Comedian Joe Lycett is launching an ambitious new venture this week: a functioning public house in Hoxton, east London, that will broadcast live for one hour every Friday evening. The Lycett Arms will operate as a working pub during its broadcast window, welcoming both celebrity guests and regular patrons as Lycett takes on the role of landlord. According to 's official announcement, the series comprises six episodes airing at 10pm on consecutive Fridays, beginning on 4 September 2026.
The project represents an escalation of Lycett's television ambitions. Earlier interviews described the show as an evolution of his previous Late Night Lycett format, but with the added complexity of operating an actual licensed premises. Lycett completed a licensee course as part of the setup, though he notably failed to obtain the alcohol licence examination on his first attempt and publicly appealed for assistance via Instagram. The venue's opening hours reflect these administrative challenges: the pub will operate solely during the one-hour broadcast window on Friday evenings.
What else is on television tonight?
Beyond Lycett's debut, the evening offers a diverse range of programming across multiple channels and genres.
Classical music and the Proms
At 7pm on BBC Four, American conductor Marin Alsop discusses her historic role as the first female conductor to lead the Last Night of the Proms in 2013. The programme features her reflections on this season's standout moment: pianist Yunchan Lim's opening-night rendition of Ravel's Piano Concerto.
Murder mysteries dominate the schedule
Three separate crime dramas compete for viewers' attention across the evening. At 8pm on U&Drama, the comedy-mystery series You're Killing Me returns with another puzzle for its unlikely detective pairing. Boomer Allie, portrayed by Brooke Shields, and gen Z Andi, played by Amalia Williamson, investigate the death of a car dealer discovered in his garden. The case bears striking similarities to a murder featured in Allie's debut novel, potentially offering crucial leads.
At 9pm on BBC Two, The Marlow Murder Club concludes its two-part narrative arc. The episode escalates the stakes considerably: the amateur sleuthing team recognises that a second murder looms unless they act decisively. Tanika makes a calculated risk by assembling a group of civilian advisers to help prevent the anticipated crime.
The Rainmaker, which airs at 9pm on ITV1, shifts the crime-solving focus to the courtroom. British actor Milo Callaghan leads this American legal drama in the title role of Rudy, a lawyer navigating a wrongful death case. This week's episode features Rudy uncovering unexpected evidence before facing off against his former employer, Leo, portrayed by Mad Men's John Slattery.
Comedy and drama in late-night slots
At 12.15am on Sky One, an unnamed comedy series follows the misadventures of Otis, a privileged but incompetent character forced into law enforcement by mayoral pressure. His supervisor, Flute, played by Jon Hamm, devises an escalating series of schemes designed to sabotage Otis's career prospects. Concurrently, a congested Harmony consumes too much of Marvin's homemade cough remedy, leading to surreal encounters with her son's imaginary skeletal companion, Mr Flesh, voiced by Alan Tudyk.
Film: Folk horror and rural tragedy
At 11.05pm on BBC Two, Athina Rachel Tsangari's Harvest adapts Jim Crace's novel through the visual language of 1970s British folk horror cinema. The film employs ritualistic imagery and animal masks reminiscent of The Wicker Man, yet its true horror emerges from economic and social systems rather than supernatural forces. Set in an unnamed rural Scottish village, the narrative centres on the benevolent but ultimately powerless Master Kent, portrayed by Harry Melling, who oversees agricultural labourers including his former servant Walter, played by Caleb Landry Jones. The arrival of Kent's cousin, Frank Dillane, with schemes to enclose common land and introduce sheep farming, exposes the brutal inequities of power and the tendency of the dispossessed to scapegoat outsiders for their circumstances.
Live sport
Women's Super League Football kicks off at 6pm on Sky One with London City facing Manchester United at Copperjax Community Stadium. London's roster includes two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas among its marquee signings.
What happens next
The Lycett Arms premiere airs on Friday 4 September 2026 at 10pm on , with the six-week series continuing on successive Friday nights at the same time slot. The venture marks a significant backing of British pub culture from both the comedian and the broadcaster during a period of ongoing challenges for the hospitality sector.
