TV Tonight: Brenda Blethyn’s brilliant, thrilling revenge drama | television

A woman of substance

9pm on Channel 4
Forty years after the Emmy Award-nominated film adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s 1979 novel, here’s another great (and interesting) retelling of the revenge story. In the 1970s, Emma Hart (Brenda Blethyn), “the richest woman in the world,” reflects on her life from her home in New York. Her story begins at the turn of the twentieth century in Yorkshire, where she worked as a maid for a wealthy family. When her mother tells Emma to pursue her dreams from her deathbed, she makes plans to never be poor again. But wrong turns are always moments away… Jessica Reynolds plays a younger Emma and is joined by a fantastic cast including Emmett J Scanlan and Lenny Rush. Holly Richardson

Alice Roberts: Our Hospital Through Time

8pm on Channel 5
Another fascinating tour around Britain’s oldest hospital still in its original location. Alice traces Barts’ modern, robot-arm-operated pharmacy back to the Great Plague of 1665, when it was a humble pharmacy shop. And what can plastic surgery techniques developed to treat World War I soldiers offer patients today? Ellen E. Jones

ambulance

9pm, BBC One
It’s a long night ahead for Yorkshire Ambulance Service. While frontline staff dodge punches from a patient and rush to help an elderly woman stuck on her walking frame, call handler Abby faces a different challenge: an abusive 999 caller blocking the lines. Eig

hostage

9pm on BBC Two

The second episode of this grim but compelling documentary series explores the kidnapping of journalists John Cantlie and James Foley in Syria. This time, ransom demands are being issued (and ignored on principle by the authorities) as ISIS captives begin to lose hope. Contributors include former Prime Minister David Cameron and former jihadist Hamza Parviz. Phil Harrison

Stolen girl

9pm on ITV1
“I know what I’m about to say may sound strange, but you should know: I’m your mother.” While Rebecca tries to comfort a kidnapped Lucia at her French farmhouse hideout, at home Fred turns himself in to the police and a nosy neighbor threatens to blow Rebecca’s cover. Ali Catterall

We may regret this

10pm on BBC Two
The groundbreaking comedy continues with Benefits Assessment Susan (guest star Lolly Adefobi) assesses Freya’s financial needs. She also delivers some bad news: if Freya goes ahead with her marriage to Abby, her funding will be cut. Next week’s finale is the wedding episode, but with doubts growing, will it go ahead? Human resources

Movie choices

Zootropolis 2 (Jared Bush, Byron Howard, 2025), Disney+

Whether it’s called Zootopia 2 or Zoomania 2 (hello Germany), the second highest-grossing animated film of all time is a chip off the old block. Police duo Judy Hopps, the Rabbit (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), and Nick Wilde, the Red Fox (Jason Bateman), return as they search for a snake (Ki Hui Kwan) who may be connected to a smuggling operation. But snakes haven’t been seen in the city for years… A colorful comedy adventure that will appeal mostly to the younger generation. Simon Wardle

Live sports

UEFA Champions League Football: Real Madrid vs Man City, 7pm on TNT Sports 1
Paris Saint-Germain – Chelsea, 7 pm, TNT Sports 2
Bayer Leverkusen – Arsenal, at 5pm, on TNT Sports 3