Joseph Fiennes delivers an uncanny portrayal of Gareth Southgate in the television adaptation of James Graham's award-winning play Dear England, airing tonight. The drama follows Southgate as he takes charge of the England football squad in post-Brexit Britain, tasked with restoring hope to a divided nation. In a pivotal scene, he tells the baffled team, 'We are probably not going to win the World Cup. The good news is, nobody expects us to.'
The play, based on real interviews, explores Southgate's unconventional methods, including bringing sports psychologist Pippa Grange, played by Jodie Whittaker, on board. This opens conversations around men's mental health and leads to a transformation in the team's penalty-taking. The result is a thoughtful, all-encompassing take on the real people behind the beautiful game.
Also airing tonight is a harrowing two-part drama based on real events, unpicking a tragic love triangle between student doctor Mundill Mahil, her 'gangster friend' Ravi Shoker, and TV executive Gagandip Singh, who was accused of sexually assaulting Mahil. The series explores how their feud escalated into brutal violence and murder.
Other highlights include a children's quiz show where 100 children compete for a trip to Disneyland, Florida, and a documentary following gen Z staff on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Tokyo. A new drama starring Timothy Spall as a retired TV chef solving a murder in a coastal town also features, alongside a music show with James Blake and a tribute to BB King.
