TV tonight: Paris Lees' captivating millennial coming-of-age drama
9pm, BBC Three
Millennials, prepare for a nostalgia rush as this rollicking adaptation of Paris Lees' memoir takes us back to the time of Nokias, Zombie Nation and total hedonism. Life is 'one big fucking party' for everyone except Byron (a brilliant breakthrough for Ellis Howard), a working-class teenager desperate to escape constant homophobia and hopelessness. Sex work leads Byron to Nottingham's underground scene and a fun-loving group called the Fallen Divas. But the party can't last for ever … It's a bold and captivating opening episode that doesn't flinch from exploring the big issues (Byron is only 15 when being paid for sex) and tells the story with authenticity and humour. Hollie Richardson
10pm, BBC Four'I killed at least 83 people myself; under my orders there were between 1,500 and 2,000 people killed. I was the most wanted man in the world.' That's Ilich Ramírez Sánchez – AKA Carlos the Jackal – speaking from prison in Paris, where he is serving three life sentences for his involvement in terror attacks. He narrates this film about his life, from growing up in Venezuela to his relationships with Gaddafi and Bin Laden. HR
7pm, BBC TwoRecent cyber-attacks on M&S, the Co-op and Harrods have exposed critical flaws in digital defences, causing empty shelves, halted deliveries and furious customers. The hackers? Organised, anonymous and ruthlessly efficient – but often simply disaffected youngsters showing off their skills, as one ex-hacker here admits. Ali Catterall
9pm, BBC One
This certainly isn't one of those episodes where the researchers had to scrabble around for a half-decent story. Straight away, singer Will Young provides a moving tale of overlooked second world war heroism thanks to the exploits of his grandfather, Digby. Then there is some spicy villainy further up the family tree. Young receives both happy and sad news. Jack Seale
9pm, BBC TwoThere have been two dramatisations of the Lockerbie terror attack this year. Neither really felt as if they did justice to the tale, so now it's time to hear the families of six victims tell their own stories in this documentary. These victims include 25-year-old Olive Gordon and 24-year-old Tim Burman. HR
9pm, Sky ArtsFor her next trip in this lovely series, art expert Kate Bryan is in Preston at the home of the first Black woman to win the Turner prize, and 'ultimate disruptor', Lubaina Himid. They have intimate chats about Himid's work on race, identity and what it means to be Black in the UK today. HR
Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story (Sinéad O'Shea, 2024), 10pm, Sky ArtsA woman who lived her life battling the repression that is an enduring theme in her novels, the Irish author Edna O'Brien is a terrific subject for a documentary. O'Shea does her proud here and is blessed with access to the then 93-year-old – who is as sharp as ever when talking through her experiences. But O'Brien is also tinged with melancholy – a result of a traumatic childhood, an oppressive marriage and the misogynist resentment she faced – not least back in Ireland – due to her frank opinions. Simon Wardell
In the Loop (Armando Iannucci, 2009), 11.45pm, BBC Two
Iannucci's comedy bridges the gap between The Thick of It and Veep by throwing together governmental fools and chancers from the UK and US. It also ups the ante by making the result of the bungling of its apparatchiks, spin merchants and elected officials an actual war. Most of the Thick of It cast return, though confusingly as different characters. Luckily, Peter Capaldi's vituperative director of comms Malcolm Tucker is present and incorrect, bullying the out-of-his-depth minister for international development Simon Foster (Tom Hollander) on an ill-fated visit to Washington DC. SW
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The Sun
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The Sun
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The Independent
17 minutes ago
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Free school meals for half a million of England's poorest children
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She continued: 'It is the moral mission of this government to tackle the stain of child poverty, and today this government takes a giant step towards ending it with targeted support that puts money back in parents' pockets.' The move was welcomed by campaigners and unions, with the Child Poverty Action Group saying it will be a 'game-changer for children and families'. Kate Anstey, head of education policy the campaign group, said: 'At last more kids will get the food they need to learn and thrive and millions of parents struggling to make ends meet will get a bit of breathing space. 'We hope this is a sign of what's to come in autumn's child poverty strategy, with the government taking more action to meet its manifesto commitment to reduce child poverty in the UK." Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said the expansion of free school meals eligibility was a 'necessary and overdue first step' that would help address child hunger in schools. 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New data showed that more than 3.5 million essential items were handed out in 2024, including nappies, clothes and cots – an increase of 143 per cent on the previous year. The announcement came just hours after Sir Keir sidestepped questions over the two-child benefit cap, amid growing calls for him to lift the limit. Critics of the policy say removing it would be the most effective way of tackling child poverty amid warnings that as many as 100 children are pulled into poverty every day by the limit. However, it is thought the cap will not be lifted until the government publishes its child poverty strategy, which has now been delayed until the autumn. Grilled on the policy at Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir said he is 'absolutely determined' to 'drive down' child poverty but declined to give further details ahead of the publication of the government's strategy.
