2026 in British television

Last updated

This is a list of events in 2026 relating to television in the United Kingdom.

Contents

Events

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Debuts

BBC

DateDebutChannel
1 January Wild London BBC One
Shedites
3 January Waiting for the Out
5 January Lynley
7 January Can You Keep a Secret?
TBA Babies BBC One
California Avenue
The Cage
Dear England
The Dream Lands
First Day on Earth
The Hairdresser Mysteries
Half Man
Lord of the Flies
Mint
The Other Bennet Sister
Push [6]
The Rapture
Shuggie Bain
The Split Up
A Tale of Two Cities
Two Weeks in August
We Go Again BBC Three
Counsels BBC Scotland
Crookhaven
Late in Life
Small Prophets
Wahala

ITV

DateDebutChannel
1 JanuaryTime Is Money ITV1
4 January The Floor
5 January Corriedale [7]
6 January Millionaire Hot Seat
TBA Adultery
Believe Me ITVX
Betrayal
The Dark
Gone
The Lady
The Party
Secret Service
A Taste for Murder

Channel 4

DateDebutChannel
6 January What Not to Eat Channel 4
TBA Deadpoint
Falling
It Gets Worse
Make That Movie
Maud
Maya
Number 10
Pierre
Schooled
Tip Toe
A Woman of Substance

5

DateDebutChannel
TBA Death in Benidorm 5
The Family Secret

Sky

DateDebutChannel
30 January Under Salt Marsh Sky Atlantic
TBA Force Majeure Sky Max
Gemma Collins: Four Weddings and a Baby
Inheritance TBA
Prisoner
War

Other platforms

DateDebutChannel
1 January Run Away Netflix
8 January Girl Taken Paramount+
15 January Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Netflix
21 January Steal Amazon Prime Video
February How to Get to Heaven from Belfast Netflix
4 March Young Sherlock Amazon Prime Video
TBA Bait Amazon Prime Video
Kill Jackie
The Husbands Apple TV+
Prodigies
The Wanted Man
Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence BritBox
Marlow
Alice and Steve Disney+
Mosquito
Legends Netflix
Out of the Dust
Pride and Prejudice
The Undertow
Untitled Charlie Brooker Project
The Christie Affair TBA
Maigret
Wavewalker: Breaking Free

Channels and streaming services

New channels

DateChannel

New streaming services

DateChannel
March 2026 HBO Max [8]

Defunct channels/streaming services

DateChannel

Rebranding channels/streaming services

DateChannel

Television programmes

Changes of network affiliation

ProgrammeMoved fromMoved to
The Boat Race BBC One Channel 4

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

ProgrammeDate(s) of original removalOriginal channel(s)Date of returnNew channel(s)
The Night Manager 27 March 2016 BBC One 1 January 2026N/A (same channel as original)
Dickinson's Real Deal 1 February 2024 ITV1 5 January 2026

Continuing television programmes

1920s

ProgrammeDate
BBC Wimbledon 1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present

1930s

ProgrammeDate
Trooping the Colour 1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present
Boat Race 1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present
BBC Cricket1939, 1946–1999, 2020–present

1950s

ProgrammeDate
Panorama 1953–present
Eurovision Song Contest 1956–2019, 2021–present
The Sky at Night 1957–present
Final Score 1958–present
Blue Peter

1960s

ProgrammeDate
Coronation Street 1960–present
Points of View 1961–present
Songs of Praise
University Challenge 1962–1987, 1994–present
Doctor Who 1963–1989, 1996, 2005–present
Horizon 1964–present
Match of the Day
Top of the Pops 1964–2006, 2006–present
ITV Racing 1966–1985, 2017–present
ITV News at Ten 1967–1999, 2001–2004, 2008–present

1970s

ProgrammeDate
Emmerdale 1972–present
Mastermind (including Celebrity Mastermind )1972–1997, 2003–present
Football Focus 1974–1988, 1992–present
Arena 1975–present
BBC Snooker
Ski Sunday 1978–present
Blankety Blank 1979–1990, 1997–2002, 2016, 2020–present
Antiques Roadshow 1979–present
Question Time

1980s

ProgrammeDate
BBC Children in Need 1980–present
Bullseye 1981–1995, 2006, 2024–present
Countdown 1982–present
EastEnders 1985–present
Comic Relief
Catchphrase 1986–2002, 2013–present
Casualty 1986–present
This Morning 1988–present
Countryfile
Wheel of Fortune 1988–2001, 2024–present
You Bet! 1988–1997, 2024–present
Home and Away 1989–2000, 2001–present

1990s

ProgrammeDate
Have I Got News for You 1990–present
MasterChef 1990–2001, 2005–present
Gladiators 1992–2000, 2008–2009, 2024–present
ITV News Meridian 1993–2026
National Television Awards 1995–2008, 2010–present
Hollyoaks 1995–present
Silent Witness 1996–present
Classic Coronation Street 1996–2004, 2017–present
Midsomer Murders 1997–present
Classic Emmerdale 1998–2004, 2019–present
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? 1998–2014, 2018–present
Loose Women 1999–present

2000s

ProgrammeDate
Bargain Hunt 2000–present
BBC Breakfast
Big Brother 2000–2018, 2023–present
Celebrity Big Brother 2000–2018, 2024–present
Unreported World 2000–present
BBC South East Today 2001–present
Escape to the Country 2002–present
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Saturday Kitchen
Homes Under the Hammer 2003–present
Strictly Come Dancing 2004–present
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
BBC Newswatch
Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two
Who Do You Think You Are?
The Apprentice 2005–present
Deal or No Deal 2005–2016, 2023–present
Dragons' Den 2005–present
The Hotel Inspector
Springwatch
The Apprentice: You're Fired! 2006–present
Not Going Out
The One Show
Soccer Aid
Waterloo Road 2006–2015, 2023–present
Britain's Got Talent 2007–2020, 2022–present
Would I Lie to You? 2007–present
Pointless 2009–present
The Chase
Kate Garraway's Life Stories

2010s

ProgrammeDate
The Great British Bake Off 2010–present
Great British Railway Journeys
The Only Way Is Essex
Junior Bake Off
Made in Chelsea 2011–present
Death in Paradise
The Jonathan Ross Show
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown 2012–present
Call the Midwife
The Voice UK
Tipping Point
The Dumping Ground 2013–present
Father Brown
GPs: Behind Closed Doors 2014–present
Good Morning Britain
Grantchester 2014, 2016–2017, 2019–present
STV News at Six 2014–present
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
Hunted 2015–present
Love Island
Taskmaster
Travel Man
Bake Off: The Professionals 2016–present
James Martin's Saturday Morning
The Repair Shop 2017–present
Richard Osman's House of Games
Strike
Peston 2018–present
Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star 2019–present
The Hit List
RuPaul's Drag Race UK

2020s

ProgrammeDate
2020
Beat the Chasers 2020–present
The Masked Singer
Trying
The Wheel
2021
Cooking with the Stars 2021–present
Hope Street
2022
The 1% Club 2022–present
Limitless Win
Heartstopper
The Traitors
Trigger Point
Riddiculous 2022, 2024–present
2023
BBC News Now 2023–present
Black Ops
Blue Lights
Beyond Paradise
Changing Ends
Doctor Who: Unleashed
I Kissed a Boy
PopMaster TV
The Couple Next Door
The Famous Five
The Finish Line
The Piano
The Toy Hospital
2024
After the Flood 2024–present
Boarders
The Golden Cobra
Love Island: All Stars
Ludwig
Only Child
Return to Paradise
Sweetpea
The Answer Run
2025
A Thousand Blows 2025–present
Amandaland
Bergerac
The Celebrity Traitors
Chess Masters: The Endgame
Code of Silence
Death Valley
Dept. Q
Horrible Science
The Inner Circle
LOL: Last One Laughing UK
Mobland
The One That Got Away
Patience
Virgin Island

Ending this year

DateProgrammeChannel(s)Debut(s)
TBC Millionaire Hot Seat ITV1 2026

Deaths

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
1 January Gregory de Polnay 82English actor ( Dixon of Dock Green , Doctor Who , Howards' Way ). [9]

See also

References

  1. Paterson, Colin (31 December 2025). "Ronan Keating on his New Year's Eve show and reuniting Boyzone in 2026". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  2. Cameron, Craig T (31 December 2025). "EastEnders to Open 2026 With First-Ever Full Flash-Forward Episode as New Image Is Revealed". ATV Today. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  3. Knight, Lewis (1 January 2026). "EastEnders airs surprise unannounced return in flashforward special". Radio Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  4. Mitchell, Archie (4 January 2026). "Junk food advert ban set to come into force". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  5. Sansome, Jessica; Lyons, Ben (31 December 2025). "First-ever Corrie and Emmerdale crossover won't be available for early viewing". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  6. "Jessica Knappett celebrates midwifery with new sitcom Push | Royal Television Society". rts.org.uk. 7 October 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  7. Adams, Michael (30 December 2025). "Coronation Street spoilers as Emmerdale crossover sees devastating death". Radio Times. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  8. Yossman, K.J.; Shafer, Ellise (3 December 2025). "HBO Max Sets March 2026 Launch in U.K., Ireland". Variety. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  9. "Avis de décès de Gregory, Peter DE POLNAY né DE POLNAY paru le vendredi, janvier 02, 2026". www.simplifia.fr. Retrieved 4 January 2026.