorthBBC Four/iPlayer, 10pmScreenwriter Peter Flannery reflects on his landmark 1996 drama Our Friends in the North, which followed four friends from Newcastle across the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Flannery's retrospective precedes repeats of its three opening episodes, which announced the breakthroughs of Christopher Eccleston, Daniel Craig, Mark Strong and Gina McKee. SK
Thursday 25 June
Rik Mayall as Alan B'stard in The New Statesman - Getty
Rik Mayall: Magnificent B'stardSky Documentaries/NOW, 9pm Twelve years after Rik Mayall's death at the age of 56, Todd Austin's documentary pays tribute to the comic, actor and writer. Although he died relatively young, Mayall left a substantial body of work, creating characters that still amuse today – Rick the Poet, Kevin Turvey, Rick in The Young Ones and Alan B'stard in The New Statesman, to name a few.
Austin shows us that Mayall was a born performer, an unapologetic show-off who was happiest with an audience before him. "You couldn't take your eyes off him… and nor did he want you to," as his close friend and comedy partner Adrian Edmondson – who created the groundbreaking Bottom with him – wrily attests. Other contributors include Stephen Fry, Ben Elton, Helen Lederer and Nigel Planer, as well as Mayall's children, while there is plenty of archive footage and his family's home movies.
We learn of Mayall's formative years at Manchester University at the height of the punk music era, which heavily influenced his anarchic creations, and are reminded of his huge contribution to alternative comedy of the 1980s. This is an affectionate film, but it does not shy away from acknowledging the comic's excesses, particularly in relation to alcohol.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Netflix The Emmy award-winning animated fantasy action returns with Aang and the Gaang continuing their fight against the Fire Nation. Miya Cech joins the cast as a new character, Toph, an earthbending master.
George Clarke's Beautiful Builds Channel 4, 8pm The relentlessly positive presenter has his work cut out this week as he helps Bedfordshire couple Charlene and Matt, who think they have found their forever home after several moves but are unable to decide how to restructure the house's ground floor, which is a hotchpotch of spaces left by previous owners' redesigns.
Cornwall: A Year by the Sea Channel 5, 8pm The breezy travel magazine heads to the island of St Michael's Mount, 12 miles off Land's End, where senior guide Anna is preparing for the start of the tourist season. Meanwhile, on the Lizard Peninsula, the owners of Treleague Dairy Farm look for new ways to secure its future, and Padstow braces itself for the popular May Day celebrations in the town.
The Traitors US BBC Three/iPlayer, 9.10pm & 10.10pm Two more episodes of the American version, where the celebrity contestants are noticeably more histrionic than their UK counterparts were. Tonight, the outcome of the task will give the Faithfuls an opportunity to prevent a murder by the Traitors – one of whom is feeling the heat after an explosive round table.
The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? Channel 4, 10pm A look at the case of teenager Stacey Hyde from Somerset, who was convicted of murdering her best friend's boyfriend in 2009. She said it was self-defence – could the charity Justice for Women successfully campaign for a retrial? VL
Friday 26 June
Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White return for a fifth series of the tense restaurant-set drama - FX
The BearDisney+If The Bear were a beef sandwich, Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) wouldn't be happy selling it these days: from its raw, meaty and compact origins as a bingeable, award-gobbling sleeper hit, its last couple of series have seen it become an overcooked, hard to swallow and occasionally shapeless mess. Can this fifth and final run redeem what was once the most talked-about show on television? The flashback episode Gary, which arrived unannounced last month, was an encouraging sign, building the story of Richie's trauma (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) through a road trip with his late cousin Mikey (Jon Bernthal) with effortless naturalism.
We rejoin the restaurant in a moment of flux, with Carmy having quit the industry and the rest of the team left to manage one final service in the face of brutal weather, near bankruptcy and a looming sale of the building. With the possibility of a Michelin star still tantalisingly within reach, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and the crew step up for eight episodes of inspirational catharsis and, let us hope, a final course to remember. In the words of Carmy and Sydney, respectively, "Everything's either going to be okay…" "Or not."
Would You Rather: Decide to SurviveAmazon Prime VideoInvisibility or flight? Fight a giant duck or 1,000 tiny ducks? Romesh Ranganathan (who else?) hosts this new game show that challenges Chunkz, King Kenny and eight other social media stars to test out these timeless dilemmas. Expect silliness and screaming.
Camp SnoopyApple TVApple's curation of Peanuts has been an admirable combination of warmth, nostalgia and goofiness, sprinkling new series in alongside old favourites. Camp Snoopy is a case in point: season two follows Charlie Brown and the gang alongside Snoopy and the birds on a hike where sandcastles are built and profound truths revealed.
Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin CostnerParamount+In 1903, naturalist John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt took a three-day trek through Yosemite – a journey which proved revelatory for the latter and transformed federal policy on wilderness preservation. Over three episodes, Kevin Costner retraces their steps.
What Happened at the SommeBBC One/iPlayer, 7.30pmJordan Dunbar presents the fourth instalment in this occasional, excellent series of concise contextualisations of globally significant events, once again approaching it through personal accounts; this one is driven by the Irish experience of the Western Front and what his own great-grandfather endured at the Somme – events he never spoke of again.
Madonna & GrahamBBC One/iPlayer, 10.40pmThe Queen of Pop has returned, and who better than British television's King of Chat to join her for a discussion of her long career and remarkable life, during which she has grown to be as associated with London as New York? Appropriately, they will be at Koko in Camden, where Madonna first played live in the UK and will tonight perform tracks from her forthcoming album, Confessions II. GT
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
