Full ITV4 listings for Wednesday 28 October 2026, with times in London local time.

ITV4 hands the evening to Sharpe, then to Van Damme

See also: What's on tonight across all channels | Wednesday's TV guide

If you want something with a bit of period swagger on Wednesday night, ITV4 has it at 19.20: Sharpe’s Mission, an episode of the Sean Bean series that runs for 130 minutes. It is the only reason to be on this channel before half past nine, and for once that is a compliment. Everything around it is either filler or a second helping of something already served.

The one that carries the night

Sharpe is a series that rewards a long slot. Sean Bean leads, Hugh Fraser, Daragh O’Malley and Assumpta Serna are in the cast, and Tom Clegg directed. At more than two hours this is a feature-length outing, and ITV4 is wise to give it room rather than carve it up with breaks and trailers for the next thing. It is also a show the channel knows well: it has turned up on eight of the last ten days in the schedule, so this is a regular fixture rather than an event. That doesn’t make it less good. It does mean nobody should be sold on it as a rarity.

The competition is the usual early-evening crowd. EastEnders is on BBC One at the same time, Brooklyn Nine-Nine starts on E4, and ITV2 has Deal or No Deal: Banker’s Best Battles. If you want a drama with a bit of weight and a long runtime, Sharpe is the clear answer, and four stars is fair for a series that has lasted this well on a channel that leans heavily on its back catalogue.

The 1990s action double

At 21.30 comes Universal Soldier, the 1992 film directed by Roland Emmerich, with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren at the top of the cast, plus Ally Walker, Ed O’Ross and Jerry Orbach. It is listed as science fiction and action, and it is the kind of film ITV4 can schedule in its sleep. The odd part is the scheduling itself. It appears twice tonight, at 21.30 and again at 22.35, each time as a 60-minute entry, with a five-minute FYI Daily sandwiched between at 22.30. Whether the second slot is a continuation or a straight repeat isn’t clear, so 21.30 is the safe start.

Three stars is about right. The clash is gentle: BBC One has The Monkey at 22.35, BBC Two has Newsnight and ITV1 has the news at ten. There is little here to pull you away.

Late and early extras

River Monsters closes the night at 23.35 with American Killers, the opening episode of series four. The documentary has run to nine series and 58 episodes in all, and a 25-minute slot suits it. It is a late-night comfort watch more than an appointment.

Earlier, at 08.10, Minder starts its eighth series with The Loneliness of the Long Distance Entrepreneur. George Cole is the name attached to the show, which has 10 series and 108 episodes to its credit. Minder airs every day on ITV4, so it is wallpaper in the best sense: easy company with your toast. Three stars.

What to skip

The daytime is a wall of repeats by volume. American Pickers, Dempsey and Makepeace and Ice Road Truckers all turn up twice today and have aired on most days this fortnight. Robin of Sherwood is another regular. If you have seen them, you know what you are getting; if you haven’t, they are fine background but not worth rearranging your day around.

The short version: Sharpe at 19.20, then pick between Universal Soldier and the news. Most nights ITV4 is a channel to dip into, and Wednesday is no different. It just happens to dip into something good early on.


Also on TV tonight at 9pm

  • BBC One: Who Do You Think You Are?
  • BBC Two: Spotlight
  • ITV1: Carabao Cup: Liverpool v Chelsea (from 7.30pm)
  • Channel 4: Grand Designs
  • Channel 5: Cause of Death
  • BBC Four: The Planets
  • ITV2: Big Brother
  • ITV3: Midsomer Murders (from 8pm)
  • E4: Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA
  • More4: Our Tiny Islands

Every channel tonight, side by side · Films on TV tonight · Tomorrow’s TV


Frequently asked questions

What’s on ITV4 tonight?

On Wednesday 28 October 2026, ITV4 shows Sharpe at 7.20pm, Universal Soldier at 9.30pm, FYI Daily at 10.30pm and Universal Soldier at 10.35pm.

Is there a film on ITV4 tonight?

Yes: Universal Soldier (1992) at 9.30pm and Universal Soldier (1992) at 10.35pm.

What’s on ITV4 late tonight?

After 11pm, ITV4 has River Monsters at 11.35pm.

What time does ITV4’s evening start?

The evening schedule starts with PREM Rugby Unleashed at 6.50pm.