England v Croatia, The Hardacres and Invasion of the Parakeets: TV highlights

Two Weeks in August (Saturday 13/06/26, BBC1, 9.25pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Going on holiday with your friends and family to rediscover your joy in life – what could go wrong? Well, as you know if you’ve been watching Two Weeks in August starring Jessica Raine as Zoe, quite a lot.

If you’re coming in fresh, Jessica explains why her character thought she needed a break: “Recently, life for Zoe has been really tough. She’s been responsible for the family – financially, mentally and practically. She’s been holding everyone up at the expense of herself.

“I think what she wants from this holiday is simply to get away from it all and reconnect with the woman she was when she was at university with this group of friends. She’s desperate to return to that Zoe. So, for her, this is a shortcut to that.

“Obviously, it’s never that simple.”

The complications have included an illicit kiss that quickly turned the dream vacation into a nightmare. As Zoe has begun to act on her deepest desires, it seems that far from rediscovering their lost youth, this group of friends might finally have to grow up.

The former Call the Midwife star says: “I think what is great about this situation is that there’s a real sense that everyone is being polite, which is a typical British quality. These people were great university friends, but their lives have taken different paths.”

Then there’s the fact that they are holidaying in Greece, the land the land of the ancient Gods, which means bigger forces are at play.

Jessica certainly believes the setting adds to the atmosphere: “The island is a character in and of itself. It initially looks like paradise, but it soon becomes a hellscape. The beautiful, isolated location turns into utter loneliness and there is a sense of dread that the group can’t escape.”

It seems shooting the series (in Malta, which stood in for Greece) was also less glamorous than it might appear. Jessica laughs: “We filmed at the beginning of March, and I’ve never been so cold in my entire life, and I’ve shot in Iceland! There’s a birthday party scene we filmed early on where we’re all in summer clothes, but everyone’s secretly got thermals on underneath wherever they can fit them. We were packed with hot water bottles. People didn’t believe me when I called home at the beginning of the shoot and said it was freezing.”

The characters may also not be in the holiday spirit in this fifth episode, as there are accusations flying after the housekeeper reveals she saw Jon desecrating her local chapel with ‘one of them’. Perhaps everyone should steer clear of religious buildings, as a group outing to an ancient temple leads to a car accident that threatens to ruin more than just the holiday for Zoe, Solomon and Jacob.

The incident inspires Solomon to confess his failings, but Jacob isn’t convinced he’s the one to blame.

Meanwhile, Nat tries to undo a drunken mistake, and Jess and Dan find themselves alone together for the first time since the kiss.

Outrageous (Sunday 14/06/26, BBC1, 10.30pm)

Words Rachael Popow

Never far away from a scandal, connected to some of the most powerful figures of the 20th century and with a talent for self-mythology, the six Mitford sisters (Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica and Deborah) cut a swathe through British society from the 1920s onwards.

They continue to fascinate people today, which explains why Outrageous, the drama series about them, is making a well-deserved move from U&Drama to BBC1.

Actress Bessie Carter admits she was already familiar with the Mitfords before she was cast as the oldest sister, novelist Nancy. “I knew a weird amount about them mainly because I’ve been strangely connected to Nancy Mitford for ages. Completely coincidentally, I did the audiobook for The Pursuit of Love a few years ago.

“I found out I went to same school as Nancy – Francis Holland – for the same amount of time, only three years. I also discovered that during the war she worked at St Mary’s Hospital, which is where I was born. She lived in Maida Vale, 10 minutes from where I used to live. It’s a series of really odd coincidences.

“Perhaps my playing Nancy was meant to be!”

Like Bessie, many people have become interested in the Mitfords through Nancy’s novels – The Pursuit of Love in particular drew inspiration from the family’s isolated upbringing with their eccentric parents, known to the siblings as Farve (played here by James Purefoy) and Muv (Anna Chancellor).

However, another reason the sisters continue to capture the public’s imagination is because of their politics. While Jessica embraced Communism, her older sister Diana married Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British Union of Fascists and shared his ideology, while Unity became obsessed with Adolf Hitler and made it her mission to meet him.

Bessie believes this is part of what makes Outrageous so gripping: “We see the pressure these political divides put on Nancy. Do you stay true to your family because they are blood…or do you stay true to yourself and your beliefs. I found all that so interesting. You can’t believe that it is all true, but it is.”

It’s enough to make you wonder why their story hasn’t been televised before, although Bessie has her own theory about that: “Here is a story about six sisters. If you had six brothers, it would have been made into a drama about 15 years ago, and there would be four versions of it. I’m not even exaggerating.”

Outrageous opens in 1931, when Nancy is waiting in vain for a proposal from her boyfriend, Hamish. By contrast, Diana (Joanna Vanderham) has a fabulously wealthy, adoring husband, several houses and two children, so why does it seem like something is missing?

Back at their family home, Unity (Shannon Watson) and Jessica (Zoe Brough) are gripped by the revolutions taking place around the world and are enacting their own versions at home.

However, the political is about to become personal when Diana meets the charismatic politician Oswald Mosley (Joshua Sasse).

Invasion of the Parakeets (Monday 15/06/26, Channel 4, 8pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

The natural world has few better advocates than Chris Packham.

The naturalist has been a TV stalwart for 40 years, ever since he began co-presenting The Really Wild Show alongside Terry Nutkins and Michaela Strachan, among others. For many who grew up watching it, he made the subject accessible, and with his spiked, bleach-blond hair, he looked pretty cool too.

What his audience perhaps didn’t realise back then was just how serious Packham was about his subject – they just enjoyed having something interesting to watch when they got home from school – but he’s always been passionate about wildlife.

Born in Southampton in 1961, he claims to have become enamoured with the world about him almost from birth. As a toddler he scoured the family’s garden for ladybirds and tadpoles, and as he grew, his range grew with him. Snakes were a common sight, with tanks of reptiles lining his bedroom walls. An outdoor menagerie included birds of prey, foxes, badgers and squirrels.

He studied biological sciences at university, after which he planned to do a PhD before TV came calling. It’s proved to be a good platform for him to get his concerns across to those at home, although he has considered other, perhaps controversial, methods of raising awareness of issues that matter to him, including climate change.

“(But) I would lose my voice immediately if I went to prison,” he once remarked. “I would also lose part of my mind, if not all of it, because that environment is not suitable for someone like myself.”

Instead, he continues to front important documentaries on the subject, not just on the BBC but Channel 4 too, where he finds himself this week. And he’ll carry on appearing on our screens until he feels that the powers-that-be are listening and making a difference.

“I see and feel climate change as a naturalist every day,” says Packham. “I feel it every time I go out my door. I see the seasons have gone haywire since I was a kid in my own short lifetime. I see species that have arrived and I note the absence of other things.”

One of the species to have arrived is the ringneck parakeet, which first began to be noticed in southern England, particularly London. It’s believed they are the descendants of birds that managed to get out of aviaries, although numerous urban myths have built up around them. The most intriguing being that the original pair escaped during the filming of The African Queen at Isleworth Studios in 1951, or that they were released by Jimi Hendrix on Carnaby Street more than a decade later.

Whatever the truth, they now number in their thousands and are gradually spreading north. But what, if anything, should be done about them?

It’s a question Packham attempts to answer here. Perhaps we should embrace them as an exotic addition to the nation’s ever-changing biodiversity. Or maybe a cull is needed to prevent the parakeets from encroaching on our native species’ territory.

Whatever the case, we can expect a reasoned argument from the presenter, one that will no doubt give us all pause for thought.

The Light in the Hall: Still Waters (Tuesday 16/06/26, Channel 4, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Murder and intrigue, not to mention a great script and wonderful performances all set against stunning landscapes. Yes, there was a lot to keep viewers hooked on Channel 4’s 2023 series The Light in the Hall – or Y Golau, to give it its original Welsh language title.

After three years off our screens, viewers can be forgiven for forgetting the storyline, which focused on a journalist’s return to her hometown of Llanemlyn, where she began delving into the disappearance of an old friend following the release from jail of the man said to have killed her.

Many members of the cast – which included Alexandra Roach, Iwan Rheon and Joanna Scanlan – have moved on, with only one person from the main line-up, Sian Reese-Williams, starring in the second run.

She reprises her role as Caryl Huws, who is now a trainee reporter. When we originally met her, she was caught up in a wrongful accusation. Now, inspired by the events of the first series, she’s embarking on a crusade for truth and justice.

“It was really special to come back to this world, even though this series stands completely on its own,” claims the former Emmerdale star. “Caryl is in a very different place now – she’s rebuilding her life, trying to make sense of the world.

“Caryl is going through a metamorphosis, which is something I found really fascinating to play. It’s something I think a lot of people her age are experiencing and not something we see very often portrayed on screen and I really appreciated the chance to do that. “Coming back to play her again, especially with such a new cast and story, felt both familiar and completely fresh.”

Also playing a key role is Mark Lewis Jones. He’s Rhys Owen, who’s recently been released from prison after serving a long stretch for his activist cousin Llyr’s murder in 1995. Caryl isn’t convinced of his guilt, and as Llyr’s daughter proves she’s a chip off the old block by launching a campaign against a reservoir expansion, the reporter uncovers long-buried betrayals and secrets.

“It really was a win-win experience,” smiles the actor. “The Carmarthenshire backdrop is amazing, and the script and cast were great. You couldn’t ask for more.”

There are two versions of the drama – one in Welsh for broadcast on S4C, and the other in English for Channel 4. The duality was something that intrigued another co-star, Robert Glenister.

“This is my first time working on a Welsh-language drama,” he reveals. “I didn’t have to speak Welsh myself, but the bilingual nature of the production was fascinating. It was a pleasure to be part of it.”

“After the runaway success of series one, the world of Llanemlyn returns with a mystery darker, deeper and more thrilling than ever,” says Gwenllian Gravelle, the Head of Film and Drama at S4C, who commissioned the series. “With a powerhouse cast and a story that grips from the first moment, this is one journey viewers won’t want to miss.”

FIFA World Cup 2026 (Wednesday 17/06/26, ITV1, 8pm)

Words by Richard Jones

The sight of Bobby Moore hoisting the gleaming Jules Rimet trophy high into the Wembley sky remains one of English sport’s enduring images.

However, since that glorious day on July 30, 1966, 14 men’s FIFA World Cups have been and gone, and the Three Lions are still looking to add a second star to their white jersey.

But to quote a certain football anthem, “I know that was then, but it could be again…”

After seeing most of the other nations in action, the wait is finally over for England fans tonight, as Thomas Tuchel’s players enter a tournament which they hope will culminate in ‘football coming home’.

Under former manager Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions reached the World Cup semi-final in 2018 and the last eight in 2022, and also finished as runners-up at the Euros in 2020 and 2024.

Then, following German coach Tuchel’s appointment, they strolled through their 2026 World Cup qualifying group, becoming the first European team to book their place in the USA, Canada and Mexico with two games to spare.

But while winning qualification games is all very well, it’s the tournament itself that really matters. So, realistically, what are England’s chances of triumphing this summer?

Ian Wright, who is part of the ITV’s coverage in the New York studio tonight, alongside Mark Pougatch, Gary Neville and Roy Keane, thinks England “do have a chance”.

“This group of players have a lot of experience together in tournaments now and they are ready to take that next step,” he adds.

“England should be aiming for the final, they have got enough talent and a great manager.”

However, not everyone is positive about the Three Lions’ chances.

Their performances in friendlies against Senegal and Japan earlier in the year drew boos from the unenthused crowds, and a lot has been made of the omission of creative players Phil Foden, Jarrod Bowen, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer from the squad.

Saying that, the German couldn’t pick everyone, and in Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Ivan Toney, they have enough firepower to go deep into the latter stages.

The Three Lions’ opening match against Croatia in Dallas tonight could well be their toughest in a group that also contains Ghana and Panama.

Zlatko Dalić’s Vatreni have established themselves as a force in recent years.

After reaching the final of the 2018 World Cup (they beat England in the semis), their third-place finish in 2022 proved it was no flash in the pan.

The talisman of their side is the evergreen Luka Modrić, widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

The 40-year-old Ballon d’Or winner will be joined in midfield by Manchester City’s Mateo Kovačić, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Luka Vušković, who spent last season on loan at Hamburg, at centre back.

Although Croatia will take some beating, there will be even greater tests ahead, and it’s then that Wright’s fellow ITV pundit Keane thinks Tuchel’s men could come unstuck.

“I’m worried about England defensively,” he says.

“I think they’ll still get to the knockout stages, but come the crunch games where it’s tight, quarters or semis, I think they’ll come up short.”

England fans will be hoping he is proved wrong and that it’s just another case of ‘Everyone seems to know the score, they’ve seen it all before’.

The Hardacres (Thursday 18/06/26, 5, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

When the second series of 5’s period drama began back in May, many viewers were glad to have the Hardacres, the Yorkshire family who went from rags to riches, back on their screens.

However, as the series went on, some fans may feel that the series was in danger of being stolen from them by a new addition, Lady Imelda Hansen (Michele Dotrice).

Speaking ahead of the first episode, Michele described her character as “old school. She is very Victorian. She hasn’t moved with the times and firmly believes in old money and old heritage. Consequently, she’s very worried about the prospects for her granddaughter, and that she should be married into the right society, to the right person, all of that.

“Then she comes up against these Hardacres, who she cannot abide because they are nouveau riche. This is against everything that she stands for.”

Michele, who is probably still best known for playing the long-suffering Betty in the sitcom Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, admits she’s relished the chance to play someone a little bit villainous, saying: “She is a fascinating character, a character quite unlike anything I have played before. I usually play nice ladies or hard-done-by ladies. She couldn’t be further from that.”

Not that the actress thinks that Imelda is all bad: “You had to see the fun side of her, the caring side of her – at least in her mind – to say, ‘The poor old thing, she feels she is right.’

That was the challenge, but it was all in the writing. It leapt off the page, which was so thrilling when I read the episodes.”

As we reach the end of the current run though, her less sympathetic side is definitely on display and Michele reveals that has been a real challenge to play.

“Towards the end, there’s a real confrontation, which is horrible. It’s horrible, the way she attacks a young person, and it was hard to do, to pick on somebody young and attack them for what she believes is wrong. That was very heightened emotionally for all of us, because she really goes in for the kill. I don’t know how that comes out in that scene, but certainly it was… I can’t say enjoyable to do, that’s the wrong word. But certainly, it was very well-written, and the actors all stepped up. It was great to see that.”

At first though in this concluding episode, the Hardacres seem to have education on their mind – Mary has spotted a poster for the schoolboard elections, where even women can stand, and Harry has been invited to an interview at Oxford.

However, the family may soon have to concentrate on financial matters instead, as it turns out that Ma has risked the house on a bet, and Imelda makes her intentions towards the family clear.

uckily, the Hardacres do have some supporters as the villagers rally around Mary, and Emma and Adella are horrified by Imelda’s actions.

TRNSMT 2026 (Friday 19/06/2026, BBC Two, 11pm)

Words by Richard Jones

Festival season is upon us, and although there is no Glastonbury this year, this weekend sees two world-class music events taking place at opposite ends of the UK.

First up, Shereen Cutkelvin returns to present the latest edition of TRNSMT at Glasgow Green tonight, slightly earlier than its traditional July slot.

Although the 2026 line-up has been met with mixed reactions, TRNSMT famously champions fresh, local talent, alongside household names, and this year is no exception.

Festival Director Geoff Ellis says: “TRNSMT is always evolving and it’s all about giving fans, artists and the city the best possible experience.

“There is no better way to kick off summer than with an incredible weekend of live music and that unbeatable Scottish crowd.”

Tonight, up to 150,000 festival-goers will see legendary singer-songwriter and The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft headline the first of three nights.

After supporting Oasis across the UK and Ireland last summer, he is looking forward to heading to what he calls “one of the greatest cities in the world for music”.

He will perform a catalogue of era-defining songs including Verve tracks Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Drugs Don’t Work, Sonnet and Lucky Man, and his solo hits A Song for the Lovers, Break the Night with Colour, Music Is Power and C’mon People (We’re Making It Now).

Ahead of Richard’s set, ethereal alt-rockers Wolf Alice will grace the stage, fresh off the back of their fifth studio album, The Clearing.

Glaswegian singer-songwriter Dylan John Thomas is set to play his anthemic ballads to an adoring home-crowd, while Nile Rodgers and Chic will bring the Good Times with a list of iconic hits.

Also on the bill are cult Scottish trailblazers The Beta Band, and tonight’s bill also sees the return of Irish group Newdad, as well as Luvcat, Songer and The Cliffords.

Ticket-holders have also been told to ‘keep their eyes out’ for a very special mystery set on the King Tut’s stage.

Looking ahead to the rest of the weekend, rock icons Kasabian will no doubt be on fire when they headline tomorrow (Saturday) night.

That’s after London-based DJ Sonny Fodera has made his Scottish festival debut, dropping some summer-ready dance tracks.

Then, on Sunday, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald will be getting festival goers to scream the lyrics to classics like This Is The Life in the glorious Glasgow sunshine (fingers-crossed), before Scotland’s favourite son Lewis Capaldi makes a sensational comeback to close this year’s TRNSMT.

Around 450 miles south of Glasgow Green, at Seaclose Park, Newport, there is another world-class music event taking place.

The first day of the Isle of Wight Festival 2026 (Sky Arts, from 7pm) features sets by Two Door Cinema Club, Calvin Harris, The Cure, Alessi Rose, Wet Leg, Good Neighbours and Perrie.

However, the headliners on the first night are Tom Grennan in the Big Top and Capaldi on the Main Stage, before the latter hotfoots it up to the north bank of the Clyde ahead of his TRNSMT show on Sunday.

That’s a fair trek – Lewis, we Wish You The Best.