Gladiators, The Repair Shop and The Apprentice: TV highlights

Gladiators (Saturday 24/01/26, BBC1, 5.45pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Gladiators returned for a new series last week – and no one was more excited than Bradley Walsh, who co-presents the show with his son Barney.

He says: “I love the sheer energy of it. Gladiators is big, loud, and proper family entertainment – there’s nothing else like it. Seeing the Gladiators push themselves, seeing the Contenders push themselves, the crowd going wild, and doing it all with Barney by my side is just brilliant. We have an absolute blast every time we’re in the arena.”

Of course the format, which sees members of the public take on the formidable Gladiators in competitions designed to test their strength, speed and stamina, is a proven winner. It started life in the US as American Gladiators in 1989, and ITV launched a homegrown version in 1992, which ran for eight years. (The show’s cheerleading squad, G Force, was choreographed by Bradley’s wife Donna, and a very young Barney was a frequent visitor to the set.)

Sky launched a revival in 2008, which ran for two series, before the BBC brought us the current incarnation in 2024, and Bradley believes this latest version is going from strength to strength.

The Chase presenter says: “It’s grown massively. Series one we were finding our feet and introducing this new world of the Gladiators. Series two really hit its stride and welcomed two newbies to the fold, and now with series three it’s bigger, bolder and runs like a well-oiled machine.

“The Gladiators are at the top of their game and the Contenders are bringing more fight than ever before.”

Just because the format is broken though, it doesn’t mean there can’t be a few tweaks.

Bradley says of the new run: “There are definitely a few surprises in store, with some unbelievable edge-of-your-seat moments. We’ve got three new events that really raise the stakes, testing both the Gladiators and Contenders in completely different ways.

“We also have the return of the formidable Nitro! We missed him last year due to injury, so it’s been great to have his lightning energy back in the arena.”

So, which of the events is his favourite? Bradley, who was once a Contender himself in a celebrity edition in the 1990s, says: “It’s tough to choose. I love The Edge, the height of it when you’re stood beneath it in the arena is… terrifying. I wouldn’t want to get up there.

“Unleash is brilliant and dynamically fast, watching the Gladiators sprint out from behind the wall is always exciting but I have to say, one of our new events for this year is a real thrill to watch, it’s about pure, brute strength.”

We’ll get to see one of those new events in tonight’s episode, but hopefully the Gladiators won’t be too fazed as Legend delivers a team talk.

However, Sabre is less about words and more about action as she brings destruction to the arena.

Mission to Space with Francis Bourgeois (Sunday 25/01/26, Channel 4, 6.50pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Although social media is often accused of rotting our brains, it turns out it’s also been introducing young people to some of life’s simple pleasures.

Just ask TikToker Francis Bourgeois. Back in 2021, the content creator (who was born Luke Nicholson) became a viral sensation thanks to his trainspotting videos.

His love for this much-maligned hobby also caught the imagination of celebrities and TV companies. He was signed up for the Channel 4 digital series Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois, in which he introduced celebs including football star Jesse Lingard, comedian, Aisling Bea and singer Sam Ryder to the pastime.

At the time, Francis said: “When I started making videos about my hobby I never thought anything like this would happen. It’s been totally surreal.

“Celebrities I’ve seen on TV, stages and sports stadiums, I’ve been able to take into my domain to show them how trains and all things mechanical engineering make me feel, hopefully making them feel something good too! Showcasing my passion in a way I have never been able to before, has been so liberating. Showing the ins and outs that make railway enthusiasm such a rollercoaster.”

However, it turns out that locomotives aren’t Francis’ only passion,

He says: “People know that I’m obsessed with trains. But rockets and space travel was a very early infatuation. Now, as the Artemis Programme plans to return people to the moon and beyond, I’m going to face the question that has fizzed around my head since childhood – could I become an astronaut?”

He’s answering that question in the two-part documentary Mission to Space with Francis Bourgeois. It follows him as he steps inside some of the world’s leading space agencies, getting a rare look behind the scenes.

He’ll also face a series of intense physical and mental trials, although he will have British astronaut Tim Peake there to guide him as he endures crucial G-Force training.

Francis will have to perform critical tests in zero gravity and impress the top brass at Axiom Space’s astronaut training programme — a leader in commercial spaceflight – if he is to make his dream a reality.

It’s set to push him to his physical and mental limits, and in this opening episode, he admits it was much tougher than he was expecting. Luckily, he’s determined to persevere and train like a real astronaut. Will he discover he has what it takes to go into space?

If it helps to spur him on, Channel 4 certainly believe he has the right stuff. Jonah Weston, Commissioning Editor Science and Adventure for Channel 4, said: “Francis’s enthusiasm for all things engineering is totally infectious, so following him on his dream to become an astronaut was an instant must-do.

“I think audiences will be thrilled as he embarks on his mission to boldly go where no influencer has gone before.”

Clive Myrie’s African Adventure (Monday 26/01/2026, BBC Two, 6.30pm)

Words by Richard Jones

Not only is Clive Myrie one of the nation’s most respected journalists, newsreaders and broadcasters, he is also turning out to be a pretty good travel show host.

Having previously been on an Italian Road Trip in 2023 and Caribbean Adventure the following year, the 61-year-old Mastermind host is back on his travels this week.

Africa is a continent Clive has loved since he was BBC Africa correspondent two decades ago.

He’s always longed to go back and immerse himself in local life in a way he never had time to as a journalist, to meet up with old friends, have new adventures and track the story of his own ancestry.

Across 10 episodes, he travels to South Africa, Ghana, Morocco and Nigeria to experience the array of culture across the continent, from food, fashion, football, art and everything in between.

“I was based in Johannesburg working for the BBC more than 20 years ago,” the Bolton-born star explains.

“It’s such an exciting, culturally rich and diverse continent and I’ve always wanted to come back to explore it more deeply.

“So in this series I’m travelling from the tip to the toe of this amazing part of the world.”

The series begins this evening in South Africa, where Clive worked as a BBC correspondent.

Sometimes called the ‘Rainbow Nation’ for its colourful mix of cultures and languages, South Africa covers nearly half a million square miles and is home to over 60 million people.

It’s a land of sophisticated cities, spectacular wildlife and brilliant beaches.

When Clive worked here, he was based in the city of Johannesburg, and for this visit, he is focusing on Soweto, South Africa’s biggest and most famous township, just outside the city.

Clive gets dizzy as he jumps into the South African-led craze for car spinning at the Soweto Drift Academy.

His old BBC mate Milton Nkosi introduces him to Ndileka Mandela, the activist granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, over a traditional spicy South Africa lunch of chakalaka.

Clive also picks up some Amapiano moves as he parties Soweto-style at a car wash and helps create a mural.

From there, he moves onto Durban tomorrow (Tuesday), known for its surfing beaches and chilled atmosphere.

Clive jumps into action as he joins an anti-poaching team saving South Africa’s critically endangered rhinos from extinction and joins a surf school that teaches homeless and disadvantaged kids the skills to surf.

His final destination in South Africa on Wednesday is a place he never grows tired of – Cape Town.

The presenter serves lunch to the waddling residents of the city’s penguin rehab centre and discovers how the team nurses sick penguins back to health.

On Thursday, Clive arrives in Ghana, sometimes called West Africa’s ‘Golden Child’.

His first stop is the beachside capital Accra, a place packed with vibrant art, bustling traditional markets and high-rise modernity.

The week concludes with the second leg of Clive’s Ghanian adventure, as he heads to the picturesque fishing ports of Cape Coast and Elmina.

Here, he digs deep into his roots, making a moving visit to a former slave fort to discover some of what his enslaved ancestors went through.

The Good Ship Murder (Tuesday 27/01/26, Channel 5, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Birds of a feather still flock together – even on The Good Ship Murder.

The latest episode features guest stars Lesley Joseph and Linda Robson. They both have lengthy CVs, which between them take in everything from being a Strictly Come Dancing contestant, a regular on Loose Women, and even an Olivier-nominated role in the musical Young Frankenstein.

However, they are probably best known for starring together as Dorien and Tracey in the hit sitcom Birds of a Feather.

The comedy followed two sisters (played by Robson and her real-life childhood friend Pauline Quirke) whose husbands were in prions for armed robbery, and their man-eating, scene-stealing neighbour Dorien (Joseph). It launched on BBC1 in 1989, ran for nine successful years, before being revived by ITV1 in 2014 for two series and four specials, the last of which aired in 2020.

Now, Robson and Joseph are teaming up again to play merry widows Elsa and Tilly, who have decided to deal with their grief by going on a cruise. For them, it’s a way of celebrating their loved ones’ lives, and there’s another chance for them to pay their tribute when the ship docks in Cape Verde.

The two of them join a small group going onshore to visit a small shrine to pay their respects to those they have lost – but then Tilly is found murdered.

As regular viewers will anticipate, detective-turned-cruise singer Jack (Shayne Ward) and First Officer Kate (Catherine Tyldesley) are soon on the case.

It turns out there is no shortage of suspects. It appears that before she died, Tilly was being stalked by a creepy fellow grief cruiser, Noel (Kriss Dosanjh).

Then there’s Angel (Jan Zammit), a shifty restaurant critic with a secret, and Emiliano (Shane Rowe), a market trader with some shady contacts and a police record.

As far as Piers (Geoffrey Breton) is concerned, Angel definitely knows something about the case, but could he be putting himself in danger by getting involved?

Meanwhile, Jack starts to think that Kate is hiding something, Marlowe (James Barriscale) is still behaving erratically, and Carole (Lesley Dunlop) helps Jamil (Zak Douglas) as he continues practising for his audition for the Ents officer post.

Fo star Shayne Ward, that mix of cruise life and crime is what has made the show a hit. Speaking ahead of an earlier run, he said: “It’s an amalgamation of all the greatest light-hearted crime dramas that have ever been on television. We’ve taken the best bits—Murder, She Wrote, The Love Boat, The Bill, even some Agatha Christie vibes—and turned them into something fresh and fun. It’s an easy, enjoyable family watch. Everyone can play amateur sleuth for the night, and who doesn’t love a murder mystery?”

Catherine Tyldesley added: “It’s such a well-rounded evening of entertainment. You’ve got the classic whodunit aspect, the music, the romance, and these picture-perfect locations. It’s a real treat and a great mix for viewers.”

The Repair Shop (Wednesday 28/01/26, BBC One, 8pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Ah… The Repair Shop. Tuning into this gem of a show is like slipping on a comfortable pair of slippers or greeting an old friend – reassuring and cosy.

The programme made its debut on our screens in an inauspicious fashion and without fanfare on BBC Two on March 27, 2017. It quickly built a cult following; viewers were wowed not only by the amazing efforts of a group of dedicated craftspeople to breathe new life into dilapidated family heirlooms, but also by the stories behind the items and the people who owned them.

After three increasingly successful series, the show was such a success, it was moved to BBC One where it’s been ever since, airing in both daytime and primetime slots to great acclaim.

Filmed at the Weald and Downland Living Museum in West Sussex, the Repair Shop’s premise is simple – members of the public bring along their cherished but broken or damaged family heirlooms for a team of experts to restore in a specially converted barn. But what that description doesn’t convey is the sheer joy in seeing the fixed items and the faces of their owners when they’re reunited with something they long thought was past rescuing.

Many of the experts have now become stars, including Will Kirk, a woodworker who has been with the show since the very start, even appearing in the opening episode when, he admits, all involved had no idea whether or not the format would work. Thankfully, his restoration went well, with the owner breaking down in tears of joy, something that has become a common response.

“I fixed some furniture for someone who worked in the development department,” explains Kirk on being asked how he got involved in the series. “I restored a wooden bench for him and his girlfriend and he just said, ‘have you ever thought about being on TV?’

“He came down to my workshop with a camera and got me talking about restoration, then a few weeks later followed me around dropping off some furniture to a client. And then months after that, I got a phone call saying, ‘we’re developing an idea for a show and would you be interested?’ And I said yes. The rest is history!”

He adds: “I love any furniture that looks like it should go in the skip. Things that are really bad and you just think it’s impossible to fix them to then being able to fix them.

“It’s rewarding for me because it tests my skills and my patience. Also for someone who thought they might have lost something forever, giving them that bit of furniture (for example) and the memories behind it back and preserving the future, is priceless.”

And that, in a nutshell, is the essence of the entire programme. Expect more of the same during the latest set of episodes (the series is returning after an 11-week break), just make sure you have hankies at the ready for the latest edition – it’s bound to inspire a tear or two.

The Apprentice (Thursday 29/01/2026, BBC One, 9pm)

Words by Richard Jones

“Just because we have been doing this for a while, that doesn’t mean you know what is coming next,” explains Lord Sugar ahead of the 20th run of Britain’s favourite business reality show.

“Let me tell you, you don’t.”

To kick off the latest series of The Apprentice in style, the boardroom is moving to one of the world’s most vibrant trading hubs – Hong Kong.

The candidates’ mission is to secure nine items at knock-down prices.

But as the teams juggle unknown geography, tight deadlines and business basics, Lord Sugar has a few surprises in store. In the end, there are plenty of fireworks and at least one firing.

“The thinking behind it was it’s the 20th series and what can we do that’s different?” Lord Sugar adds, when asked about the Hong Kong venture.

“So I thought, ‘Well, why don’t I jump on a plane and surprise them in Hong Kong?’ It’s not as if I’m surprising them in Hounslow or something like that.

“They didn’t know I was there. They knew they were going to Hong Kong, which is fine, they’ve been to South Africa, they’ve been all over the world, we’ve sent them to many places.

“But I’ve never turned up. So all of a sudden they come into this boardroom and there I am. So that was a nice surprise for them. They were surprised but they weren’t unhappy with it – maybe a little excited.”

Throughout this new series, we will also see the candidates create a children’s book, sell live on television, host a corporate away day on the Red Sea in El Gouna, Egypt, and tackle another discount buying task on the Isle of Wight.

Back alongside Lord Sugar are his formidable advisors Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell, who will help him whittle down the 20 candidates across 12 episodes in a bid to choose the individual that will receive his life-changing £250,000 investment.

Those looking to impress Lord Sugar include the owner of a lettings agency from Barnsley, a man who runs a photobooth business in Cork, Ireland, an

actress and events manager from East London, a public relations specialist from Watford, and a former RAF Gunner and HGV driver from Doncaster.

When asked how he feels about about the show reaching its special 20-year

anniversary, Lord Sugar says: “Well, it is an amazing milestone.

“When we started recording this series, you start to think to yourself, ‘Wow, this is 20 years now’.

“I think the programme itself brings in a new audience every year, because 20 years ago, I had nine-year-olds watching it who are now 29. And the new generation of 16-year-olds are coming in and loving it.

“So the audience is growing, and that’s why the BBC keeps doing it.”

The Beeb have more big plans for The Apprentice this year, with the show’s first full-length celebrity series being lined up.

Lord Sugar says: “We’ve had some great celebrity names walk into my boardroom over the years, but they’ve only ever had a small taster of what it’s like to be a candidate.

“It’ll be interesting to see how our future celebrities fare across a full series, removing their PAs, PRs, agents and all the other assistance they have in their day-to-day lives to fully immerse themselves into The Apprentice world.”

Death in Paradise (Friday 30/01/26, BBC One, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

“Apologies for calling you during the holidays, but I wanted to know if you’ve found my replacement as yet? I’ve been doing some thinking, and I wondered if there was any chance of my returning to the role, if it’s still vacant?”

So said Selwyn Patterson, one of Death in Paradise’s longest-serving and best-loved characters, while on the phone to the chief commissioner at the end of the recent festive special. But was his request accepted or denied? Well, Don Warrington, who played him, gave the game away somewhat when he wrote in a social media message: “Thank you for the kind words regarding #DeathInParadise Xmas Spesh. See you in 2026 for more drama from Saint Marie.”

The character isn’t allowed a quiet settling-in period, however, because in the first episode of the 15th series, a suspicious death involving a fall from the roof of Government House takes place, just as he’s about to get his feet back under the commissioner’s desk.

Nevertheless, having him back is a huge boost to the show because, as much as we all love Don Gilet as DI Mervin Wilson, life in Saint Marie just wouldn’t be the same without Selwyn.

Warrington will be 75 later this year, but is as busy as ever and has no plans to give up the job he loves – just like his on-screen alter ego. In fact, appearing in Death in Paradise continues to thrill him, and despite being the oldest regular member of the cast, being on set makes him feel young.

“I feel like the baby of the show,” says the actor, who sprang to fame playing student Philip Smith in classic sitcom Rising Damp more than 50 years ago. “The thing changes. This show is a very different beast to when I first started. And every inspector, every cast change, brings with it a dimension that wasn’t there before. So in a sense, one now feels the history.

“To me, it’s new. It’s new because the thing has evolved. And with that evolution comes change in character. Everybody is part of it. And you can’t ever rely on your history within it. You can’t pull rank in it, as it were.”

Warrington points out that in the previous series, we discovered “other aspects of Selwyn and that’s always the joy about playing a character like him – there are so many different sides to him. You think you know about somebody but due to life events, you learn more about them. He’s opening up, he’s a bit like a flower coming in to bloom.”

We may be about to find out more about Mervin too. The half-brother he’s never met is about to enter his life, and he’s beside himself with excitement. Mervin is convinced that as they’re blood relatives, they’re sure to have lots in common and get along like a house on fire. Will he be proved right, or is he setting himself up for a major disappointment?

All will be revealed as the show returns to add a little welcome sunshine to our screens.