2026 in British television
| List of years in British television |
|---|
This is a list of events in 2026 relating to television in the United Kingdom.
Events
[edit]January
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | BBC One airs Ronan Keating & Friends: A New Year's Eve Party to welcome in 2026.[1] |
| BBC One airs a flashforward episode of EastEnders set on New Year's Day 2027 and involving the character Max Branning (played by Jake Wood).[2] Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu) also appears in the episode, suggesting she will make a return to EastEnders during 2026.[3] It also features the return of Mark Fowler Jr, with the role recast to Stephen Aaron-Sipple.[4] | |
| 2 | ITV has announced that the 2026 edition of Celebrity Big Brother will not air in the spring slot until 2027 due to the scheduling issues with the rival reality shows as it moves from ITV1 to ITV2. The twenty-third civilian version will continue as normal later this autumn. |
| 5 | A UK-wide exclusion on junk food advertising on television before the 9pm watershed, and at anytime online, comes into force in an attempt to tackle childhood obesity.[5] |
| Good Morning Britain begins airing from Studio 1 of ITN as it takes over production of the programme from ITV Studios. On the same day, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women are relocated to The H Club Studio in Covent Garden. | |
| ITV airs Corriedale, a crossover episode featuring characters from both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.[6] | |
| Channel 5 launches a new weekday daytime schedule of six hours of continuous live talk-focused programming.[7] | |
| 6 | It is announced that former Brookside actors Philip Olivier and Suzanne Collins will join Hollyoaks, where they will reprise their roles as Timothy O'Leary and Nikki Shadwick.[8] |
| 7 | The identity of the "secret traitor", a new feature of the latest series of The Traitors, is revealed.[9] |
| During the evening's edition of Match of the Day, presenter Gabby Logan is replaced by Mark Chapman midway through the programme after Logan is called away because of a family emergency.[10] | |
| 10 | Canadian TV series Heated Rivalry makes its UK television debut on Sky Atlantic.[11] |
| 14 | John Alford is jailed for eight and a half years following his conviction for sexually assaulting two teenage girls in April 2022. |
| ITV confirms that filming for Love Island: All Stars has been suspended for a number of days or for a number of weeks after the villa used for the series is evacuated due to wildfires. The Number of episodes may therefore decrease to 33, 34 or 35.[12] | |
| 17 | Ant & Dec apologise over an advert for their new podcast was criticised for evoking suicide and as triggering because it showed a pair of feet dangling above the ground.[13] |
| 21 | The BBC announces a landmark deal with YouTube that will see it produce content for the platform.[14] |
| Prue Leith announces she will leave her role as a judge on The Great British Bake Off after a decade with the show.[15] | |
| 23 | Rachel Duffy and Stephen Libby win Series 4 of The Traitors, and share £95,750.[16] |
| 25 | The final edition of Sky News at Ten is transmitted. The programme ends after more than 25 years on air. |
| 26 | The first edition of a new two-hourly late evening programme on Sky News, The Wrap, is broadcast. The programme, which focuses on storytelling and debate rather than being a traditional news bulletin, includes a look at the next day’s newspapers.[17] |
| Nigella Lawson is to replace Prue Leith as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, it is announced.[18] | |
| 27 | Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood announces that she has decided to leave the BBC after 28 years with the corporation. She will present her final weather forecast on BBC Breakfast in April.[19] |
| Author and GB News presenter Matt Goodwin is announced as the Reform UK candidate in the 2026 Gorton and Denton by-election.[20] | |
| 29 | Publication of an independent review into the BBC in which the broadcaster commits to strengthening how it measures the ways audiences from different socio-economic and geographical backgrounds are portrayed and represented in its output.[21] |
| 30 | It emerges that comedian Alan Carr inadvertently revealed he had won the first series of The Celebrity Traitors the day after filming finished.[22] |
February
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 17 | Snooker makes its debut on Channel 5 starting with the 2026 Players Championship and Katie Shanahan will host for the first time. |
| 19 | Former Coronation Street actress Beverley Callard makes her debut in Irish soap Fair City.[23] |
| 24 | Sky Max and Sky Showcase will end broadcasting and they will be replaced by the relaunch of Sky One.[24] |
March
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 21 | Scheduled launch of the UK version of Saturday Night Live on Sky One.[25] |
April
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | The annual cost of a television licence in the UK will increase by £5.50 to £180.[26] |
| 2 | Tim Davie is scheduled to depart his role as Director-General of the BBC, five months after announcing his resignation.[27] |
| 3 | Rhodri Talfan Davies is scheduled to become Acting BBC Director General following the departure of Tim Davie.[28] |
May
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|
June
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|
July
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|
August
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|
September
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|
October
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|
November
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|
December
[edit]| Date | Event |
|---|
Debuts
[edit]BBC
[edit]| Date | Debut | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Wild London | BBC One |
| Shedites | ||
| 3 January | Waiting for the Out | |
| 5 January | Lynley | |
| Lucy Worsley's Victorian Murder Club | BBC Two | |
| 7 January | Can You Keep a Secret? | BBC One |
| 26 January | Clive Myrie's African Adventure | BBC Two |
| One Life | ||
| 8 February | Lord of the Flies | BBC One |
| 9 February | Small Prophets | BBC Two |
| 25 December | Untitled Call the Midwife Prequel[29] | BBC One |
| TBA | Ann Droid | |
| Babies | ||
| California Avenue | ||
| The Cage | ||
| Dear England | ||
| The Dream Lands | ||
| First Day on Earth | ||
| The Hairdresser Mysteries | ||
| Half Man | ||
| Mint | ||
| The Other Bennet Sister | ||
| Push[30] | ||
| The Rapture | ||
| Shuggie Bain | ||
| The Split Up | ||
| A Tale of Two Cities | ||
| Two Weeks in August | ||
| We Go Again | BBC Three | |
| Crookhaven | BBC iPlayer | |
| Counsels | BBC Scotland | |
| The Lady Grace Mysteries | TBA | |
| Late in Life | ||
| Wahala |
ITV
[edit]| Date | Debut | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Time Is Money | ITV1 |
| 4 January | The Floor | |
| 5 January | Corriedale[31] | |
| 6 January | Millionaire Hot Seat[32] | |
| 8 February | Betrayal | |
| 10 February | The Summit | |
| TBA | Adultery | |
| Believe Me | ITVX | |
| The Box | ITV1 | |
| The Dark | ITVX | |
| Gone | ||
| The Lady | ||
| The Party | ||
| Secret Service | ||
| A Taste for Murder | ||
| The Blame |
Channel 4
[edit]| Date | Debut | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 6 January | What Not to Eat | Channel 4 |
| 16 January | David Baddiel: Cat Man | |
| 1 February | Secret Genius | |
| 1 March | Dirty Business | |
| TBA | Army of Shadows | |
| Deadpoint | ||
| Falling | ||
| It Gets Worse | ||
| Make That Movie | ||
| Maud | ||
| Maya | ||
| Number 10 | ||
| Pierre | ||
| Schooled | ||
| Stepping Up | ||
| Tip Toe | ||
| A Woman of Substance |
5
[edit]| Date | Debut | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| TBA | Death in Benidorm | 5 |
| The Family Secret |
Sky
[edit]| Date | Debut | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 26 January | The Wrap | Sky News |
| 30 January | Under Salt Marsh | Sky Atlantic |
| 24 February | The Dyers' Caravan Park | Sky One |
| 21 March | Saturday Night Live UK | |
| TBA | Force Majeure | |
| Gemma Collins: Four Weddings and a Baby | ||
| War | Sky Atlantic | |
| Inheritance | TBA | |
| Prisoner |
Other platforms
[edit]| Date | Debut | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Run Away | Netflix |
| 8 January | Girl Taken | Paramount+ |
| 15 January | Agatha Christie's Seven Dials | Netflix |
| 21 January | Steal | Amazon Prime Video |
| 12 February | How to Get to Heaven from Belfast | Netflix |
| 4 March | Young Sherlock | Amazon Prime Video |
| 25 March | Bait | |
| TBA | 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 | ||
| Hit Point | U&Dave | |
| The Christie Affair | TBA | |
| Maigret | ||
| Wavewalker: Breaking Free |
Channels and streaming services
[edit]New channels/streaming services
[edit]| Date | Channel |
|---|---|
| 24 February | Sky One (relaunch) |
| March 2026 | HBO Max[33] |
Defunct channels/streaming services
[edit]| Date | Channel |
|---|---|
| 1 January | |
| Pop (Linear only) | |
| Tiny Pop (Linear only) | |
| 13 January | HGTV |
| 24 February | Sky Showcase |
| Sky Max |
Rebranding channels/streaming services
[edit]| Date | Channel |
|---|
Television programmes
[edit]Changes of network affiliation
[edit]| Programme | Moved from | Moved to |
|---|---|---|
| The Boat Race | BBC One | Channel 4 |
| Peaky Blinders | Netflix | |
| Harley Quinn | E4 | HBO Max |
| The Comeback | Sky Atlantic | |
| Condor | Universal TV | Sky One |
| The Terror | AMC Global | BBC Two |
Returning this year after a break of one year or longer
[edit]| Programme | Date(s) of original removal | Original channel(s) | Date of return | New channel(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Night Manager | 27 March 2016 | BBC One | 1 January 2026 | N/A (same channel as original) |
| Dickinson's Real Deal | 1 February 2024 | ITV1 | 5 January 2026 | |
| Mock the Week | 4 November 2022 | BBC Two | 1 February 2026 | TLC |
Continuing television programmes
[edit]1920s
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| BBC Wimbledon | 1927–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present |
1930s
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| Trooping the Colour | 1937–1939, 1946–2019, 2023–present |
| Boat Race | 1938–1939, 1946–2019, 2021–present |
| BBC Cricket | 1939, 1946–1999, 2020–present |
1950s
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| Panorama | 1953–present |
| Eurovision Song Contest | 1956–2019, 2021–present |
| The Sky at Night | 1957–present |
| Final Score | 1958–present |
| Blue Peter |
1960s
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Gardeners' World | 1968–present |
1970s
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| 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
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| 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
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| Have I Got News for You | 1990–present |
| MasterChef | 1990–2001, 2005–present |
| Gladiators | 1992–2000, 2008–2009, 2024–present |
| ITV News Meridian | 1993–present |
| National Television Awards | 1995–2008, 2010–present |
| Hollyoaks | 1995–present |
| Silent Witness | 1996–2027 |
| 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
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| Bargain Hunt | 2000–present |
| BBC Breakfast | |
| Big Brother | 2000–2018, 2023–present |
| Celebrity Big Brother | 2001–2018, 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 |
| Pocoyo | |
| Springwatch | |
| 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
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| The Great British Bake Off | 2010–present |
| Great British Railway Journeys | |
| The Only Way Is Essex | |
| Junior Bake Off | 2011–present |
| Made in Chelsea | |
| Death in Paradise | |
| The Jonathan Ross Show | |
| 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown | 2012–present |
| Call the Midwife | |
| The Voice UK | |
| Tipping Point | |
| Father Brown | 2013–present |
| GPs: Behind Closed Doors | 2014–present |
| Good Morning Britain | |
| Grantchester | 2014, 2016–2017, 2019–2027 |
| The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice | 2014–present |
| 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
[edit]| Programme | Date |
|---|---|
| 2020 | |
| Beat the Chasers | 2020–present |
| The Masked Singer | |
| 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
[edit]| Date | Programme | Channel(s) | Debut(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Run Away | Netflix | 2026 |
| 15 January | Agatha Christie's Seven Dials | ||
| 19 January | Lucy Worsley's Victorian Murder Club | BBC Two | |
| 25 January | Sky News at Ten | Sky News | 1999 |
Deaths
[edit]| Date | Name | Age | Broadcast credibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Gregory de Polnay | 82 | English actor (Dixon of Dock Green, Doctor Who, Howards' Way)[34] |
| 9 January | Tina Packer | 87 | British actress (David Copperfield, Doctor Who) and stage director, co-founder of Shakespeare & Company[35] |
| 10 January | Derek Martin | 92 | English actor (EastEnders, Law & Order, King and Castle, The Governor)[36] |
| 11 January | Trevor A Toussaint | 65 | English actor (Hollyoaks) |
| 12 January | Sheila Bernette | 94 | English singer (The Good Old Days, The Black and White Minstrel Show) and actress (The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins, Hotel Trubble) |
| 4 February | John Virgo | 79 | Snooker player, snooker commentator and game show referee (Big Break) |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Knight, Lewis (1 January 2026). "EastEnders airs surprise unannounced return in flashforward special". Radio Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ "EastEnders recasts Mark Fowler Jr after star's Emmerdale move". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ Mitchell, Archie (4 January 2026). "Junk food advert ban set to come into force". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Thornham, Marc (9 December 2025). "5 launches refreshed daytime line-up in battle for audiences". Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ Hirst, Lauren (6 January 2026). "Brookside's Philip Olivier and Suzanne Collins join Hollyoaks". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ^ McIntosh, Stephen; Schroer, Lola (7 January 2026). "The Traitors: Identity of 'secret traitor' revealed". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ Edwards, Oscar (9 January 2026). "Gabby Logan pays tribute to Welsh legend Terry Yorath after death". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ^ Youngs, Ian (7 January 2026). "Heated Rivalry: When and where to watch as steamy ice hockey hit reaches UK screens". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ Nimoni, Fiona (10 January 2026). "Love Island: All Stars villa evacuated over wildfires". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ Rawnsley, Jessica (17 January 2026). "Ant and Dec sorry after 'insensitive' podcast promo prompts backlash". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ Glynn, Paul (21 January 2026). "BBC to make shows for YouTube, as new content deal announced". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ McIntosh, Steven (21 January 2026). "Dame Prue Leith leaves The Great British Bake Off". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ Mensah, Katelyn (23 January 2026). "Who won The Traitors 2026? Season 4 winners crowned after jaw-dropping final". Radio Times. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Sky News to launch new late-night show The Wrap, hosted by Anna Botting and Gillian Joseph". Sky News. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ McIntosh, Steven (26 January 2026). "Nigella Lawson to replace Prue Leith on The Great British Bake Off". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ McIntosh, Steven (27 January 2026). "Carol Kirkwood: BBC Breakfast weather presenter to leave after 25 years". BBC News. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ Whannel, Kate (27 January 2026). "GB News presenter Matt Goodwin unveiled as Reform UK's by-election candidate". BBC News. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ Seddon, Paul (29 January 2026). "BBC vows to better reflect working-class audiences around UK". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
- ^ McIntosh, Steven (30 January 2026). "Alan Carr accidentally revealed Traitors victory hours after filming". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
- ^ O'Connor, Barry (14 January 2026). "Fair City: Corrie legend Beverley Callard joins cast of Irish soap". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
- ^ "Iconic TV channel Sky One is coming back as the new home of Sky's unmissable entertainment". Sky Group. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ McIntosh, Steven (4 February 2026). "Saturday Night Live UK reveals cast including Ania Magliano, Paddy Young and Emma Sidi". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ^ McIntosh, Steven (6 February 2026). "TV licence fee to rise by £5.50 to £180 from April". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ Youngs, Ian (28 January 2026). "BBC director general Tim Davie to depart in April after resignation". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ Martin, Roy (28 January 2026). "Rhodri Talfan Davies to take interim BBC DG job". Radio Today. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "Call the Midwife film and prequel series announced". BBC News. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ^ "Jessica Knappett celebrates midwifery with new sitcom Push | Royal Television Society". rts.org.uk. 7 October 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ Adams, Michael (30 December 2025). "Coronation Street spoilers as Emmerdale crossover sees devastating death". Radio Times. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ Richardson, Hollie; Catterall, Ali; Duggins, Alexi (6 January 2026). "TV tonight: a divisive Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? spin-off". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ Yossman, K.J.; Shafer, Ellise (3 December 2025). "HBO Max Sets March 2026 Launch in U.K., Ireland". Variety. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ "Avis de décès de Gregory, Peter DE POLNAY né DE POLNAY paru le vendredi, janvier 02, 2026". www.simplifia.fr. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- ^ "Shakespeare & Company co-founder Tina Packer dies at 87". timesunion.com. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
- ^ "Family of EastEnders actor Derek Martin share tribute after his death aged 92". The Independent. 11 January 2026. Retrieved 11 January 2026.