“Exhilarating” British spy caper is among 5 must-see movies on UK TV this weekend

Looking for something to watch on TV this weekend? There are lots of options on regular channels, from exciting spy thrillers and funny spoofs to the highly-rated comedy-drama starring Jeffrey Wright. You’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy!

Here, Digital Spy has rounded-up five of the best movies to look out for.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

The first film in this popular action series is a fun and exciting choice for a weekend night.

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The film stars Taron Egerton in his first major role, alongside Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson. It tells the story of a promising new agent joining a secret spy agency called the Kingsman, and their quest to prevent a power-hungry billionaire from wiping out humankind.

In our original review, Digital Spy described *Kingsman: The Secret Service* as a wildly entertaining and thrilling film with a distinctly British feel. The review particularly praised the performances of Colin Firth as a sophisticated agent and Taron Egerton as his street-smart apprentice.

Airing Saturday evening at 9pm on Channel 4.

Joker

The 2019 film, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the famous DC character, was a massive success with both critics and audiences. Phoenix won an Oscar for his performance, and the movie held the record for the highest-grossing R-rated film until recently.

Joker explores the beginnings of the iconic villain, showing how Arthur Fleck, a struggling comedian and clown in Gotham City, descends into madness and ultimately becomes the Joker.

Featuring Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz, the film has a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics describing it as a mature and darker take on comic book movies.

Airing Saturday evening at 9.50pm on ITV1. Available on ITVX afterwards.

Johnny English

If you’re looking for a Sunday afternoon laugh, then 2003 comedy Johnny English is airing on ITV1.

This movie is a funny spoof of spy films. The Associated Press called it “silly, silly, silly – and proud of it!” It stars Rowan Atkinson as a clumsy secret agent who must recover the stolen Crown Jewels and foil a dangerous scheme against the British monarchy.

Appearing alongside Atkinson are Natalie Imbruglia, Ben Miller and John Malkovich.

Airing Sunday at 2.15pm on ITV1. Available on ITVX afterwards.

The Sound of Music

Few movie musicals are as famous as 1965’s *The Sound of Music*. It stars Julie Andrews as a young woman studying to be a nun who takes a job as a governess for the large Von Trapp family in Austria. She teaches the children to love music while the country faces the rising danger of the Nazi regime.

The film, famous for songs like ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Do-Re-Mi’, and ‘Maria’, was called “just about a perfect movie” by Rachelsreviews.net.

Airing Sunday at 4.35pm on BBC Two. Available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

American Fiction

The highly praised 2023 film is adapted from Percival Everett’s novel *Erasure*. It tells the story of a Black novelist and professor who deliberately writes a book mocking common stereotypes about Black literature. His goal is to expose the problem of society profiting from these harmful tropes, but ironically, his parody becomes a bestseller.

With Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown leading the cast, *American Fiction* has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, earning a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. *The Nightly* praised the film as a clever and funny exploration of complex ideas.

Airing Sunday at 10pm on BBC Two. Available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

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2025-09-27 09:20