TV tonight: the juicy truth about a royal sex scandal

How Queen Victoria’s personal life nearly brought down the monarchy. Plus, pugil-sticks at the ready as the Gladiators semi finals begin. Here’s what to watch this evening

Queen Victoria & the Groomsman: The Scandal That Nearly Brought Down the Empire

9.15pm, Channel 5
“Even Queen Victoria’s own children start to call him mother’s lover.” A juicy history documentary that investigates the sovereign’s much rumoured romance with her servant John Brown. Experts including archaeologist Raksha Dave and Dr Amy Boyington share everything they know about the scandal that could have seen the end of the monarchy. Hollie Richardson

Gladiators

7.15pm, BBC One
Foam fingers at the ready, as the reboot reaches this year’s semi-finals. As well as classics such as Hang Tough – a more painful version of the playground monkey bars – newer challenges such as Everest, a battle to push your opponent off a tilting 21ft platform, add a dash of jeopardy. Hannah J Davies

The Race for Ancient Egypt in Colour

7.15pm, Channel 4

In between the world wars, Egypt experienced political upheaval as British archaeologist Howard Carter uncovered the tomb of Tutankhamun and triggered a global obsession. Rare footage contextualises the finds amid rising Egyptian nationalism and western influence. HR

The Walsh Sisters

9.10pm, BBC One

“I shaved my legs for you … both of them!” The Irish family saga continues, with Maggie doing her best to make indifferent husband Garv excited about trying for a baby. Meanwhile, Luke visits the clinic to share his thoughts about Rachel in the group session and Anna makes a friend who understands her grief. HR

Bill Bailey’s Vietnam

9.15pm, Channel 4

The comedian’s exploration of Vietnam now takes him to the mountain resort of Da Lat, a hotspot for honeymooners. As he meditates with monks at the Truc Lam monastery and picks tea at the Cau Dat plantation – both of them popular tourist destinations – he serves us his usual mix of wry travelogue kitsch and sudden, offbeat profundity. Jack Seale

The Football Interview

11.30pm, BBC One
Part sporting chat, part personal deep dive, presenter Kelly Somers’s interview series spends its first half talking about matters on the pitch and its second tackling the more intimate questions that players of the beautiful game rarely get asked. Its latest series begins by talking to Brentford and Republic of Ireland defender Nathan Collins. Alexi Duggins

Film choice

Sketch (Seth Worley, 2025), 9am, 6.20pm, Sky Cinema Premiere

Grief is a thing with orange skin, no eyes and a massive mouth. In Seth Worley’s imaginative, kid-friendly horror, crayon pictures of scary monsters – drawn compulsively by Amber (Bianca Belle) as she deals with her mother’s death – come magically, perilously to life. Dad Taylor (Tony Hale) and brother Jack (Kue Lawrence) have their own, less deadly, avoidance strategies but must also face up to their loss. In great Goonies fashion, it’s the children who have the solution to the often comic threats springing from Amber’s morbid mind. Simon Wardell

A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964), 9pm, Sky Arts
An unauthorised adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s samurai classic Yojimbo (whose Japanese studio sued), Sergio Leone’s 1964 film popularised the “spaghetti western” and so revitalised this hitherto all-American genre. It also made a star of stubbly young Clint Eastwood, whose taciturn, poncho-clad gunslinger rides into a frontier town and cunningly sets its two warring criminal families against each other. It’s a wilfully stylish film, with sweaty closeups, gunshots that sound like cannon fire and tension so ramped up you could cut it with a bowie knife. SW

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (Bruce David Klein, 2024), 9.15pm, BBC Two
With her candid memoir out now, here’s a complimentary evening in the company of showbiz great Liza Minnelli. Before a double bill of her films – the peerless Cabaret and the flawed but ambitious New York, New York – Bruce David Klein’s documentary gives a detailed lowdown on her career and the mentors who helped her emerge from the shadow of her famous mother, Judy Garland. From performers Kay Thompson and Charles Aznavour to theatre giants Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb, plus fashion designer Halston, it’s a fascinating star-is-born tale. SW

Live sport

Winter Paralympics, 7.50am, Channel 4 Day eight, with the women’s vision impaired alpine skiing slalom.

Six Nations Rugby Union: Ireland v Scotland, 1pm, ITV1 Sione Tuipulotu takes his title chasers to Dublin. Wales v Italy is at 4pm on BBC One; France v England at 7.20pm on ITV1.

Premier League Football: Arsenal v Everton, 5pm, Sky Sports Main Event Chelsea v Newcastle is on Sky Sports Premier League, also at 5pm.