Sky Arts TV Guide — Monday, 18 May 2026

Browse the full Sky Arts TV guide for Monday, 18 May 2026. 26 programmes listed , including 7 tonight. UK listings updated daily — scroll down to tonight's highlights or use the day tabs above to browse the weekly schedule.

Early Morning

00:50 2h

Bootsy Collins at Jazz à Vienne

A 2011 performance by the bassist at the French jazz festival

A 2011 concert by the bassist at the French jazz festival, featuring performances of One Nation Under a Groove, Don't Stop the Music and Mothership Connection (Star Child)

02:50 1h 35m

Record On: The Specials - A Message to You

S1 · E3 · Record On: The Specials - A Message to You

A profile of the band

A profile of the band, spanning the decades from the band's formation to later albums Encore and Protest Songs

04:25 1h 5m

Classic Albums

S1 · E18 · U2 - The Joshua Tree

U2's The Joshua Tree

The making of U2's album The Joshua Tree, which features the tracks I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and With or Without You. Members of the band and producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois reveal stories behind the 1987 classic

05:30 30m

Discovering: Paul Simon

S2 · E5 · Discovering: Paul Simon

Music critics discuss the singer-songwriter's career

Music critics shed fresh light on the career of award-winning American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, whose fame, influence and success began with his partnership with Art Garfunkel

Morning

06:00 2h

Cirque du Soleil: Varekai

The circus company tells the story of Icarus

The circus company tells the story of Icarus, whose wings melt when he flies to close to the sun, sending him crashing into the volcanic and mysterious world of Varekai

08:00 25m

Artist of the Year: Masterclass

S1 · E35 · Painting Hands

Tips on painting hands

Tutorials for budding artists, with this edition focusing on painting hands. Tai-Shan Schierenberg has tips on painting portraits

08:25 30m

Artist of the Year: Masterclass

S1 · E36 · Painting with Gold Leaf

Painting with gold leaf

Tutorials for budding artists, with this edition focusing on painting with gold leaf. Plus, Tai-Shan Schierenberg has tips on painting portraits

08:55 25m

Tales of the Unexpected

S8 · E4 · Scrimshaw

A lonely alcoholic bumps into an old friend

A lonely alcoholic is delighted when she bumps into an old friend from university, but he might have an ulterior motive for seeing her

09:20 30m

Tales of the Unexpected

S9 · E1 · Skeleton in the Cupboard

A ruthless executive covers up a guilty secret

An echo from the past comes back to haunt a ruthless executive, and his wife becomes suspicious

09:50 30m

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

S4 · E4 · The Crooked Road

A corrupt police officer attempts to extort money from a couple

A couple driving through a rural location in the the Deep South discover that the police and judge of the town of Robertsville are more intent on extorting money from them than being honest servants of the people. With Richard Kiley and Walter Matthau

10:20 30m

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

S4 · E5 · The $2,000,000 Defence

A lawyer tries to prove that a gun was fired accidentally

The fate of accused killer Lloyd Ashley depends on whether or not his lawyer Mark Robeson can prove that a gun can fire accidentally, even with the safety catch on. With Barry Sullivan and Leslie Nielsen

10:50 1h

Discovering: Michelle Pfeiffer

S13 · E10 · Michelle Pfeiffer

A look at the life and career of the actress

A look at the life and career of the American actress, who received Oscar nominations for her roles in Dangerous Liaisons, The Fabulous Baker Boys and Love Field

11:50 1h

André Rieu: Welcome to My World

S5 · E2 · André Rieu: Falling in Love Again

André performs his emotional first concert after the pandemic

André performs his emotional first concert after the pandemic and welcomes a new soprano to the Johann Strauss family.

Daytime

12:50 30m

Tales of the Unexpected

S9 · E2 · The Colonel's Lady

A man believes his wife is having an affair

Colonel George Peregrine's comfortable life is disturbed when his wife writes a raunchy novel that becomes a best-seller and he becomes convinced she is having an affair. With Joss Ackland, Pauline Collins, Rupert Frazer and Gareth Thomas

13:20 25m

Tales of the Unexpected

S9 · E3 · The Surgeon

A surgeon receives a wonderful gift

A surgeon saves the life of a wealthy patient and receives a wonderful gift - but his new asset proves a fearful liability. Starring John Alderton and Alison Fiske

13:45 1h

Musical Masterpieces

S1 · E2 · Carmen

Myleene Klass and Errollyn Wallen explore Georges Bizet's Carmen

Myleene Klass and Errollyn Wallen explore Carmen, Georges Bizet's controversial opera. Features special performances from leading British opera company Opera North

14:45 1h 15m

Classic Albums

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Black Sabbath's second album Paranoid

The making of Black Sabbath's second album Paranoid, which was released in 1970 and helped define the sound and style of heavy metal. The programme tells the story of how Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward created the record, and features contributions by Phil Alexander, Geoff Barton, Henry Rollins and Jim Simpson

16:00 1h

Discovering: Mel Gibson

S13 · E11 · Mel Gibson

The life and career of the Oscar-winning actor and director

The life and career of the actor, who rose to fame for his roles in the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon franchises and won an Oscar for directing Braveheart

17:00 1h

Portrait Artist of the Year 2017

S3 · E9

A look at the winner's journey through the competition

A look at the winner's journey through the competition and the work they have done along the way to claiming the title

Tonight's Highlights

18:00 30m

Tales of the Unexpected

S9 · E4 · The Verger

A new vicar plans radical changes

When the new vicar of a church plans radical changes, conflict arises over a secret one of the locals has kept for years

18:30 30m

Tales of the Unexpected

S9 · E5 · The Facts of Life

A fencing contest ends in mystery

A fencing contest in London lands naive Nicholas Lillie in the middle of a bizarre adventure. Drama, with Benedict Taylor and Jim Broadbent

19:00 30m

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

S4 · E6 · Design for Loving

A man purchases an android duplicate of himself

In the near future of 1965, a drone seeks escape from his dull job, and his wife's constant demands. Charles Brailing longs to chuck it all and fly down to Rio. Sharing his dilemma with another middle-age crazy husband, Brailing purchases an answer which should satisfy all parties, even the lovely Lydia - an android duplicate. Norman Lloyd and Marian Seldes star

19:30 30m

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

S4 · E7 · Man with a Problem

A man threatens to commit suicide

Karen Adams' infidelity drives her husband Carl to attempt suicide by jumping from a high window ledge at a hotel, where a police officer tries to stop him. With Gary Merrill and Peter Mark Richman

20:00 2h 15m

André Rieu Royale: Coronation Concert Live in Amsterdam

S1 · E1 · André Rieu Royale: Coronation Concert Live in Amsterdam

A performance at the investiture of King Willem-Alexander on April 30, 2013

The Dutch violinist performs songs including a specially penned Coronation Waltz at the investiture of King Willem-Alexander on April 30, 2013

22:15 1h 15m

Len Phillips Swing Orchestra's 100 Years of Big Bands

S1 · E2

Part two of two. Concert tracing the history of jazz, swing and big band music

Part two of two. Concert from London's Cadogan Hall tracing the history of jazz, swing and big band music, with singers Matt Ford and Nicola Emmanuelle joining the orchestra

23:30 1h 25m

Academy of Ancient Music: Vivaldi's Four Seasons

A performance of Vivaldi's most popular work

Violinist Rachel Podger joins the Academy of Ancient Music for a performance of Vivaldi's most popular work, featuring the sounds of wintry blizzards and hazy summer days

Early Morning

Morning

Daytime

Tonight's Highlights

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