Chaos, class tension and clueless staff collide in this wildly watchable new reality show set in Sydney

Tonight, BBC Three airs the first episode of Billion Dollar Playground at 9 pm — a reality series so brash, bizarre and brilliantly bonkers, it’s impossible to tear your eyes away. Think Selling Sunset with less gloss and more vintage champagne disasters.

The show follows luxury property concierge Heaven, who claims her job lets her “live vicariously” through the billionaire clients who rent out this absurdly decadent estate. The only problem? Heaven’s as disorganised as she is enthusiastic. Her version of high-end hospitality includes misplacing six-figure wine bottles and struggling to keep track of guest demands.

Enter Jasmin, a steely hotel consultant brought in to whip the operation into shape. Naturally, this escalates into a passive-aggressive turf war. Add to that a couple of sulky, shirtless chef brothers and an uninvited dog who upends a VIP dinner, and the result is total chaos—filmed in glorious high definition.

Cringeworthy, yes. But if you’re after a bit of mindless escapism and Schadenfreude served poolside, Billion Dollar Playground delivers.

Before that, BBC Two asks a sobering question at 7 pm: Heatwaves: The New Normal?

With Britain currently sweltering in 31°C heat, BBC weather presenter Sarah Keith-Lucas investigates how extreme temperatures are no longer freak events, but increasingly expected. From construction sites to food delivery and even fashion retail, no industry is safe from climate stress. Keith-Lucas takes a grounded, science-backed look at the consequences, without sensationalism, but not without urgency.

At 9 pm, BBC Two offers up another tense chapter of its steamy Australian noir Scrublands: Silver.

Scrublands returns with Mandy under arrest, suspected of killing Jasper. But while local police pursue dead-end leads, journalist Martin has his suspicions. Could a dark system of sexual exploitation involving tourist visas be connected? Brooding, brutal, and beautifully shot, it’s one of the most gripping dramas on British TV right now.

Also at 9 pm on Sky Atlantic, The Gilded Age continues its high-stakes, high-society scheming.

Carrie Coon is delightfully dreadful as Bertha Russell, whose obsession with her daughter’s social ascent is starting to unravel George’s business deals. Meanwhile, Peggy Scott explores a new romantic connection, and Agnes Van Rhijn adjusts to a life with less power and fewer pearls. Period drama fans, this is your slow-burning feast.

Need something quirkier? Try Elsbeth at 9 pm on Sky Witness.

The charmingly oddball lawyer Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) goes undercover at a suspicious wellness retreat to investigate the death of a young man. She’s soon entangled in her own emotional baggage while exposing the shady guru behind the operation. Witty, weird and surprisingly emotional, Elsbeth remains one of the year’s sleeper hits.

Finally, Channel 4 closes the night with the harrowing Crime Scene Cleaners at 10 pm.

Not for the faint-hearted, this documentary takes you into the world of specialist cleaners tackling the gruesome aftermath of violence. This week, a London crime scene where a teenager was stabbed in a hire car, and a Louisiana home hiding a potentially deadly meth lab. Grim but compelling.