TV fans will be pleased to know there is a host of exciting new dramas coming to the BBC in the next few months. We’ve already seen the return of much-loved series such as Industry and The Tourist, as well as the highly-anticipated releases of Nightsleeper and Ludwig. But there is a lot more bingeable content coming our way. From a murder mystery to a historical drama, these are the forthcoming TV shows to get excited about…
The best upcoming BBC dramas
Towards Zero
Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Mimi Keene as Nevile and Kay in Towards Zero
A retelling of the murder mystery by Agatha Christie, Towards Zero is a ‘disturbing tale of truth and lies, love and hate’ that unfolds amidst the dark, cinematic glamour of the 1930s.
It follows Nevile Strange (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and his ex-wife Audrey (Ella Lily Hyland), who decide to spend a summer together at their childhood home and the coastal estate of Nevile’s aunt, Lady Tressilian (Anjelica Huston). With unfinished business between the former childhood sweethearts, plus the presence of Nevile’s new wife Kay (Mimi Keene), tensions run high and soon a murder takes place.
Release date: TBC
Mr Loverman
Ariyon Bakare and Lennie James as Morris and Barry in Mr Loverman
Mr Loverman is based on the acclaimed novel by the Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo and tells the story of Barry (Lennie James), a flamboyant 74-year-old renowned for his dapper taste and fondness for retro suits. His wife of 50 years, Carmel (Sharon D Clarke), thinks he’s been cheating on her with other women, but Barry has been having a secret, passionate affair with his best friend and soulmate, Morris (Ariyon Bakare).
Now facing the final chapter of his life, Barry has big choices to make that will force his whole family to question their futures.
Release date: Autumn 2024
Showtrial – Series 2
Adeel Akhtar as Sam Malik in Showtrial
The second instalment in the anthology series sees climate activist Marcus Calderwood (Barney Fishwick) left for dead in a violent hit and run. He uses his dying moments to apparently identify his killer – a serving policeman.
Showtrial follows all sides of the legal battle: Justin Mitchell (Michael Socha), a charismatic and cocky police officer; Sam Malik (Adeel Akhtar), an anxious defence solicitor with a reputation for winning lost causes; DI Miles Southgate (Joe Dempsie), who is brought in from a neighbouring force to investigate; and Leila Hassoun-Kenny (Nathalie Armin), a driven CPS lawyer leading the case against the accused.
Release date: Sunday 6 October
Strike: The Ink Black Heart
Adapted from the sixth novel in the Cormoran Strike book series written by J. K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, the four-part series will once again follow Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke) and his partner Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger) as they investigate the murder of Edie Ledwell, the co-creator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, who was tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart.
Release date: TBC
Miss Austen
Keeley Hawes as Cassandra Austen in Miss Austen
Based on the bestselling novel by Gill Hornby, Miss Austen reimagines the story of Cassandra Austen, notorious for burning her famous sister Jane’s letters. The BBC has described the four-part drama as a ‘fascinating, witty and heart-breaking’ tale of sisterly love with a ‘remarkable’ ensemble cast led by Keeley Hawes as Cassandra.
Release date: TBC
Return To Paradise
Anna Samson as Mackenzie Clarke in Return to Paradise
A spin-off series of Death in Paradise, Return to Paradise follows DI Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson), an Australian expat who’s made a name for herself in London’s Metropolitan Police for cracking uncrackable murder cases. When she is accused of tampering with evidence, Mackenzie returns to her hometown of Dolphin Cove in Australia, where she joins the team at Dolphin Cove Police Station.
Release date: Autumn 2024
King and Conqueror
Per the BBC, the eight-part historical drama will bring Harold, Earl of Wessex (James Norton) and William, Duke of Normandy (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) to life, depicting their lives, loves and families, and the gripping, high stakes power game that led to their fateful meeting at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Release date: TBC
