The Guardian Whats On – 1 August 2026

Summary

Tanya Reynolds went from alien erotica to Ted Lasso — and The Guardian What's On 1-7 August 2026 interviews the actor about joining the fourth season as assistant coach Alice, her nerves playing football scenes, and why she prefers wholesome television over violent dramas. The issue covers TV and radio listings for the week of 1-7 August.

The cover interview by Lucinda Everett explores Reynolds' journey from Sex Education to the play 1536 and now to Ted Lasso, where she plays a tough assistant coach despite being nervous in real life. A review of Ricky Gervais's new animated comedy Alley Cats by Rhik Samadder follows, with Samadder calling it "boorish, sweary and I didn't laugh once." The rest of the issue provides daily TV, radio and streaming schedules.

Regular listings sections fill the pages with daily programme recommendations, broadcast channels and times. The issue serves as a practical weekly guide for Guardian readers planning their viewing.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Reviews / Listings

From Alien Erotica to Ted Lasso — Tanya Reynolds
Reynolds on joining the fourth season of Ted Lasso as assistant coach Alice, contrasting her own shy personality with her character's toughness. She describes the football training she underwent and the moment she realised acting opposite Jason Sudeikis was different from any other set. Ted Lasso fans wondering how the new character fits the existing dynamic can read the episode-1 teaser details she reveals here.

Alley Cats — review
Rhik Samadder reviews Ricky Gervais's new Netflix animated series, calling it unfunny and outdated. He cites specific jokes from the first two episodes and compares them unfavourably to Gervais's earlier work. Viewers debating whether to press play should skip this one and rewatch The Office instead — Samadder makes the case in his closing paragraph.

TV picks for the week 1-7 August
Daily recommendations across BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky. Each day gets 3-5 highlighted programmes with broadcast times. Streamers should check the daily "Now Streaming" column for titles that skip linear schedules entirely.

Radio highlights
BBC Radio 4, Radio 3 and 5 Live programmes for the week, including dramas, documentaries and live music. Each day lists 2-3 recommended broadcasts with times. Podcast subscribers can set automatic downloads for the Radio 4 dramas that release as podcasts the same evening.

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Editor's Take

The Tanya Reynolds interview is a pleasant read — she is genuinely likeable and the Ted Lasso behind-the-scenes details feel exclusive — but at 4 pages the feature is longer than the material justifies. The Ricky Gervais review is the issue's best writing: Samadder is specific about why Alley Cats fails, naming scenes and jokes rather than making general complaints. This issue is for Ted Lasso fans and Guardian listings regulars who need the week's TV schedule in print form.

Strengths
• Tanya Reynolds interview with specific Ted Lasso season 4 details
• Rhik Samadder's specific, scene-level critique of Alley Cats

Weaknesses
• Cover feature overextended; the interview content could fit 2 pages
• No second feature article — once you finish the listings, the issue is done

Verdict: Selective read — the Alley Cats review is worth reading; the rest is standard listings.