What’s On TV Tonight, Wed 28 Oct: Celebrity Race Across the World & All of Us Strangers
Tonight's pick: Celebrity Race Across the World (BBC One, 8pm). Also worth a look: All of Us Strangers (Film4, 9pm). Full times for 134 programmes.
Celebrity Race Across the World
Competition realityAll of Us Strangers
DramaThe Future with Hannah Fry
ScienceCarabao Cup: Liverpool v Chelsea
EntertainmentMidsomer Murders
Crime DramaWho Do You Think You Are?
DocumentaryThe Monkey
FilmKevin McCloud's Listed Britain
DocumentaryEverything worth watching on Wednesday 28 October 2026, across 30 channels.
Wednesday is decided at eight o’clock, and BBC One has the best of it
The night turns on 8pm, when BBC One starts a new series of Celebrity Race Across the World and the rest of the dial has little that can match it. Everything before that is a football match on one side and a pile of familiar comfort viewing on the other. Everything after it is a smaller fight, with a good film and a family-history hour to split the audience.
The pick, and what it costs you
Celebrity Race Across the World (BBC One, 8pm) is the first episode of series four, and that matters: openers are where a series asks for your loyalty, and this one arrives with nothing serious against it. The Repair Shop is on BBC Two at the same time, now at episode 25 of its fourteenth series, and it is dependable rather than urgent. Midsomer Murders opens series 11 on ITV3 with a two-hour slot, which will suit anyone who wants to settle in for the evening. Celebrity Race still wins the hour, because it is the only thing in it that begins something.
What you give up is mostly habit. If you stay on BBC One, EastEnders at 7.30 leads in and Who Do You Think You Are? follows at 9pm with Ruth Jones. That is a tidy three-hour run without touching the remote, and the news at ten waits at the end of it.
The football, and the other 9pm choice
ITV1 has given its whole evening to Carabao Cup: Liverpool v Chelsea. It kicks off at 7.30 and the slot runs 175 minutes, so the programme does not hand back until ITV News at Ten at 22:25. Liverpool against Chelsea is a proper fixture for a midweek cup night, and for anyone following it the rest of the schedule barely matters. Everyone else should know that ITV1 is, for practical purposes, closed to non-football viewers until well past ten.
The 9pm hour is where the better argument sits. Film4 shows All of Us Strangers (2023), with Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Carter John Grout and Jamie Bell, and it is preceded at 20:50 by an interview special that makes a sensible warm-up. It is the best film on tonight by some distance. Against it, the choices are Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC One, Grand Designs on Channel 4, and Long Lost Family on Really. Driven (2001) on Legend, with Sylvester Stallone, is the easy-going alternative, and The Boston Strangler (1968) on Talking Pictures TV, with Tony Curtis and Henry Fonda, is the one for people who like their cinema old. If you only have room for one film, make it All of Us Strangers.
Earlier, and later
BBC Two quietly stacks its early evening: Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing returns at 7pm with series nine, The Future with Hannah Fry starts a second series at 7.30, and The Secret Genius of Modern Life begins at 7.55. Three openers in under an hour is rare, and it makes BBC Two the better place to be before eight than BBC One’s regular soap run. At 10.40pm BBC One closes with The Monkey (2025), starring Theo James and Tatiana Maslany. It is a late film on a weeknight, and it will find its audience among those who stayed for the news.
If you read nothing else
Watch Celebrity Race Across the World on BBC One at 8pm, then All of Us Strangers on Film4 at 9pm if you have the appetite for a film. If football is the reason you are in, ITV1 has you covered until 22:25.
What’s on tonight — Wednesday 28 October 2026
| Time | Channel | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 19:00 | 4seven | Kevin McCloud’s Listed Britain: Episode 2 |
| 19:00 | 5Action | Police Interceptors: Episode 5 |
| 19:00 | 5Star | GPs: Behind Closed Doors: Episode 20 |
| 19:00 | 5USA | NCIS: Restless |
| 19:00 | BBC One | The One Show |
| 19:00 | BBC Two | Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing: River Ribble, Lancashire – Barbel |
| 19:00 | Blaze | Dickinson’s Real Deal: Ilkeston 4 |
| 19:00 | Channel 5 | Fare Dodgers: At War With The Law: Episode 2 |
| 19:00 | E4 | Hollyoaks: Episode 129 |
| 19:00 | GREAT! Action | Burn Notice: Fearless Leader |
| 19:00 | GREAT! Movies | Castle: Kill Switch |
| 19:00 | GREAT! Romance | Good News from GREAT! |
| 19:00 | GREAT! TV | MAS*H: Requiem for a Lightweight |
| 19:00 | ITV2 | Deal or No Deal: Banker’s Best Battles: Brian and Kelly |
| 19:00 | Legend | Babylon 5: Meditations on the Abyss |
| 19:00 | Really | The Yorkshire Auction House: X Marks the Spot |
| 19:00 | Sky Arts | The Handel Scandal: The Making Of The Messiah |
| 19:00 | Talking Pictures TV | Out of Town: Bee Skeps; Flooded River Fishing |
| 19:00 | BBC Four | Secrets of Skin |
| 19:00 | Channel 4 | Budget Special: C4 News |
| 19:00 | Dave | Would I Lie To You? |
| 19:00 | Quest | Antiques Road Trip |
| 19:00 | Yesterday | The Tropic of Capricorn with Simon Reeve |
| 19:05 | GREAT! Romance | Christmas at the Plaza: Episode 2 |
| 19:20 | ITV4 | Sharpe: Sharpe’s Mission |
| 19:20 | Drama | Last Of The Summer Wine |
| 19:20 | That’s TV | Likely Lads: Whatever Happened? |
| 19:25 | ITV2 | Deal or No Deal: Banker’s Best Battles: Ronnie and Sami |
| 19:30 | BBC One | EastEnders: Episode 172 |
| 19:30 | BBC Two | The Future with Hannah Fry: Super Intelligence |
| 19:30 | E4 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Det. Dave Majors |
| 19:30 | GREAT! TV | MAS*H: Chief Surgeon Who? |
| 19:30 | Talking Pictures TV | Dick Turpin: The Impostor |
| 19:30 | BBC Four | Gareth Edwards’s Great Welsh Adventure |
| 19:30 | ITV1 | Carabao Cup: Liverpool v Chelsea |
| 19:40 | Dave | Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing |
| 19:55 | BBC Two | The Secret Genius of Modern Life: Bank Card |
| 19:55 | More4 | The Dog House: Episode 3 |
| 19:55 | That’s TV | Minder |
| 20:00 | 4seven | Kevin McCloud’s Classic Car Road Trips: Maserati 3500GT: Emilia-Romagna |
| 20:00 | 5Action | Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders: Episode 3 |
| 20:00 | 5Star | Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts: Episode 2 |
| 20:00 | 5USA | NCIS: The Penelope Papers |
| 20:00 | BBC One | Celebrity Race Across the World: Episode 1 |
| 20:00 | BBC Two | The Repair Shop: Episode 25 |
| 20:00 | Blaze | Dickinson’s Real Deal: Huddersfield 1 |
| 20:00 | Channel 5 | Murder Scene: The Incident Room: Honour Killing |
| 20:00 | E4 | First Dates: Episode 2 |
| 20:00 | GREAT! Action | Burn Notice: Signals and Codes |
| 20:00 | GREAT! Movies | Unforgettable: Behind the Beat |
| 20:00 | GREAT! Romance | Christmas in Vienna: Episode 1 |
| 20:00 | GREAT! TV | MAS*H: The Moose |
| 20:00 | ITV2 | The 1% Club: Episode 14 |
| 20:00 | ITV3 | Midsomer Murders: Shot at Dawn |
| 20:00 | Legend | Walker, Texas Ranger: Mayday |
| 20:00 | Really | Antiques Road Trip: Natasha Raskin Sharp and Raj Bisram, Day 3 |
| 20:00 | Sky Arts | Portrait Artist of the Year: Danny Beard, Yalda Hakim, Arti Shah |
| 20:00 | BBC Four | How the Romans Conquered the Alps |
| 20:00 | Channel 4 | New: Location, Location, Location |
| 20:00 | Drama | Miss Scarlet |
| 20:00 | Quest | The Yorkshire Auction House |
| 20:00 | Yesterday | This World: The Coffee Trail… |
| 20:05 | Talking Pictures TV | Van der Valk: A Dangerous Point of View |
| 20:20 | Dave | Would I Lie To You? |
| 20:30 | GREAT! TV | MAS*H: Yankee Doodle Doctor |
| 20:50 | Film4 | All of Us Strangers Interview Special |
| 20:50 | BBC Four | Building Sights |
| 20:55 | GREAT! Romance | Good News from GREAT! |
| 21:00 | 4seven | 24 Hours in A&E: Episode 1 |
| 21:00 | 5Action | Police Interceptors: Episode 18 |
| 21:00 | 5Star | Max Payne: Episode 1 |
| 21:00 | 5USA | Law & Order: Organized Crime: The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of |
| 21:00 | BBC One | Who Do You Think You Are?: Ruth Jones |
| 21:00 | BBC Two | Spotlight: Murder in Belfast – Sisters Seeking Justice: Part 1 |
| 21:00 | Blaze | What on Earth?: Riddle in the Ruins |
| 21:00 | Channel 5 | Cause of Death: Episode 5 |
| 21:00 | E4 | Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA: Golden Girls |
| 21:00 | Film4 | All of Us Strangers |
| 21:00 | GREAT! Action | Pistol Whipped: Episode 1 |
| 21:00 | GREAT! Movies | In Plain Sight: Something A-mish |
| 21:00 | GREAT! Romance | Christmas in Vienna: Episode 2 |
| 21:00 | GREAT! TV | One Fine Day: Episode 1 |
| 21:00 | ITV2 | Big Brother: Episode 40 |
| 21:00 | Legend | Driven |
| 21:00 | More4 | Our Tiny Islands: Episode 1 |
| 21:00 | Really | Long Lost Family: Episode 3 |
| 21:00 | Sky Arts | Katharine Hepburn: Call Me Kate |
| 21:00 | BBC Four | The Planets |
| 21:00 | Channel 4 | Grand Designs |
| 21:00 | Dave | QI XL |
| 21:00 | Drama | Father Brown |
| 21:00 | Quest | New: The Derbyshire Auction House |
| 21:00 | That’s TV | Benidorm |
| 21:00 | Yesterday | Guy Martin: Proper Jobs |
| 21:05 | Talking Pictures TV | The Boston Strangler |
| 21:30 | ITV4 | Universal Soldier: Episode 1 |
| 21:52 | GREAT! TV | Good News from GREAT! |
| 21:55 | GREAT! Romance | Looks Like Christmas: Episode 1 |
| 21:55 | That’s TV | Shameless |
| 21:56 | GREAT! Action | This Week Back Then |
| 21:57 | GREAT! TV | One Fine Day: Episode 2 |
| 22:00 | 4seven | Social Media Monsters: The Murder Of Joe Dix |
| 22:00 | 5Action | Police: Night Shift 999: Episode 10 |
| 22:00 | 5Star | Entertainment News On 5: Episode 218 |
| 22:00 | 5USA | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Wanderlust |
| 22:00 | BBC One | BBC News at Ten |
| 22:00 | BBC Two | Ellie & Natasia: Episode 2 |
| 22:00 | Blaze | What on Earth?: Stonehenge of the Holy Land |
| 22:00 | Channel 5 | A&E After Dark: Episode 1 |
| 22:00 | E4 | Gogglebox: Episode 5 |
| 22:00 | GREAT! Movies | Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence: Episode 1 |
| 22:00 | ITV2 | Big Brother: The Group Chat: Episode 33 |
| 22:00 | ITV3 | Downton Abbey: Episode 4 |
| 22:00 | More4 | 24 Hours in A&E: Episode 1 |
| 22:00 | Really | Who Do You Think You Are?: Reggie Yates |
| 22:00 | BBC Four | The Singing Detective |
| 22:00 | Channel 4 | New: First Dates |
| 22:00 | Dave | Have I Got A Bit More News For You? |
| 22:00 | Drama | New Tricks |
| 22:00 | Quest | The Repair Shop |
| 22:00 | Yesterday | Bangers & Cash |
| 22:01 | GREAT! Action | Pistol Whipped: Episode 2 |
| 22:05 | 5Star | Max Payne: Episode 2 |
| 22:25 | ITV1 | ITV News at Ten |
| 22:30 | BBC One | BBC London |
| 22:30 | BBC Two | Newsnight |
| 22:30 | ITV4 | FYI Daily |
| 22:35 | ITV4 | Universal Soldier: Episode 2 |
| 22:40 | BBC One | The Monkey |
| 22:50 | GREAT! Romance | Good News from GREAT! |
| 22:55 | GREAT! Romance | Looks Like Christmas: Episode 2 |
| 22:55 | That’s TV | Man About The House |
| 22:56 | GREAT! Movies | Good News from GREAT! |
| 22:58 | BBC Two | BBC Weather |
Full schedule
PRIME TIME
Frequently asked questions
What's the best thing to watch on TV tonight?
Our pick is Celebrity Race Across the World on BBC One at 8pm. Also worth watching: All of Us Strangers on Film4 at 9pm and The Future with Hannah Fry on BBC Two at 7.30pm.
What film is on TV tonight?
18 films start after 6pm on Wednesday 28 October 2026, including Christmas at the Plaza (2019) on GREAT! Romance at 6.05pm, Legends of the Fall (1994) on Film4 at 6.15pm, The Handel Scandal: The Making Of The Messiah (2026) on Sky Arts at 7pm, Christmas in Vienna (2020) on GREAT! Romance at 8pm and Max Payne (2008) on 5Star at 9pm.
What's on TV at 9pm tonight?
At 9pm on Wednesday 28 October 2026: 24 Hours in A&E (4seven), Police Interceptors (5Action), Max Payne (5Star), Law & Order: Organized Crime (5USA), Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC One), Spotlight (BBC Two), What on Earth? (Blaze) and Cause of Death (Channel 5).
What sport is on TV tonight?
PREM Rugby Unleashed on ITV4 at 6.50pm.
Is EastEnders on tonight?
Yes: EastEnders is on BBC One at 7.30pm.
Is Hollyoaks on tonight?
Yes: Hollyoaks is on E4 at 7pm.