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WhatToWatch
WhatToWatch
Entertainment
Lucy Buglass

TV tonight: Our highlights for Thursday, July 6

Finding My Secret Family star Ellie Simmonds

On TV tonight, Ellie Simmonds' documentary Finding My Secret Family airs, Emily Atack explores her geneology in Who Do You Think You Are?, Jonathan Ross has some film recommendations and there's more from Wimbledon.

Here's what you shouldn't miss on TV Tonight.

  • Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include TV shows, a film, live sport and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set 
  • Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis 
  • For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide

What's on TV tonight

Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight... 

Best TV shows on TV tonight

Finding My Secret Family, 9 pm, ITV1 

Paralympic swimmer and Strictly star Ellie Simmonds was given up for adoption at just two weeks old, but, thanks to her loving adoptive family, she has given little thought to her difficult start in life. Now, however, she finally feels ready to explore her adoption journey and learn how much her dwarfism was behind her birth mother’s decision to give her away. 

In this powerful documentary, from the makers of Kate Garraway: Finding Derek, Ellie discovers how disabled children face numerous barriers while going through the adoption process and meets those on all sides of the system. It’s only then she finally feels ready to trace and meet her own birth mother. 

★★★★★ NH

Who Do You Think You Are?, 9 pm, BBC One

(Image credit: BBC/Wall to Wall)

It’s the turn of comedian and actor Emily Atack to uncover the secrets of her ancestry, and it turns out she hails from generations of performers. Her mum, Kate Robbins, is an actor; her dad, Keith Atack, was in the band Child and was Bonnie Tyler’s guitarist; and her first cousin twice removed is Sir Paul McCartney. 

Her forebears include a Butlin’s entertainment manager, a band leader, a champion whistler and the secretary of the Welsh FA! But Emily also discovers a long line of miners, and she finds herself becoming increasingly emotional as she learns about the hardship and heartbreaks they faced. 

★★★★ HD

Britain's Best Beach Huts, 8 pm, Channel 4

Jay Blades and Laura Jackson continue their trip around the coast to find the gems among our 20,000 beach huts, and there are lots of cries of ‘wow’. Tonight, they’re seeking the most luxurious and they’re in for a treat. 

While Jay visits the most expensive plots of sand in the country in Dorset – these boltholes are worth a whopping half a million pounds – and takes in the view from some two-storey chalets in Scarborough, Laura discovers a wellness centre in a handcrafted hut in Margate. It’s a far cry from the traditional wooden shed! 

★★★ NT

Must-Watch Films, ITVX

(Image credit: ITVX)

Jonathan Ross is back with his monthly film review show highlighting the best movies available on ITVX. He has his reliable expert’s hat on as he talks enthusiastically about anime offerings, including the Tokyo Ghoul drama series. He has alternative options for the school holidays with a round-up of stop-motion studio Laika’s gems such as Kubo and the Two Strings, ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls. Plus, a look at A League of Their Own which is new to ITVX this month and because who doesn’t like Tom Hanks? 

★★★ NT

Best box set on TV tonight

The Witcher season 3Netflix

(Image credit: Netflix)

Season three – split into two, with five episodes released today, and three on 27 July – finds monster-hunting hero Geralt (Henry Cavill) joining forces with Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) to protect Princess Ciri (Freya Allan) from the monsters, mages and monarchs plotting to capture her. But when Yennefer shows Ciri how to harness her powers and leads her and Geralt to the fortress of Aretuza, the trio become cornered by dark magic… Hugh Skinner joins the cast as King Vizimir’s playboy brother Prince Radovid, while Cavill bows out this season, leaving Liam Hemsworth to take over as Geralt.

RM

Best film on TV tonight

Soaps

Live Sport

  • Wimbledon, from 11pm, BBC One and BBC Two

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…

Don't miss Finding My Secret Family on TV tonight.

Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide

Happy viewing!

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