There are some great new shows coming to your screens over the coming months – here's the cream of the crop!
The kids are nearly back at school and the nights are drawing in, which means only one thing – autumn is imminent! So we’ve compiled a guide to the season’s 40 unmissable shows, including The Forsytes, which reboots a classic costume drama, while The Hack is a powerful portrayal of the News International phone-hacking scandal. Happy viewing!
1 The Inheritance
Entertainment • Channel 4
This deliciously camp and ruthlessly clever new series will appeal to fans of The Traitors. A bevy of strangers are lured to a stately home by the glittering ghost of Elizabeth Hurley, ‘The Deceased’, who dispenses instructions from beyond the grave. Then it’s over to host Rob Rinder, who serves as referee to the fiendish team trials where backstabbing is compulsory and sincerity is a liability. The twist? Only one contestant will win the loot, but everyone gets to plot and scheme regardless. It’s Cluedo meets Knives Out via Big Brother.
2 The Forsytes
Drama • 5
Period drama fans rejoice – John Galsworthy’s epic novel series The Forsyte Saga is coming to the small screen. This lavish retelling chronicles the lives of four generations of an upper-class family of stockbrokers, coping with the challenges of a late-Victorian world. While the older generation clings to tradition, the younger members are eager to embrace new freedoms. Soames Forsyte and his cousin Jolyon battle to take over the family firm – until they’re distracted by the arrival of two captivating women who make them prioritise their hearts over their heads. The stellar cast includes Francesca Annis, Jack Davenport, Tuppence Middleton and Eleanor Tomlinson.
3 Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping
Comedy • Channel 4
David Mitchell and Robert Webb return with more of their unique blend of sharp satire and surreal sketches in what they claim to be their most ambitious show yet. This time, they’re recruiting the next generation to star in it. ‘When we were asked to do another sketch show we were startled, bemused and available’, jokes David. Joining them are rising stars Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Lara Ricote, Stevie Martin and Krystal Evans, who are all hoping to relaunch the trickiest genre of comedy with this six-part series. Old hands, new minds!
4 All’s Fair
Drama • Disney+
Ryan Murphy, the master of glossy TV drama, has turned his hand to this high-octane legal series that follows a formidable team of female divorce lawyers. Led by Niecy Nash-Betts, Glenn Close, Kim Kardashian, Teyana Taylor, Naomi Watts and Sarah Paulson, the story sees these Alpha females leave their patriarchal firm to launch a game-changing practice of their own. Yas Queens! If you like your drama filled with courtroom showdowns and tangled scandal-filled personal lives, then you’ll enjoy this.
5 Riot Women
Drama • BBC1
This hotly-anticipated drama from Sally Wainwright stars Lorraine Ashbourne, Rosalie Craig, Joanna Scanlan, Amelia Bullmore and Tamsin Greig as a misfit band of five wannabe punk rockers. Initially they come together to enter a local talent contest in West Yorkshire, but soon discover that songwriting offers more than just a shot at stardom, as it becomes an outlet for expressing their frustrations and life experiences. As the band juggle jobs, kids, tricky parents and romantic mishaps, they form a close bond – helping each other rediscover their voices and their courage. That is, until a long-buried secret threatens to upend everything… The powerhouse cast is joined by Anne Reid and Sue Johnston in this six-parter, set entirely in West Yorkshire. As Sally Wainwright says, ‘I’m having a whole new buzz of excitement about the show as we bring it together in the edit, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone!’
6 Witches Of Essex With Rylan And Prof Alice Roberts
Factual • Sky History
Rylan and Professor Alice Roberts investigate the most prolific witch hunts in British history, which took place in Essex during the 16th and 17th centuries. They examine some of the most notorious cases that led to innocent women being executed if found guilty of witchcraft. Essex executed more alleged witches than any other English county, and the series focuses on one of the first, Agnes Waterhouse. There’s also the case of midwife Ursula Kemp, accused of using sorcery to orchestrate the shocking demise of a friend’s daughter.
7 Coldwater
Drama • ITV1
After years of fighting zombies as The Walking Dead’s Rick Grimes, Andrew Lincoln returns to British TV to take on a very different role in this gripping six-part thriller. The This Life and Teachers star plays depressed stay-at-home dad John who, triggered by a violent incident in a London park, moves his wife Fiona (Indira Varma) and their two kids to a rural community in Scotland. But all is not as it seems in Coldwater – least of all their neighbours, local vicar Rebecca and her husband Tommy (Ewen Bremner, on truly terrifying form).
8 Lynley
Drama • BBC1
This fresh take on Elizabeth George’s classic detective novels stars Leo Suter (Vikings: Valhalla) and Sofia Barclay (Ted Lasso). Suter plays Inspector Tommy Lynley, an aristocrat who struggles to fit in with the force, while Barclay is Barbara Havers, a fiery sergeant from more humble roots. Their unlikely partnership crackles with chemistry as they track killers across England’s countryside, supported by a cast including Daniel Mays and Niamh Walsh.
9 The Celebrity Traitors
Entertainment • BBC1
Wicked fun is guaranteed from this season’s unmissable blockbuster, featuring stars like Stephen Fry, Tom Daley and Charlotte Church among the 19-strong line-up. Claudia Winkleman returns and issues a stern warning – ‘It definitely won’t be a walk in the park.’ The celebs will be bluffing, backstabbing and banishing to win £100,000 for charity. We’re eager to see if Alan Carr can mask his giggles as a Traitor, or if Jonathan Ross’ raised eyebrow gives him away. Can actors Celia Imrie and Mark Bonnar pull off a convincing double game? Or might Fry outwit them all? One thing’s certain – it’ll be one hell of a battle at Ardross Castle.
10 Malice
Drama • Prime Video
Written by BAFTA nominee James Wood, this gripping six-part thriller stars David Duchovny, Carice van Houten and (brace yourself) comedian Jack Whitehall – who plays a downright sinister role! At the start, this dark and edgy drama drops us into the opulent chaos of the moneyed and dysfunctional Tanner family. Entering into their world comes Whitehall’s character, a cunning ‘manny’, who starts manipulating them to his every whim. Jack says, ‘I can’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved with this drama and I can’t wait for viewers to see the end result!’
11 Outrageous Homes
Lifestyle • Channel 4
In this returning series, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is perfectly placed to meet homeowners who’ve made their little patch of Britain as quirky and original as they are. His joy at discovering what inspires each of them to dare to be different is infectious – and the designs are often spectacular. ‘28 years ago, when I filmed the first episode of Changing Rooms, I suspected that this nation wasn’t actually the aesthetic blandscape it appeared to be – and now, with Outrageous Homes Season Deux: The Glampire Strikes Back, I’ll be up to the armpits in weird,’ promises Laurence.
12 Slow Horses
Drama • Apple TV+
Gary Oldman returns for a fifth outing as the gloriously vulgar but brilliant Jackson Lamb, leader of a ragtag band of MI5 outcasts – including River Cartwright, whose career has stalled since being demoted to Slough House. Based on the novels by Mick Herron, the new series sees obnoxious tech nerd Roddy Ho land a glam new girlfriend, leaving the team suspicious. And when a series of increasingly bizarre events unfold across London, it becomes a race to work out what’s going on – and how it’s all connected. Ted Lasso’s Nick Mohammed guests.
13 Jimmy Carr’s Am I The A**hole?
Entertainment • Comedy Central
If you’ve ever pondered the above question, now there’s a show that settles just that! Jimmy Carr presides over this riotous new four-part series where members of the public bring their funniest, most jaw-dropping moral dilemmas to his judgment bench. Joined by panellists GK Barry and Jamali Maddix, Jimmy invites guests to share their shocking or petty confessions – everything from outrageous break-ups to cringe-worthy family squabbles. Brutal honesty and big laughs come our way before Jimmy weighs in with his final verdict.
14 Task
Drama • Sky Atlantic
Mark Ruffalo is an FBI agent with a major investigation – and a moral dilemma on his hands – in this gripping new police drama. As Tom Brandis, he heads up a task force in the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, aiming to curb a string of violent drug-house robberies. But the perpetrator is not who he expected – an unsuspecting family man (Tom Pelphrey) trying to hide his double life. From the creator of Mare Of Easttown, Brad Ingelsby, this seven-episode series has social tensions and personal flaws at its heart, as well as a tense narrative.
15 Trespasses
Drama • Channel 4
It’s 1975, and the Troubles are shaping the lives of those living in Northern Ireland. When Catholic schoolteacher Cushla (Lola Petticrew) meets Michael (Tom Cullen) – an older, married Protestant barrister who often defends IRA suspects – while working in her family’s pub, both know how dangerous a relationship would be. But neither seems able to resist. Gillian Anderson also stars as Cushla’s mother, Gina, in this adaptation of the best-selling novel by Louise Kennedy.
16 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Reality • ITV1
Hosted as ever by Ant & Dec, the hit show returns for its 25th series. Last year, McFly singer Danny Jones triumphed to be named King Of The Jungle, but who’ll take the crown this time?
17 The Great British Bake Off
Entertainment • Channel 4
Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond host while Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood judge as 12 new bakers enter the iconic tent for 30 new challenges. The ever-popular Cake Week kicks off proceedings!
18 Rob And Rylan’s Passage To India
Factual • BBC2
Rob and Rylan proved to be the double act we never knew we needed in Grand Tour, and now they follow in the footsteps of EM Forster on a cultural adventure through India.
19 The Morning Show
Drama • Apple TV+
Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon return as co-anchors Alex Levy and Bradley Jackson in the cut-throat world of a television newsroom. New cast members in this season include Jeremy Irons as Alex’s father Martin Levy.
20 Strictly Come Dancing
Entertainment • BBC1
New professionals Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon join the nation’s favourite dance show. Celebs taking part include Alex Kingston, Stefan Dennis, Balvinder Sopal, Dani Dyer, Thomas Skinner and Vicky Pattison. Viewers can expect the usual spectacular tension, drama and glitz.
21 Mammoth
Comedy • BBC2
Mike Bubbins returns with series two of his sitcom, which he not only writes but also stars in as Seventies PE teacher Tony Mammoth. Having been frozen in time for 44 years, Tony is still trying to get back on track in a world he barely recognises. Despite technically being in his nineties, he’s physically in his late forties – and has to forge a whole new bond with his daughter Mel, played by Sian Gibson. ‘It’s been amazing how viewers have got behind this show,’ says Mike. ‘They have clearly got great taste! So it’s a no-brainer to get Mammoth – the big character with the even bigger moustache – back to create more laughs. I have some huge moments up my sleeve for this series.’
22 How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge)
Comedy • BBC1
Alan Partridge is home, but he’s not quite happy. In his latest sitcom outing, Steve Coogan’s inept host is back in Norwich after a year in Saudi Arabia. It sounds like perfect comfort viewing, but what begins as an upbeat return takes on a more poignant flavour, with Alan realising the joy he expected is, well, missing in action. Instead, we get a candid – and inevitably hilarious – look at his search for fulfilment in middle age, as only Alan can provide. ‘The kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoys extensive oil and natural gas reserves… And yet, despite all that, I somehow felt incomplete,’ muses our man.
23 Trigger Point
Drama • ITV1
Vicky McClure returns for a third outing as bomb-disposal expert Lana Washington – a woman with an unhappy knack for losing those closest to her. Last time, she took down terror group The Wave, who also killed her love interest DCI Thom Youngblood. But there’s no let-up – now, she’s facing fresh jeopardy. When her team is called in to investigate a bomb threat, it soon becomes clear it’s not an isolated incident, but part of a wider vendetta targeting individuals in a chilling campaign of revenge. Can they track down the bomber before they strike again?
24 House Of Guinness
Drama • Netflix
Fans of Peaky Blinders will enjoy this new offering from writer Steven Knight, who has penned a sweeping drama inspired by the Guinness dynasty. Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the story kicks off after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, the man who made the family’s brewery world famous. As his four children (played by Anthony Boyle, Louis Partridge, Emily Fairn and Fionn O’Shea) wrestle with the fallout of his monumental will, loyalties are tested and secrets spill, while the fortunes of a host of colourful Dubliners rise and fall with the tide of Guinness. The stellar cast includes James Norton and Jack Gleeson.
25 The Hack
Drama • ITV1
From Adolescence co-writer Jack Thorne comes this riveting new drama unpicking the murky world of media, politics and police cover-ups. Set between 2002 and 2012 and inspired by real events, The Hack follows two pulse-racing investigations. David Tennant stars as dogged Guardian journalist Nick Davies, who blew the lid off the infamous News Of The World phone-hacking scandal, while Robert Carlyle, who plays detective Dave Cook, is hunting the truth behind the unsolved murder of private eye Daniel Morgan. With Toby Jones as Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and a knockout supporting cast, we are expecting it to be a pacy and provocative conversation starter. Don’t miss the companion documentary, The Real Hack, which airs alongside it.
26 The Dyers’ Caravan Park
Reality • Sky Max
Danny Dyer has quoted Shakespeare, swung fists, and fronted more East End dramas than you can shake a pie at, but this one’s personal. He teams up with daughter Dani to rescue a run-down caravan park and bring back the glory of the great British holiday. Think chips, arcades, and nostalgia as the daddy-daughter duo embrace bingo nights and make memories (and a few quid) along the way. Can they turn a clapped out park into a national treasure? ‘If Jamie Oliver can save school dinners, why can’t I save the great British holiday?’ ponders Danny.
27 The Death Of Bunny Munro
Drama • Sky Atlantic
Dive into this six-part emotional road trip based on the novel by musician Nick Cave. The turbo-charged story sees Matt Smith star as Bunny, a sex-obsessed, door-to-door salesman spiralling after his wife Libby’s suicide. Dragging his nine-year-old son (Rafael Mathé) across sun-bleached Sussex, Bunny bluffs and seduces, while his boy, haunted by his Mum’s ghost, sees straight through Dad’s toxic illusions. Believe us when we say this adaptation packs real bite, and Matt Smith and Nick Cave – who serve as execs on the series – ensure no punches are pulled. Comfort TV this isn’t.
28 Win Win
Entertainment • ITV1
If you’ve ever wanted the chance to win the same prizes as the studio contestants – but without leaving your sofa – ITV has invented a new game show just for you. Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins reunite for this Saturday-evening quiz, with big prizes such as holidays, cars and tickets to sporting events all up for grabs. Most exciting of all, the series will build into an epic finale, where one contestant is guaranteed to win at least £1m – and that lucky person could be a viewer who made it through to the final!
29 Frauds
Drama • ITV1
Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker team up for high-stakes glamour and grit in this sizzling new heist drama. Bert (Jones) is a brilliant grifter released early from a Spanish prison, plotting one last art-world sting. Her plan? Luring former partner-in-crime Sam (Whittaker), who now lives a quiet, low-key life, back for a multi-million-pound job on the sun-soaked Costa del Sol. But with trust in short supply and betrayal in the air, can they finish the job in hand and land the loot? Or will obsession and old rivalries prove their undoing? Riveting performances, Spanish scenery and a tangled web of friendship make this one to watch.
30 Down Cemetery Road
Drama • AppleTV+
Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson star in this dark new Oxford-based thriller, adapted from Mick Herron’s novel. When an ordinary house explodes and a young girl vanishes, neighbour Sarah (Wilson) turns to sharp-edged PI Zoë Boehm (Thompson) for help, but nothing prepares them for what’s coming. As the pair untangle a web of secrets and resurrection, old ghosts are roused and the living are not as safe as they seem. With plot twists aplenty and a deliciously sinister edge, this is top-flight drama from the writer of Slow Horses.
31 Changing Ends
Comedy • ITV1
Alan Carr’s hit coming-of-age comedy is back with more sharp Northern humour and nostalgic laughs. It’s now the summer of ’89 and Alan, no longer a boy but a gawky teen, tackles fresh embarrassment with first crushes and the infamous perils of sleepovers. While Alan finds himself hopelessly smitten with schoolmate Jake, dad Graham faces his own pressures. As Alan teeters between keeping secrets and shouting them from the rooftops, unlikely allies may be closer than he thinks.
32 The Rumour
Drama • 5
In this tense new thriller, based on Lesley Kara’s bestselling novel, All Creatures Great And Small star Rachel Shenton plays the lead character Joanna, a single mum craving a fresh start. The action starts when she arrives in picture-perfect Flinstead, but smalltown peace is shattered when he shares a chilling rumour – could a child killer be hiding among them? As paranoia and suspicion ripple through the community, friendships sour and secrets spill. Also starring Joanne Whalley and Emily Atack.
33 Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars
Factual • Apple TV+
Earning a Michelin star is a dream for any chef, but retaining it is where the real battle begins. In this series, we’re in the kitchens of some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants to see just how much work goes into winning and maintaining the accolade. Gordon Ramsay is the brains behind the show, hosted by food expert Jesse Burgess. ‘As a chef, the pursuit of perfection is everything. You can’t underestimate the determination and sacrifice these chefs endure chasing the dream of acknowledgment from The Michelin Guide,’ says Gordon.
34 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators
Drama • U&Alibi
Stratford’s favourite sleuthing duo are back as Jo Joyner and Mark Benton return as unlikely PI partners Lu Shakespeare and Frank Hathaway, tackling more quirky crimes on picturesque cobbles. The new season kicks off with corporate mayhem when the pair are called to an isolated team-building retreat to sniff out a company spy, but things go fatally sideways when boss Rick is zapped during a trust fall! Motives abound, suspects are everywhere, and, as ever, the bickering Lu and Frank must join forces to crack the case.
35 The Paper
Comedy • Sky Max
After nine seasons chronicling events at Dunder Mifflin in the American version of The Office, the fictional documentary team moves on to a new subject and location in the latest mockumentary series from Greg Daniels and Michael Koman. Domhnall Gleeson plays idealistic publisher Ned Sampson, who’s trying to revive the fortunes of The Truth Teller, a smalltown newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, while keeping journalism alive. Although technically not a spin-off of The Office, you’ll recognise Oscar Nuñez, who reprises his role as accountant Oscar Martinez, while the cast also includes The White Lotus series two star Sabrina Impacciatore.
36 Stranger Things
Drama • Netflix
Hawkins is quarantined as the group hunts for Vecna in this final, epic season. Supernatural terror, government conspiracies, close friendships and 1980s nostalgia converge for a climactic showdown that will change their world forever.
37 Celebrity Race Across The World
Reality • BBC1
More famous faces pair with a loved one to race cross-country, stripped of luxuries and without phones or flights. Over six episodes, the celebrities must navigate, negotiate, and outsmart each other to cross the finish line first.
38 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
Lifestyle • BBC2
Close pals and comedy legends Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer return for more gentle banter and candid conversation while trying to catch the odd fish or two.
39 Big Brother
Reality • ITV2
It’s now 25 years since Big Brother first debuted on British TV, but for many, this remains the essential reality show. Strangers living together under one roof compete for a big cash prize, facing twists, tasks, and live evictions along the way.
40 Long Lost Family
Factual • ITV1
Davina McCall returns to reunite more mothers and children separated by forced adoption. Along with social worker Ariel Bruce, the team uncovers stories of forgiveness and hope, offering closure for families kept apart for years.