TV tonight: Elena Ferrante beautifully unpacks friendship, class and privilege

The TV adaptation of My Brilliant Friend reaches Lenù and Lila’s friendship in 70s Italy. Plus: Crufts. Here’s what to watch this evening

My Brilliant Friend

9pm, Sky Atlantic

The quietly beautiful adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s bestselling Neapolitan novels reaches the third book of the series. Now reflecting on their friendship in 70s Italy, Lenù is a rising literary star and engaged to a professor, while Lila has left her marriage and taken on a job in a meat factory. But their lives continue to turn in unexpected ways and their roles change, as themes of friendship, privilege, class, loyalty and success are intricately and thoughtfully unpacked. Hollie Richardson

Crufts

3pm, Channel 4

Agility, heelwork, obedience, flyball, and generally being very cute – these are the things putting the world’s most competitive pooches to the test. Clare Balding presents from day one, with a highlights show at 8pm and continued coverage until Sunday when best in show is chosen. HR

Dragons’ Den

8pm, BBC One

Cash injection or brash rejection? A fresh intake of moguls-in-waiting hope their optimistic business plans survive the trial by fire that is pitching to the unsentimental Dragons. On the docket tonight: a diverting puzzle game, chocolate treats and an ingenious office furniture concept that can only be described as “hot”. Graeme Virtue

The Apprentice

9pm, BBC One

This week, our aspiring business moguls have to launch a baby food brand. Half the contestants head to the kitchen to work out flavour notes, while the rest take on branding. It’s a classic Apprentice setup – designed to fail spectacularly and see the contestants inevitably fumble. Henry Wong

Amol Rajan Interviews Nile Rodgers

9pm, BBC Two

The Chic songwriter/guitarist is a prolific giver of interviews, but the story of his band’s success and his work with Madonna, David Bowie, Daft Punk and others perhaps can’t be told too many times. This hour-long chat also takes in music industry racism and the death of Rodgers’s mother in 2020. Jack Seale

Extraordinary Escapes With Sandi Toksvig

9pm, Channel 4

Spending the day with Toksvig and her travel companion Sue Johnston at an alpaca farm sounds like the therapy we all need. And that’s not all they get up to in Cornwall: expect a jolly game of boules and lots of lovely chatter, too. HR

Contributors

Hollie Richardson, Graeme Virtue, Henry Wong and Jack Seale

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