What to watch on TV tonight: Joel Dommett hosts the 2024 National Television Awards, while Grand Designs celebrates 25 years
By Susan Brett | Wed Sep 11 2024The 2024 National Television Awards mark a return to telly for former This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby, who joins Joel Dommett presenting the evening's events. Meanwhile Kevin McCloud takes a look back at 25 years of remarkable builds for Grand Designs.
The National Television Awards
ITV1, 8pm
Holly Willoughby makes her big TV comeback as part of Joel Dommett’s presenting team for tonight’s awards, which celebrate the past year in television. 2023 Best Talent Show winners Strictly Come Dancing may lose this year’s gong to The Great British Bake Off, following months of well-publicised scandals. Meanwhile, Best New Drama is a fight between ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office and two Netflix originals, Baby Reindeer and Fool Me Once. According to bookies, however, one result seems almost certain: Ant and Dec will probably win their 23rd Best TV Presenter NTA, with odds at 1/5.
The Chelsea Detective
U&Drama, 8pm
The glamorous London borough of Chelsea is the setting of this crime drama, which first aired on Acorn TV in 2022. Adrian Scarborough’s DI Max Arnold isn’t living the high life, however. He’s a recently separated, world-weary police officer living on a Thames houseboat and cycling to work. Aided by the witty DC Priya Shamsie (Sonita Henry), he investigates the grizzly crimes of the upper crust, amid some very recognisable landmarks.
Grand Designs: 25 Years and Counting
Channel 4 9pm
2024 marks a quarter century of the home renovation series and, to celebrate, this special episode sees host Kevin McCloud look back on the show’s most spectacular projects. From the biggest triumphs to the most devastating disasters, McCloud offers his first-hand insight on what it was like to be on set during the show’s programme's iconic moments.
Kent: The Garden of England
Channel 5 8pm
BAFTA-winning actor Bill Nighy narrates this documentary series, which celebrates the beautiful county of Kent. Starting with a trip through the skies with Spitfire veteran ‘Parky’ Parkinson, episode one travels from the famous White Cliffs of Dover to holiday haven Margate, where an historic hotel is undergoing a stunning revival. In Folkstone, 30 retired Gurkhas are celebrating the harvest with Nepalese dishes for all in their community garden. There’s also a trip on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch train line, which is only a third of the size of a mainland railway, yet serves 100,000 passengers a year.
Slow Horses
AppleTV
Following last week’s opening episode, which TVGuide.co.uk's reviewer called “magnificent”, Jackson Lamb’s team of disgraced MI5 agents have a new case on their hands. In this week’s episode, an agent makes a startling discovery about the Westacres Shopping Centre bomber. Elsewhere, Lamb (Gary Oldman) believes that the retired spy David (Jonathan Pryce) knows more than he’s letting on.