Browse the full BBC Two TV guide for Sunday, 18 October 2026. 20 programmes listed , including 6 tonight. UK listings updated daily — scroll down to tonight's highlights or use the day tabs above to browse the weekly schedule.
Early Morning
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00:05 1h
Top of the Pops: The Story of 1986
The Story of 1986Featuring music by Simply Red, the Housemartins, Sinitta and the CommunardsA look back at the year when Simply Red, the Housemartins, Sinitta, the Communards and Swing Out Sister hit the charts. It was a time that saw the advent of house music, the big bang in the money markets and political fatigue on the left. How did these real-world events make their mark on the nation's most popular show? -
01:05 1h
Saving Lives at Sea
S11 · E7 · Yacht on the ReefA French yacht makes a mayday call after suffering mechanical failureA French yacht has made a mayday call after suffering mechanical failure near Jersey. The St Helier crew must rescue it before it drifts onto a notoriously treacherous reef. Along the south Wales coast, the Barry Dock lifeboat is tasked to two casualties on a remote island who have ingested hemlock - a poisonous plant that can be fatal -
02:05 1h
Finding Britain's Slave Traders with David Olusoga
S1 · E2The historian reveals how the slave trade hit its peak in the 18th centuryPart two of two. The historian reveals how the end of the royal monopoly and the expansion of the trade was the pivotal moment in the story of the slave trade. In the 18th century, the trade in enslaved Africans reached its peak as it expanded out of the royal court to provincial towns and ports across the country, with thousands of new investors -
03:05 55m
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04:00 1h 30m
World Track Cycling Championships 2026
2026 Day Five - 1 ● LiveCoverage of the fifth day of the eventClare Balding presents coverage of the fifth and final day of the event, which takes place at Shanghai Velodrome, China -
05:30 30m
Morning
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06:00 30m
Landward
S2026 · E18Dougie Vipond visits the Sheep Dog World Trial at Lauder in the BordersDougie Vipond visits the Sheep Dog World Trial at Lauder in the Scottish Borders, finding out how the family hosting the event turned their working farm into a championship venue and meeting some of the international competitors and their dogs taking part. Rosie Morton is on Bute for a trialling masterclass from one of the sport's best handlers, while Cammy Wilson is at the Kelso Ram Sales investigating the continuing decline in sheep numbers in Scotland. Anne Lundon visits a craftswoman keeping the tradition of crook-making alive -
06:30 4h
World Track Cycling Championships 2026
2026 Day Five - 2 ● LiveFurther coverage of the fifth day of the eventClare Balding presents further coverage of the fifth and final day of the event, which takes place at Shanghai Velodrome, China. Medals are decided in the women's points race and keirin, and the men's elimination race, sprint and madison. With analysis from Laura Kenny -
10:30 1h 30m
Saturday Kitchen Best Bites
With recipes by Angela Hartnett, Ollie Dabbous and Rachel AllenMatt Tebbutt presents more highlights, with recipes by Angela Hartnett, Ollie Dabbous and Rachel Allen, while broadcaster Sara Cox tucks into either her food heaven or hell
Daytime
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12:00 40m
Eva Longoria: Searching for France
S3 · E3 · BordeauxThe actress explores the history, food and culture of BordeauxThe actress explores the history, food and culture of Bordeaux, finding out its world-famous vineyards are undergoing a revival as vintners seek to update their wines by introducing new technology and reinventing older traditions. She visits St Emillion, where wine production began 1,000 years ago, and enjoys unusual wine pairings by sampling a deep red with fish, and a buttery white with cheese -
12:40 1h 35m
The Colditz Story
FilmSecond World War drama, starring John MillsA medieval castle in Germany is turned into a PoW camp during the Second World War, and used to house the most rebellious Allied prisoners, all of whom have made repeated escape attempts. Although breaking out is supposedly impossible, the determined inmates refuse to be beaten and continue their bid for freedom. Second World War drama, starring John Mills and Eric Portman -
14:15 2h 20m
MOTD Live: Women's Super League
Manchester City v Brighton & Hove Albion 18.10 ● LiveManchester City v Brighton & Hove Albion (Kick-off 2.30pm)Manchester City v Brighton & Hove Albion (Kick-off 2.30pm). All the action from the match at Joie Stadium. City won the league last term for the second time in their history and made a strong start to the defence of their title. Brighton finished in seventh place last season and have experienced a mixed start to the current campaign, winning one, drawing two and losing one of their first five matches -
16:35 1h
This Farming Life
S6 · E7Nikki and Ollie's rabbit breeding programme bears fruitIn Inverkip, after a successful pregnancy scan, Rachel and Camy are getting their sheds ready for this year's crop of Park Cheviot Ewes - the best in their flock. Nikki and Ollie welcome their first colony of rabbit kits as their breeding programme takes off. In the Cairngorms National Park, Robert heads to market to sell last year's crop of spring calves - a nerve-racking wait to find out what this year's profit for a year's hard work will be -
17:35 1h
The Book That Changed My Life
Queen Camilla and four remarkable people share the books that shaped themInspired by her passion to get people reading, Queen Camilla joins four remarkable people to share the stories of books that shaped them. Warm, emotional and full of hope, the programme shows how reading can lift people up, open minds and even change lives in a celebration of the power inside every book
Tonight's Highlights
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18:35 45m
Flog It!
S13 · E33 · Bedfordshire 31From Wrest Park, BedfordshireAnita Manning and Christina Trevanion head to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire to view and value a succession of antiques and collectibles. Presenter Paul Martin explores the grounds of the country estate, taking a look at its collection of statuary and finding out about the key characters who made Wrest what it is today -
19:20 40m
Eva Longoria: Searching for France
S3 · E4 · BrittanyThe actress explores the history, food and culture of BrittanyThe actress explores the history, food and culture of Brittany with her Breton guide Tanguy Thomassin , heading to the vast oyster beds of Cancale, with the region still supplying half of France with the seafood. Brittany also boasts plentiful sardines, kelp forests, spiny crabs and the rare cobalt blue lobster -
20:00 1h
The Balkans: Europe's Forgotten Frontier
S1 · E1Part one of two. How the Balkans have changed in the past 30 yearsIn the first of two programmes, the BBC's Europe editor, Katya Adler, travels to Croatia, Bosnia and Albania. This is a corner of Europe that Katya first visited during the Yugoslav wars of independence. Thirty years later, she discovers a beautiful region that's changing rapidly - but is also seen as the weak link of Europe, where Russia, China and the Islamic world are vying with the west for influence and power -
21:00 1h
Wilderness with Simon Reeve
S2 · E4 · MongoliaSimon embarks on a 3,000-mile journey across MongoliaSimon travels across Mongolia, the most sparsely populated country on Earth and home to some of the most brutal and beautiful landscapes on the planet. Six times the size of the UK but with fewer than 3.5 million people, Simon wants to find out how wild nature and nomadic traditions like hunting with golden eagles still shape everyday life, all while searching for the elusive snow leopard -
22:00 45m
Later... with Jools Holland
S69 · E2With Royal Blood, Moses Boyd, Shygirl, Kingfishr, Ayanna Witter-Johnson and Tony IommiTaking to the stage at Alexandra Palace Theatre in north London are Royal Blood, Moses Boyd, Shygirl, Kingfishr and Ayanna Witter-Johnson. Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi chats to Jools at the piano about his musical beginnings, his memories of bandmate Ozzy Osbourne and new album From the Dark, his first solo LP in 21 years. Jools also marks the 20th anniversary of Amy Winehouse's album Back to Black with a dip into the archives to remember her performance on the show in 2006 -
22:45 1h 50m
