The best new TV shows and returning favourites to watch in 2026

The best shows to watch in 2026 are already looking dangerously unmissable. From globe-trotting espionage to royalty-adjacent scandals, from laugh out loud comedies to psychological rabbit holes you did not see coming, the schedules are jam-packed and we are soooo here for it!

If you’re on the hunt for the new shows coming in 2026 that are actually worth your time, consider this your ultimate cheat sheet. We’re talking long-awaited returns, dazzling debuts, and a mix of bold, brilliant storytelling that’ll keep your watchlist overflowing!

Coming soon | Coming later this year

Coming soon

The Undeclared War (Season 2)

Channel 4, Tuesday 21st June

Following the jaw-dropping first season, The Undeclared War returns with a fresh wave of tension and paranoia as the elite Malware Department at GCHQ grapples with the aftermath of a devastating Russian cyber-attack. Just when it seems the UK has finally gained the upper hand, Danny (Simon Pegg) and the team uncover a far more dangerous threat – one that could push the country to the edge.

Edge-of-your-seat tension? Absolutelyyyyy.

The Rapture

BBC One

Psychological thriller fans, this one sounds seriously addictive. Ruth Madeley (Doctor Who) stars as forensic psychologist Gabs Fox, who takes a role at a high-security psychiatric hospital and becomes drawn into the unsettling world of Bethany Krall (India Amarteifio, Queen Charlotte), a teenage girl convicted of murdering her mother who claims she can predict the future. 

And if you love a book adaption, The Rapture is adapted from Liz Jensen's best-selling novel.

Granite Harbour (Season 3)

BBC One, Thursday 23rd June

Granite Harbour is backkkkk for another gripping season of twists, tension and murder in Aberdeen. Davis Lindo (Romario Simpson) and the team are thrown into a fresh investigation packed with secrets, emotional fallout and high-stakes drama. If you love moody crime dramas with plenty of suspense, this one’s calling your name.

Hit Point

Coming to U and U&Drama, this August

Written by BAFTA-winning Howard Overman (Misfits, War of the Worlds), Hit Point is an adrenaline-fuelled crime thriller with a sizzling romantic edge. The series follows detectives Leo (Nick Blood) and Bella (Saffron Hocking) as their latest case pulls them deep into the West London underworld.

As they search for answers, the lines between their personal and professional lives begin to blur, with every corner hiding another twist and every question leading to betrayal. If that doesn't give you goosebumps, we don't know what will!

Ludwig (Season 2)

BBC One and BBC iPlayer this August

Our favourite puzzle-setter turned detective is coming back to our screens! Picking up from where series one left off, John 'Ludwig' Taylor (David Mitchell) is now a Crime Scene Consultant, working alongside DCI Russell Carter (Dipo Ola) to solve Cambridge's toughest crimes.

Now that he's no longer pretending to be his brother, John can be more openly 'Ludwig' than ever before, so expect plenty of puzzle-solving along the way. But let's not forget that John's twin brother is still missing, so we'll be watching to see just how far John and his sister-in-law Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin) will go to solve the biggest puzzle of them all.

Trigger Point (Season 4)

Coming soon to ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player

We already knew it was happening after seasons 3 and 4 were filmed back-to-back, but now we can officially say the wait is almost over.

Trigger Point follows bomb disposal officer Lana Washington (Vicky McClure), who's pulled off some jaw-dropping rescues during her time on the force while also facing devastating personal losses. We still don't know too much about what season 4 has in store, but one thing's for certain: we'll be on the edge of our seats from start to finish.

Coming later this year

Blue Lights (Season 4)

BBC One and BBC iPlayer

Coming this autumn, the new season of Blue Lights is set to reveal a lot of secrets. And honestly? We can't wait to find out what they're hiding.

According to the BBC, season 4 follows Constables Grace Ellis (Siân Brooke), Tommy Foster (Nathan Braniff) and Annie Conlon (Katherine Devlin) three years into their policing careers as they face growing threats on the streets of Belfast, alongside the ongoing murder trial of Gerry Cliff.

Expect long-buried secrets to rise to the surface, with the fallout causing chaos both within the police and across Belfast's criminal underworld.

Adultery

ITV and STV

If you're obsessed with messy relationship dramas like Tell Me Lies, then Adultery needs to be on your watchlist. The addictive new series introduces young lovers Jess and Ollie, who are wrapped up in the bliss of teenage romance. But when Jess's dad Tom (Dominic Cooper) meets Ollie's mum Beth (Romola Garai), it's clear there's a spark between them too... Will they be able to resist temptation?

As well as serving up plenty of binge-worthy drama, Adultery explores class, grief and the impact of social media, all while taking viewers on a rollercoaster ride through passion, parenthood and the consequences of one life-changing affair.

Doctor Foster (Season 3)

BBC One

She’s back after 10 years (can you believeeee it) and we already know the drama is going to be amazing. Suranne Jones returns as Gemma Foster in a brand new season packed with more secrets, emotional chaos and obviously explosive confrontations. If previous seasons taught us anything, it’s that nobody escapes untouched.

Vigil (Season 3)

BBC

Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie are BACK for another tense, twist-filled season of Vigil. After tackling deadly conspiracies in previous seasons, the pair face yet another high-pressure investigation where danger lurks around every corner. Honestly, we’re already preparing for the stress levels

Honey

BBC One

It’s 1982 in East Berlin, and tensions are nowhere near easing. Martha (Ann Skelly, House of Guiness) is an MI6 deep‑cover agent living in a city full of threats, constantly fighting to keep her identity hidden – especially from Friedrich (Jannis Niewöhner), the newly appointed Stasi Head of Counter‑Espionage. Finding herself wedged between Friedrich and Aaron Neeland – a handsome American spy operating under the alias Kurt Fischer (Nate Mann), Martha is blindsided by desire in this Cold War three‑sided game of survival. 

The threat of being garrotted or dragged into a cell is nothing compared to the petrifying ordeal of falling in love. To let someone in, to reveal the parts of herself she’s spent years burying? She’d sooner have her fingernails torn out.

Peaky Blinders

BBC One

By order of the Peaky Blinders… they’re backkkkkk!

Steven Knight is unleashing a brand‑new generation of Shelby's, this time set in 1950s Birmingham. With two series already confirmed, here’s what we know: in this new era, the battle to control Birmingham’s vast post‑war reconstruction becomes a high‑stakes contest. And right on cue, the Peaky Blinders arrive – stepping straight into the blood‑soaked heart of the city! 

Looking at the cast for the new Peaky Blinders, we know Charlie Heaton will be playing Charles Shelby and Jamie Bell will play Duke Shelby.

Break Clause

Channel 4

Ready for a hilarious and possibly relatable comedy? Break Clause introduces us to recent ex’s Ben (Samuel Bottomley, How to Have Sex) and Lil (Lara Ricote) who’s relationship may be over, but their tenancy certainly isn’t! The comedy drama follows the pair as they navigate their breakup whilst stuck sharing the same flat. It’s a show where moving on from your first love is hard enough, but moving out… even harder!

Colin from Accounts (Season 3)

BBC Two and BBC iPlayer

We all fell in love with this Aussie comedy when it first landed, and two seasons in it's still delivering! The series follows the unconventional romance between Ashley (Harriet Dyer) and Gordon (Patrick Brammall), who are brought together after accidentally injuring a dog and finding themselves responsible for looking after him. Despite their rocky start, their relationship blossoms into something much more, but the season 2 finale left us with a MASSIVE cliff-hanger that's had us wondering what happens next ever since.

The new season is about to land in Australia, but don't worry – the BBC has confirmed we'll be getting it here in the UK later this year!

Maya

Channel 4

Psychological thriller fans, you won’t want to miss Maya! This new six-part drama follows mother Anna (Daisy Haggard, Boat Story) and daughter Maya (Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us) as they are forced to leave their London lives behind and enter witness protection to escape a dangerous threat. As they try to adjust to their new identities and new reality, the trauma of their past begins to creep up on them…

Marble Hall Murders

BBC

Murder mystery lovers, Marble Hall Murders is bringing classic whodunnit drama with a glossy modern twist. Set around a grand estate filled with secrets, scandals and suspicious characters, the series follows a tangled investigation where nobody can be trusted. 

If you enjoyed Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murder then you won't want to miss this adaptation!

Stepping Up

Channel 4 

Stepping Up is a new six-part comedy drama following the life of step-dad Josh (Josh Pugh) as he negotiates the tricky puzzle of bringing up another man’s children: locking in many love-triangles, the partner and the ex, the kid and the biological dad, there’s problems left right and centre!

Starring Denise Welch (Waterloo Road), Sophia Di Martino (Loki, Flowers), Tom Hanson (Outlaws) and Jeff Mirza (Bridget Jones: Made About a Boy).

The Party

ITV

What begins as the perfect celebration quickly spirals into chaos in this tense new thriller The Party. Starring Luke Evans, the series follows a glamorous gathering where secrets and simmering tensions begin erupting into disaster. Expect messy relationships, shocking revelations and plenty of drama.

It Gets Worse

Channel 4

Written, created, and starring comedian Leo Reich, this comedy follows Ethan, Abi, and Sam, best friends from uni, soulmates for life, and dysfunctional roommates. A year after moving to London, they’ve achieved nothing, their landlord is selling up, and they’re being kicked out – cue chaos, bad decisions, and desperate attempts to keep their friendships alive. This is a show about young adulthood, humiliating jobs, non-existent love lives, and the dawning realisation that… it doesn’t get better.

Sisters in Arms

BBC

Call the Midwife fans, you're going to be excited for this one!

Set in September 1939, Sisters in Arms takes us back to a younger Nonnatus House, where Sister Monica Joan (Helen Schlesinger), Sister Julienne (Helena Wilson) and Sister Evangelina (Amy Booth-Steel) are just beginning their journeys. Alongside Sister Alice (Julie Hesmondhalgh), local GP Dr Kit and three young midwives, they'll care for mothers and families as the outbreak of war turns life in Poplar upside down.

With the blackout, the Blitz and bombs falling across London, expect an emotional period drama filled with courage, compassion and resilience.

Pierre

Channel 4

Pierre follows a charming, funny West London duty solicitor as he juggles the pressure of his job, a fragile personal life, and juuuust about keeping his finances in check. But when a young Black client – Michael – is murdered, everything changes. As the police rush to paint Michael as a criminal, Pierre refuses to let the truth be buried. What starts as one man’s fight for justice soon unravels a chilling, devastating web of corruption that runs far deeper than he ever imagined – right to the very foundations of the institutions meant to protect us.

If you like your justice served with a side of chaos, Pierre is about to be your new obsession.

Return to Paradise (Season 3)

BBC One and BBC iPlayer

Set in the fictional Australian coastal town of Dolphin Cove, the latest season picks up in the aftermath of season 2's dramatic finale, which saw DS Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) wreck yet another of her ex-fiancé Glenn's (Tai Hara) weddings.

As well as navigating the fallout from that unforgettable ending, she'll be tackling a fresh batch of baffling murder mysteries, from an artist stabbed in full view of the public to a wildlife worker found dead inside a locked cassowary enclosure. If you love quirky mysteries with plenty of twists, this one's not to be missed.

The Blame

ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player

Get ready to dive into a world of secrets, suspicion and systemic corruption lurking beneath the surface of a seemingly quiet town. The Blame begins with the discovery of teenage figure skater Sophie Madsen's body, sending shockwaves through the town of Wakestead.

DI Crane (Michelle Keegan) and DI Radley (Douglas Booth) are tasked with investigating the case, but what begins as a tragic death soon unravels into a tangled web of lies, institutional cover-ups and moral compromise. As the clock ticks, Crane must navigate not only a complex murder investigation but also the treacherous politics within her own team.

Time (Season 3)

BBC

Jimmy McGovern's BAFTA-winning hit drama set in a young offenders institution is returning for a third season. The three-part drama sees David Tennant lead the cast as Prison Officer Bailey, alongside Siobhan Finneran, who returns as Marie-Louise, a prison chaplain.

The series explores the impact of incarcerating young people, not only on those behind bars but also on the staff who care for them, making for another powerful and thought-provoking watch.

Old Town Murders

BBC

Dark secrets and historic streets collide in Old Town Murders, BBC’s brand new crime drama. Set in an ancient town hiding decades of buried grudges, the series follows investigators trying to untangle a murder that threatens to rip the community apart.

First Day on Earth

BBC 

Since her debut in Chewing Gum, Michaela Coel has gone onto make her name as a trusted and celebrated voice in female storytelling. Now, it’s been four years since her latest series  I May Destroy You and we are very excited for her next personal story. First Day on Earth will see her play a British novelist, Henri, who feels stuck in her career, life and relationships. When she’s asked to relocate to Ghana for work, she seizes the opportunity to reconnect with her heritage. However, she soon encounters unforeseen dangers and finds herself forging a new sense of identity!

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