TV tonight: a big night in with Elton John and Brandi Carlile

The Guardian

19-04-2025

9.05pm, ITV1
The two musicians have been friends for more than two decades and have a new duets album, Who Believes in Angels?. They perform these songs for the first time at a special gig at the London Palladium, along with covers of each other's hits. But that's not all: Dan Levy is host for the evening and will be sitting the pair down to get all the gossip. Hollie Richardson
7.15pm, BBC One
With wary nurse Belinda (Varada Sethu) now along for the ride, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) sets down in 50s Miami. But strange things are afoot in the pastel paradise. Might it have something to do with cinema fixture Mr Ring-a-Ding, a tuneful cartoon character voiced by Alan Cumming? Get your popcorn ready. Graeme Virtue
8.30pm, Channel 4
Previously shown on More4, Hugh Dennis and David Baddiel go on holiday together in a genial travelogue, which at least benefits from them being friends in real life. Having known each other for 40 years, the comics are cycling around France: week one takes them from Arcachon on the Atlantic coast to the Garonne valley. Jack Seale
9pm, Channel 5
The actor – who is now basically the queen of Channel 5 – hosts a lively quiz about all things 70s. Comedians Shaparak Khorsandi and John Thomson are the team captains, with Tiswas host Sally James, Stars in Their Eyes presenter Matthew Kelly, Hi-de-Hi! star Su Pollard and The Madame Blanc Mysteries star Steve Edge. HR
9.35pm, BBC Two
This concert film opens with an aerial shot of the Manhattan skyline that slowly zooms in on a 600,000-strong crowd, gathered in Central Park to hear Paul Simon. It's a powerful illustration of the success of Simon's internationally flavoured albums Graceland (1986) and The Rhythm of the Saints (1990), music from both of which he plays here. Ellen E Jones
10.20pm, ITV1
Rebel Wilson has been spotted in Yorkshire filming her upcoming Christmas film, but this weekend she's in Jonathan Ross's London studio. Also in the lineup: Freddie Flintoff, who has a documentary coming out, Government Cheese star David Oyelowo and Alma's Not Normal creator Sophie Willan. HR
Lightyear, 5.40pm, BBC One
This is the film that (fictionally) inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy in Toy Story – but Pixar's 2022 meta-animation takes a different trajectory to its forebear, visually and comedically. We meet space ranger Buzz (voiced by Chris Evans) as his mistake leads his spaceship to crash on a dangerous planet. Test-flights of a new hyperdrive lead to time dilation, so his ground crew age more quickly than him. Then Emperor Zurg appears … Buzz here is smarter than his plastic avatar, and the action is in the stars not the suburbs, but it retains that Pixar focus on the strength of family. Simon Wardell
The Game, 9pm, Legend Xtra
What do you get the man who has everything for his birthday? How about an existential crisis? David Fincher's tightly wound 1997 thriller about banker Nicholas Van Orton delivers peak Michael Douglas – a smug man brought low but learning valuable lessons. The gift of a mysterious game by his brother Conrad (Sean Penn) is the start of a dark few days of the soul for Nicholas, as a series of increasingly fraught role-playing scenarios (or are they actually real?) – bring up memories of their father's suicide and focus his mind on his own empty life. SW
Snooker: The World Championship, 10am, BBC Two The morning session on day one, as Kyren Wilson begins his defence of the title.
Women's Champions League Football: Arsenal v Lyon, noon, TNT Sports 1 A semi-final first leg at the Emirates.
Super League Rugby: Leigh v Warrington, 1.25pm, BBC Two At Leigh Sports Village.
Premiership Rugby Union: Harlequins v Sale, 2.45pm, TNT Sports 1 Saracens v Gloucester is at 5.15pm.Bristol v Leicester is on Sun, 2.30pm.
Women's Six Nations Rugby:England v Scotland, 4.30pm, BBC Two From Welford Road, Leicester.
Premier League Football: Aston Villa v Newcastle, 5pm, Sky Sports Main Event Ipswich v Arsenal is on Sun at 1pm; Leicester v Liverpool at 4pm.