What to watch on TV this week: 30 July – 8 August

Ready for another jam-packed week of telly treats? School’s out and summer’s here, which can only mean one thing: there’s a fantastic range of family films on that everyone can enjoy. Grab the popcorn, snuggle up on the sofa and read on to discover what classic kids’ flicks and mega movies are on this week. Yee-haw!

• The Wild Robot – Sky Cinema on demand now

• Despicable Me 4 – Sky Cinema on demand now

• Wicked – Sky Cinema on demand now

• Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile – Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• Back To The Future – Apps > BBC iPlayer now + Thursday 31 July, 7pm, BBC Four HD (CH 108)

• Back To The Future Part II – Apps > BBC iPlayer now + Friday 1 August, 3.45pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• The Bad Guys – Apps > ITVX now

• Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle – Apps > Channel 4 now

• Mousehunt – Wednesday 30 July, 11am, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• Tad The Lost Explorer And The Emerald Tablet – Thursday 31 July, 11am, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• Anastasia – Thursday 31 July, 12.45pm, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• Spider-Man: No Way Home – Thursday 31 July, 10.40pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Dora And The Lost City Of Gold – Saturday 2 August, 11am, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• Rio – Saturday 2 August, 2.45pm, ITV2 HD (CH 115)

• Ferdinand – Saturday 2 August, 1.05pm, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• Jumanji: The Next Level – Saturday 2 August, 6.40pm, E4 HD (CH 106)

• Men In Black – Saturday 2 August, 9pm, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• Rio 2 – Sunday 3 August, 2.15pm, ITV2 HD (CH 115)

• Kensuke’s Kingdom – Sunday 3 August, 3.35pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – Monday 4 August, 11am, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water – Wednesday 6 August, 11am, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• Tooth Fairy – Wednesday 6 August, 12.50pm, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• The Karate Kid – Thursday 7 August, 4.45pm, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• The Karate Kid Part II – Friday 8 August, 11am, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• The Karate Kid Part III – Friday 8 August, 1.25pm, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• The Next Karate Kid – Friday 8 August, 3.40pm, Film4 HD (CH 428)

• Sonic The Hedgehog 3 – Sky Cinema on demand from Friday 8 August

For the grown-ups, don’t miss exciting new travel competition Destination X, David Attenborough’s epic nature series Parenthood and the final of Love Island, while returning favourites include BAFTA-winning comedy Mrs Brown’s Boys, gripping crime drama The Gone and high-stakes game show The Fortune Hotel. Happy viewing!

With all this plus our usual sport and movie picks of the week, there’s something for all tastes across the service. If you’re looking for when to watch UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, where England have reached the final, you’ll find that here. And don’t forget, with Virgin TV Go, you can take your telly on the move with you.

There’s so much good stuff on this week that we’ve compiled a list of the best TV shows to watch. Bookmark this page to keep up to date with the latest changes.

Pick of the day: Destination X
9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Rob Brydon is your host for this exhilarating new travel game show that sends 13 contestants on the journey of a lifetime across Europe. The catch? They have no idea where they are and must use all their smarts to crack a series of cryptic clues for their shot at winning a mega £100,000 cash prize. Like The Traitors, it’s based on a European format (Belgian rather than Dutch) that’s been a success around the world, so come along for the wild ride in the UK version of this high-stakes competition.

What else to watch:

• Can’t Sell, Must Sell – 8pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Bookish – 8pm + 9.10pm, U&Alibi HD (CH 114)

• The Moors Murders: A Search For Justice – 9pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Operation Dark Phone: Murder By Text – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Love Island – 9pm, ITV2 HD (CH 115)

Pick of the day: The Gone
9pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

Crime drama fans, rejoice! The Gone is back on our screens and it promises to be the most thrilling instalment yet. We left the New Zealand-set series on a cliffhanger when Irish journalist Aileen Ryan (Carolyn Bracken, Dublin Murders) disappeared. Now, Dublin detective Theo Richter (Richard Flood, Grey’s Anatomy) and local DS Diana Huia (Acushla-Tara Kupe) must team up once more to find Aileen, as they’re led into a cat-and-mouse game with “The Goatman” – who is back and more dangerous than ever.

What else to watch:

• Bangers & Cash – 8pm, U&Yesterday HD (CH 129)

• Tom Kerridge Cooks Spain – 8.30pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• Destination X – 9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Queen Victoria: Secret Marriage, Secret Child? – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Mr Bigstuff – 9pm + 9.30pm, Sky Showcase HD (CH 109) + Sky Max HD (CH 111)

Pick of the day: Mrs Brown’s Boys
9.30pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Bless us Father, for we have sinned… At long last, the loudest and proudest woman in Ireland and her merry rabble are returning to our screens for more laugh-out-loud high jinks. In the fifth series, Agnes Brown (Brendan O’Carroll) has become a podcast sensation, much to the dismay of her daughter Cathy (Jennifer Gibney). What could possibly go wrong? Simon Delaney guest stars.

What else to watch: 

• Here We Go – 9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• The Gone – 9pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Under The Bridge – 9pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Love Island – 9pm, ITV2 HD (CH 115)

Pick of the day: Billy Joel: And So It Goes
9pm, Sky Documentaries HD (CH 188)

Fans of legendary singer Billy Joel, cancel all your weekend plans. Fresh from the US comes this revealing two-part programme about the Piano Man himself, exploring the love, loss and personal struggles that have fuelled his songwriting and led to an epic career spanning more than five decades. Get ready to see the life and works of the pop icon as you’ve never seen him before, including unreleased music and live recordings that’ll rock your world. Concludes tomorrow.

What else to watch:

• The Hit List – 5.45pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Prince William: A Life In Pictures – 8.30pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Griff’s Great American South – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Love Island: Unseen Bits – 9pm, ITV2 HD (CH 115)

• The Count Of Monte Cristo – 9pm, U&Drama HD (CH 116)

Pick of the day: Parenthood
7.20pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

National treasure David Attenborough is back to teach us all about life as a parent in the animal kingdom. Attenborough’s fascinating five-part series follows the high-stakes story of animal parenthood as creatures great and small devise extraordinary strategies to ensure that their young survive, from lions in the Kalahari Desert and burrowing owls in Texas to hippos in Tanzania and crabs in Indonesia.

What else to watch:

• Cooking With The Stars – 7pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• Karen Pirie – 8pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Love Island – 9pm, ITV2 HD (CH 115)

• The Narrow Road To The Deep North – 9.20pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Pick of the day: Love Island: The Live Final
9pm, ITV2 HD (CH 115)

It’s been a long hot summer for the latest batch of Love Island contestants. From whirlwind romances, dating dramas and fire pit chats, it’s been a summer that they’ll never forget. Now in the live final, one lucky couple will be crowned this year’s winners and will have their shot at a mega prize of £50,000. Tune in to see who will walk away with the cash as another sizzling series comes to an end. Maya Jama hosts.

What else to watch:

• What Happened At Hiroshima – 8.30pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters – 9pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable Kidnapping – 9pm, BBC Three HD (CH 107/113)

• Pharaohs At War – 9pm, Sky HISTORY HD (CH 131)

Pick of the day: Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable Kidnapping
9pm, BBC Three HD (CH 107/113)

In 2017, model Chloe Ayling flew to Milan for a photoshoot – or so she thought. Instead she was kidnapped by an international crime gang known as Black Death. Now, for the first time since her terrifying ordeal, Ayling is telling her story in her own words. Along with unseen archive footage and testimonies from her former agent, the British police and Italian detectives, Ayling details the horrifying events that took place over the course of her six-day imprisonment as well as her miraculous escape. Concludes tomorrow.   

What else to watch:

• Do You Have ADHD? – 8pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Coastal Adventures With Helen, Jules & JB – 8pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• The Great British Sewing Bee – 9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Georgia And Tommy: Happy Essex After – 9pm, ITV2 HD (CH 115)

• The Nazi Cartel – 9pm, Sky Documentaries HD (CH 188)

Pick of the day: The Fortune Hotel
9pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

Stephen Mangan is ready to check in a new batch of hopeful holidaymakers for a thrilling second series of The Fortune Hotel. The jet-setters’ time in their Caribbean paradise is far from relaxing, though, as they must use all their smarts to track down a briefcase that’s filled with £250,000. Expect nail-biting challenges, never-before-seen twists, impressive blagging and plenty of high-stakes case-swapping drama at The Night Cap. 

What else to watch:

• Churchill: Winning The War, Losing The Peace – 8pm, U&Yesterday HD (CH 129)

• Johnny Vegas: Art, ADHD And Me – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Soldier: For King And Country – 9pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable Kidnapping – 9pm, BBC Three HD (CH 107/113)

• Air Crash India: What Went Wrong? – 10pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

Pick of the day: Johnny Vegas: Art, ADHD And Me
9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

While many of us know Johnny Vegas for his larger-than-life stage persona and characters, the comedian shows his more vulnerable side in this deeply personal docuseries. It follows the actor’s life-changing diagnosis with ADHD and his unexpected journey thereafter, as he navigates life with the condition and his mental health, all while creating an art installation for his hometown of St Helens.

What else to watch:

• Tom Kerridge Cooks Spain – 8.30pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• Destination X – 9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• The Fortune Hotel – 9pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• The Secret Life Of Trees – 9pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Mr Bigstuff – 9pm + 9.30pm, Sky Showcase HD (CH 109) + Sky Max HD (CH 111)

Pick of the day: Whitstable Pearl
8pm, U&Drama HD (CH 116)

There’s never a dull day for Pearl Nolan (Kerry Godliman). As her sleuthing side hustle goes from strength to strength, she leaves her mother Dolly (Frances Barber) and Ruby (Isobelle Molloy) running the Whitstable Pearl restaurant while she sinks her teeth into grisly murders. But when infamous food critic Paddy Sheedy (David Verry) visits their restaurant, he’s poisoned and dies at the scene of the crime. Has Pearl bitten off more than she can chew with this case?

What else to watch:

• Here We Go – 9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• The Gone – 9pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Under The Bridge – 9pm + 9.45pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Mrs Brown’s Boys – 9.30pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Cricket: England v India – 5th Men’s Test
From Thursday 31 July, 10am, Sky Sports Cricket/HD (CH 514/504)

With the rise of shorter cricket formats, doubt is frequently being cast over the future of Test matches – but this series has demonstrated once again that the five-day version can match its more colourful rivals for entertainment any day. It has brought us Shubman Gill’s coming of age as India captain, magnificent centuries from Gill, Joe Root, KL Rahul, Jamie Smith and more, the return of paramount paceman Jofra Archer to the England attack, and some astonishing all-round prowess from those complete cricketers, Ben Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja. Plus, a little bit of needle out in the middle as both teams were rattled by the other’s sly tactics. What’s not to love?

After the draw at Old Trafford, England have a 2-1 lead going into the final Test at the Oval. But although they can’t lose the series, they’ll be desperate to secure a victory. Similarly, while India are unable to win the series, they’ll be fighting as hard as they can to avoid defeat. There are World Test Championship points at stake too. And when relentless competitors like these face off, a top-tier contest is virtually inevitable. Every Test in the series has gone to a fifth day so far, so expect the full complement of absorbing, gripping, unparalleled sporting spectacle.

 Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Available from Friday 8 August in Sky Cinema on demand. Cert PG

Life is good for Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) in Green Hills, Montana – until a new threat arises: a powerful and extremely grumpy hedgehog named Shadow (Keanu Reeves) who is out for revenge on humankind. He’s strong enough to overpower our intrepid trio and when he allies with mad doctors Gerald and Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey in a dual role), Sonic and pals know they’ll have their work cut out if they’re going to save the day again… Expect super-speed action, breathless set-pieces and groanworthy quips galore.

What else to watch:

Looking for more movies this week? We can help with that.

• Our monthly Sky Cinema guide featuring the best movies this month

• Looking for something on Netflix? Try our monthly guide to new releases

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