Coming Soon: All The TV Shows We’re Looking Forward To!
Call us telly addicts if you like – we’d take it as a compliment! – but there’s something just so exciting about the promise of fresh new TV shows coming soon to look forward to.
Whether it’s old favourites returning, new faces joining established shows or never-before-seen work from our favourite writers and stars, we absolutely love keeping up with what’s coming down the TV track.
Here’s everything you need to know!
Top UK TV shows coming soon
Can You Keep a Secret?
Who: Dawn French and Mark Heap
Where: BBC One
When: TBC
What: In this upcoming sitcom, Dawn will play widow Debbie Fenton, an overbearing mother and tinpot dictator who always goes a little too far when “protecting” her family. When her recluse husband William (Mark Heap) unexpectedly dies, she makes a crazy decision that drags the whole family into a web of lies.
In reality, Debbie isn’t actually a widower because William was mistakenly declared dead. However, as they’re both retired, the couple sees the opportunity of a lifetime to cash in on the confusion. They just have to spend a few months hiding out in the loft until the life insurance pays out.
Their cautious and easily flustered son, Harry, finds the whole situation overwhelming when he reunites with his dead father, only to realise his pensioner parents have turned to a life of crime.
Can they keep the secret? Or will one of them cave?
Vengeance Most Fowl
Who: Ben Whitehead, Peter Kay, Reece Shearsmith, Lauren Patel, Diane Morgan, Adjoa Andoh, Sir Lenny Henry
Where: BBC One in the UK, Netflix rest of the world
When: Christmas 2024
What: This is not a drill: Wallace and Gromit are back!
The beloved inventor and his whip-smart canine sidekick are returning to the festive TV schedule, where they belong, in their first adventure since 2008’s A Matter of Loaf and Death.
In Vengeance Most Foul, they’ll face off against their arch enemy Feathers McGraw: the evil penguin last seen locked up in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers.
The 70-minute feature film was created by Aardman Animations and directed by Nick Park and Wallace and Gromit creative director Merlin Crossingham.
Outnumbered will be returning for a Christmas special this year. Image: BBC One
Outnumbered
Who: Claire Skinner, Hugh Dennis, Ramona Marquez, Daniel Roche, Tyger Drew-Honey
Where: BBC One
When: Christmas 2024
What: The fifth and final series may have aired in 2016 but fans are in for a treat this Christmas. All of the original cast members will be returning to our screens, including the show’s child actors now all grown up.
Pete (Hugh Dennis) and Sue Brockman (Claire Skinner) have downsized their now that all of their children have left the nest. We’ll watch as the couple adapt to parenting their adult children.
Hugh Dennis has said he, “can’t wait for the Brockmans to be back together again”.
The show’s creators, Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, will also return to write and direct the special.
Gavin & Stacey
James Corden and Ruth Jones reveal they’ve written the final episode!
Who: James Corden, Ruth Jones, Joanna Page, Matthew Horne, Allison Steadman, Larry Lamb, Rob Brydon
Where: BBC One
When: 25 December 2024
What: You could practically hear the hoots of joy from die-hard fans around the UK when James Corden uploaded an image to his Instagram account that showed him with co-writer Ruth Jones and a script entitled Gavin & Stacey: The Finale.
“Some news… It’s official!!! We have finished writing the last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey. See you on Christmas Day, BBC One. Love Ruth and James,” the post was captioned.
A final episode of the BAFTA-winning comedy, which comprised three series and a Christmas special between 2007 and 2010, has long been mooted.
A one-off Christmas episode in 2019 drew a staggering 18 million viewers – and we suspect the return of Gav, Stace, Smithy, Nessa and the gang for one last knees-up could just top that.
As if we needed another reason to look forward to Christmas!
Rivals
Lord Tony Baddingham will be played by David Tennant. Image: Disney+
Who: David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson
Where: Disney+
When: October 18
What: Set in the fictional English county of Rutshire and concerning the social elite of the 19080s.
This new eight-part series follows the story of two powerful men, MP Rupert Campbell-Black (Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham (Tennant), whose rivalry that seeps into the world of Corinium television station.
Speaking previously about the adaptation of her Rutshire Chronicles novel, author Jilly Cooper said: “I’m utterly enchanted to be able to announce our all-star line-up for Rivals.
“Featuring some of the best acting talent that the British Isles has to offer, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better ensemble cast. I cannot wait to be on set and see them bring the characters I love so much to life.
“The minute we met with Alex, we knew he’d perfectly embody my all-time hero, the iconic, racy, ruthless, and devastatingly handsome, Rupert Campbell-Black. Viewers are in for a treat!”
Death In Paradise
Don Gilet will be the new lead detective in hit show Death in Paradise Pic: BBC Pictures
Who: Don Gilet, Don Warrington, Shantol Jackson, Ginny Holder, Élizabeth Bourgine and Danny John-Jules
Where: BBC One
When: Christmas 2024
What: Ex-Eastenders star Don Gilet has been announced as the newest lead detective in the BBC’s sun-soaked cosy crime behemoth, Death In Paradise.
He’ll join the cast as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, first appearing in a one-off Christmas special in 2024 and reprising the role for the new season in 2025.
Gilet follows in the footsteps of Ralf Little, Ardal O’Hanlon, Kris Marshall and Ben Miller, who have all helmed the show since it first aired in 2011.
The Good Ship Murder (season 2)
Shane Ward and Catherine Tyldesley, The Good Ship Murder Pic: Channel 5
Who: Shayne Ward, Catherine Tyldesley, Claire Sweeney
Where: Channel 5
When: Late 2024
What: Take one luxury cruise ship, a bunch of ex-soap stars and a murder to solve: who would’ve thought you’d have a hit on your hands? Well, us, for one. And we weren’t wrong!
We were thrilled to hear that, following the success of Shayne Ward’s sleuthing as Jack Grayling in the first series of The Good Ship Murder, the show had been renewed for two further seasons, as well as a Christmas special.
With season two due to air in late 2024, we’re promised new faces among the crew, guest stars, and a watch “packed with sun, showtunes and subterfuge”.
Vera
Brenda Blethyn as Vera Pic: ITV
Who: Brenda Blethyn
Where: ITV
When: 2025
What: After spending 13 years in DCI Vera Stanhope’s sensible shoes, Brenda Blethyn will be retiring from the role in 2025 as ITV’s long-running detective series Vera comes to a close with season 14.
She was spotted filming the show’s final scenes in Gateshead in May 2024.
Vera is based on the books by My Weekly favourite Ann Cleeves.
Bear Grylls’ Bear Hunt
Bear Grylls and Holly Willoughby to star in Bear Hunt Pics: Shutterstock
Who: Bear Grylls, Holly Willoughby
Where: Netflix
When: February 2025
What: Touted as a classic game of ‘cat and mouse’, Bear Hunt will see survivalist Bear Grylls try to track down 12 at-large celebrities in the Costa Rican jungle.
Spice Girl Mel B and rugby union star Danny Cipriani are rumoured to be among those taking part – along with Shirley Ballas, who recently got the all-clear after a cancer scare.
Will the Strictly judge be able to quickstep out of Bear’s grasp? One thing’s for sure – we’ll be tuning in to find out.
Holly Willoughby is confirmed to present the show, which will be new to Netflix in the new year.
The Traitors
Claudia Winkleman, The Traitors Pic: BBC Pictures
Who: Claudia Winkleman
Where: BBC One
When: Likely early 2025
What: While details about season 3 of everyone’s favourite game of TV deception are thin on the ground, what we do know is that it is definitely happening – the news was confirmed in November 2023, before season 2 had even aired.
Applications to appear closed in February 2024, so we can imagine there’s a lot happening behind the scenes right about now.
The flame of excitement burns strong for this one!
This Is Your Life
Kate Garraway, has been tipped for ‘This is Your Life’ reboot
Who: Kate Garraway
Where: TBC
When: TBC
What: Details on this one are still sketchy, but we couldn’t omit the rumoured return of This Is Your Life after a hiatus of over 20 years – after all, we are talking about the very best TV shows coming soon. This one’s iconic!
Kate Garraway is tipped to be the one who’ll wield the famous big red book containing an epic trip down memory lane for one lucky recipient.
The Night Manager
Tom Hiddleston to reprise his role as Jonathan Pine Pic: BBC Pictures
Who: Tom Hiddleston
Where: BBC One and Amazon Prime Video
When: TBC
What: Based on John le Carré’s best-selling novel of the same name, The Night Manager was a multi-award-winning runaway success for BBC1 in 2016 – so we were only mildly surprised to hear that it had been commissioned for two more series.
Tom Hiddleston will reprise his role as Jonathan Pine, as well as serving as executive producer alongside Hugh Laurie, who fans will remember starred as arms dealer Richard Roper in season one. (The Night Manager is available on BBC iPlayer if you want to refresh your memory.)
The action will pick off eight years after Roper’s arrest in Egypt, with filming due to start in late 2024.
The question is – what action? As Le Carré fans will know, he didn’t write an official sequel to The Night Manager.
His sons, who now run his estate, said: “Revisiting the story of Pine also means going beyond the events of John le Carré’s original work: that is a decision we have not taken lightly, but his compelling characters and the vision David [Farr, writer] has for their next chapter were irresistible.”
Hot Flush
Writer Sally Wainwright Pic: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock
Who: Sally Wainwright (writer)
Where: BBC One
When: TBC
What: After the success of Happy Valley, eminent dramatist Sally Wainwright has turned her attention to Hot Flush: a “celebration of women of a certain age, and all the life-stuff they suddenly find themselves negotiating/dealing with”.
Set in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, the story will follow five friends as they form a punk-rock band – and discover they have a lot to say.
Further details, such as casting and a release date, are yet to be announced.
Watch this space. We’ll keep this list of top TV shows coming soon up to date with all the latest!
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Leisa Millar
I'm a digital editor with experience of writing and editing for some of the UK's best-known women's lifestyle titles - and I'm delighted to count "The People's Friend" and "My Weekly" among them! A busy mum of three young children, I also host a parenting podcast called The SEN Mums' Career Club.
