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New British TV shows are all very well, but there’s the whole ‘getting to know you’ rigmarole to get through. With a returning British TV show, the introductions have already been made, the intimacies have already been shared, and everybody’s comfortable enough in each other’s company to relax, breathe out, and, figuratively speaking, pee with the bathroom door open.
Below are the returning UK TV series due on screen in 2025 and beyond. Prepare to welcome back Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb for more Slow Horses, plus another eight episodes of Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, plus the third series of acclaimed Sky action thriller Gangs of London, new Black Mirror, a whole parade of British crime drama, comedies and more.
We’ll keep this list updated as new commissions and release dates are announced.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Series 2
There are three books in Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, and if all goes to plan, there’ll be three BBC TV adaptions too. BBC Three has already ordered the second series of this YA sleuthing show, which stars Wednesday’s Emma Myers as Pip, the British teenager with a knack for solving mysteries and getting into trouble.
Big Boys Series 3
Jack Rooke’s funny, moving, autobiographically-inspired sitcom Big Boys, about 2010s university life for Jack, Danny and Corinne will be back on Channel 4. Series three started filming in summer 2024, so there shouldn’t be too long to wait for the return of Dylan Llewellyn, Jon Pointing, Izuka Hoyle, Camille Coduri and Harriet Webb’s characters.
Black Doves Series 2
Joe Barton’s darkly funny, very violent, London-set spy thriller was already renewed for a second series before the first arrived on Netflix just before Christmas 2024, so we know we’ll be getting more from Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw’s mercenary spooks whenever their doubtlessly packed schedules align. The first series had a mediocre story and thinly drawn characters, but charisma and style in spades, so there’s every chance that the second run could be magnificent.
Black Mirror Series 7
Six brand new episodes of Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones’ sci-fi anthology will arrive on Netflix in 2025, including one sequel to a previous story, and two feature-length instalments. Black Mirror will revisit “USS Callister” once again in the show’s first ever follow-up episode, hence the return of The Penguin’s Cristin Milioti in the cast list… which also includes: Awkwafina, Peter Capaldi, Paul Giamatti, Rashida Jones, Jimmi Simpson, Chris O’Dowd, Harriet Walter and many more.
Blue Lights Series 3
Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson’s Belfast-set BBC One police drama was announced as being simultaneously renewed for both a third and fourth series in early 2024, so fans can rest easy about its future. Actor Sian Brooke told Den of Geek that she expected filming on series three to begin in January 2025, so there’ll be a little wait before we can see the new episodes – and find out where her character Grace and love interest Stevie went in that taxi…
Boarders Series 2
The first series of Daniel Lawrence Taylor’s BBC Three YA comedy-drama Boarders, set in an English boarding school, was clever, funny and timely, so let’s hope series two follows suit. It’s a new year at the exclusive school to which a group of young Black Londoners won scholarships, and where they had to negotiate their identities while working out how to navigate well-meaning prejudice, outright bigotry, as well as all the usual teen TV romance-mates-drugs-drink drama.
Doctor Who Series 15
Eight new episodes of Doctor Who will arrive in 2025 featuring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor along with new companion Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu. Previous companion Ruby Sunday will also reappear, along with the UNIT gang and Anita Dobson’s mysterious Mrs Flood. The story this time (expected to conclude once again with a two-parter) involves the Doctor trying to get Belinda back home but being stopped by mysterious forces.
Gangs of London Series 3
Gareth Evans’ ultra-violent, ultra-stylish family crime saga Gangs of London will return in 2025 for its third series, in which a number of Londoners are killed when a batch of cocaine is spiked. Who spiked it and why will be the mystery of series three, which is set to welcome back Joe Cole as Sean, Sopé Dìrísù as Elliot, Michelle Fairley as Marian, Lucian Msamati as Ed, as well as new characters played by Richard Dormer and T’Nia Miller.
Grantchester Series 9
The ninth series of this period-set crime drama aired in the US in 2024, and finally arrives on ITV from January 8 2025. It welcomes new vicar Alphy (Rishi Nair), who joins Robson Green and the rest of the regulars in a story involving a 1960s Manson-style cult.
Hijack Series 2
Idris Elba will return as negotiator extraordinaire Sam Nelson in George Kay and Jim Field Smith’s Apple TV+ thriller Hijack. Nelson successfully navigated his way through a twist-filled plane hijacking in the show’s first series, and he’ll be doing it again thanks to a series renewal, confirmed in January 2024. There’s no steer as yet on the new story or a release date, but we’ll bring you news when it arrives.
Industry Season 4
AKA the best show on TV you’re not watching (unless you are in which case, you’ve probably spent the last few months spreading the word and trying to get everybody else on board), HBO/BBC coproduction Industry crept onto screens in 2020 and has steadily grown in excellence since then. Season three of the London-set finance drama, which featured the arrival of Kit Harington as new character Lord Muck (yes, Muck), was masterful. Thank goodness that a fourth run has already been confirmed – but don’t expect it any time soon.
Ludwig Series 2
David Mitchell will be back as identical twins John and James Taylor in Ludwig, Mark Brotherhood’s puzzle-based crime series for BBC One. This Mitchell-vehicle has a ludicrous premise (socially awkward puzzle-loving twin impersonates his confident and popular police detective brother in order to investigate the disappearance of the latter) but gets by easily on comfort and charm. It was a big hit for the BBC, so expect to hear much more fanfare about the second run ahead of its arrival.
Red Eye Series 2
Richard Armitage (of The Hobbit and Harlan Coben thriller fame) will return in series two of ITV action thriller Red Eye. The real-time gimmick with this murder-mystery was paired with an unusual setting on board a flight between London and Beijing. If series two is anything like its predecessor, expect ludicrous twists and a great deal of switch-your-brain-off fun.
Rivals Series 2
Did any TV series have as much fun as Disney+’s Rivals in 2024? Doubtful. This 1980s-set Jilly Cooper adaptation about horsey-set toffs bonking in fictional Rutshire (and to a lesser extent, about two companies battling for regional franchise television rights) delighted in itself, and made viewers pretty delighted too. Thank heavens then, for the second series which will follow on the romance between Rupert and Taggie, and reveal what happens after that messy cliffhanger. There’s plenty of source material from Cooper still to adapt, so there should be no worries on that front.
SAS: Rogue Heroes Series 2
Steven Knight’s WWII-set action drama continues with more feats of derring-do from the maverick unit of elite soldiers. This time, the gang is in Europe committing insubordinations and winning the war by the skin of their teeth. It features a cast including rumoured future-Bond Connor Swindells, Jack O’Connor, Dominic West, Con O’Neill and more. All episodes are streaming now on BBC iPlayer, following their New Year’s Day release.
Sherwood Series 3
Unless James Graham and co. really get their skates on, Sherwood’s third series isn’t likely to arrive on BBC One in 2025, but seeing as it’s been officially commissioned, we’re including it here anyway. Inspired by local events in his home town of Nottinghamshire, Graham’s acclaimed state-of-the-nation drama tells political stories through personal perspectives. The first two series starred Lesley Manville, David Morrissey, Lorraine Ashbourne and more first-rate British acting talent. Expect the same for series three.
Shetland Series 10
DCI Calder and DI ‘Tosh’ solved the murders of Annie and Bergen in Shetland series nine, leaving space in their caseload for a new investigation for the already-commissioned tenth series of this Shetland-set crime drama. Expect new guest cast, more twists, and most importantly, some excellent knitwear.
Slow Horses Series 5
Filming on the fifth series of Apple TV+’s word-of-mouth hit Slow Horses finished in summer 2024, so fans are just waiting on the post-production and crossing their fingers for a mid-2025 release. The spy thriller about an MI5 outpost of washed-up and disgraced agents, each of whom has their own reason for ending up in Slough House, comes adapted from the Mick Herron novel series by The Thick of It writer Will Smith, and stars Gary Oldman in the now-iconic TV role of Jackson Lamb. Unmissable, and series six has already been commissioned.
Sweetpea Series 2
Fallout and Yellow Jackets’ Ella Purnell will be back in the role of Rhiannon, an overlooked wallflower with a dark secret in the second series of this Sky serial killer drama, adapted from the novel by CJ Sansom.
Taskmaster Series 19 & 20
Greg Davies and Alex Horne’s ‘comedians competing in ridiculous tasks for points’ show will return, twice in 2025. Channel 4 were thoughtful enough to commission Taskmaster in a job-lot all the way up to series 21, so we’re guaranteed at least one more after series 19 and 20. As is traditional, the line-ups for those are being kept under-wraps but we’ll pass them on as soon as we’re allowed.
The Day of the Jackal Series 2
Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch return as the respective mouse and cat in this cat-and-mouse spy action-thriller for Sky. The first series reworked Frederick Forsyth’s popular novel about an expert marksman planning to commit a high-profile political assassination, moving it to a modern setting and following the two lead characters (Redmayne’s assassin and Lynch’s MI6 agent) home to their families. Expect more extraordinary stunts and intense escapes in series two.
The Devil’s Hour Series 3
Prime Video’s parallel-timelines drama filmed its third and final series at the same time as its second, so this one’s already in the can. The fantasy-horror stars Peter Capaldi as a mysterious man who knows the future and works to change it, alongside Jessica Raine as a woman whose life is unalterably affected by his actions. The first series had almost too much going on to follow, but the second run was a steep improvement which narrowed its focus to a central question: when you save someone’s life, are you responsible for them? Highly recommended.
The Gold Series 2
The first series Neil Forsyth’s solid true crime drama based on the infamous Brink’s-Mat gold heist ended with a note of ‘to be continued…’, so hooray that the BBC is continuing it. Hugh Bonneville, Emun Elliott and Charlotte Spencer’s Scotland Yard detectives may have got their men, but only half of the money that resulted from the gold theft had been traced. Cue: the next part of the investigation, following the cash through international drug gangs and beyond.
The Rig Series 2
David Macpherson’s eco-sci-fi thriller is back on Prime Video with six new episodes following some strange events at a cluster of remote Scottish oil rigs in series one. Line of Duty’s Martin Compston returns, along with Schitt’s Creek’s Emily Hampshire, plus Iain Glen, Owen Teale and more. Remind yourself of what happened last time with our spoilery recap.
The Traitors Series 3
New Year’s Day 2025 saw the return of Claudia Winkleman and her wardrobe of tweed capes and fingerless gloves, presiding over a bunch of 25 hopefuls confident that their game plan will lead them to the prize money. That number got whittled down right away and now the game is very much afoot. With prize-fund-building challenges, tense round table discussions and nightly ‘murders’, Traitors is back on BBC One and iPlayer.
Unforgotten Series 6
Chris Lang’s cold-case ITV police drama comes back for a sixth series – the second with new(ish) lead Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jessica James working alongside Sanjeev Bhaskar’s DI Sunny. The new investigation is sparked when human remains are discovered in marshland and Jess and Sunny have to unearth the truth.
Vera Series 14
Barbara Blethyn hangs up her Paddington Bear hat in the final instalments of beloved ITV crime drama Vera, which started airing on New Year’s Day 2025.
ALSO RETURNING IN 2025
– Alan Carr’s Changing Ends Series 2
– Am I Being Unreasonable Series 2
– After the Flood Series 2
– All Creatures Great and Small Series 6
– Beyond Paradise Series 3
– Black Ops Series 2
– Call the Midwife Series 14
– Daddy Issues Series 2
– Dinosaur Series 2
– Gladiators Series 2
– Grace Series 5
– Here We Go Series 3
– Karen Pirie Series 2
– Malpractice Series 2
– Mr Bigstuff Series 2
– Piglets Series 2
– Professor T Series 5
– Race Across the World Series 5
– Silent Witness Series 28 & 29
– Ten Pound Poms Series 2
– The Bay Series 5
– The Change Series 2
– The Couple Next Door Series 2
– The Good Ship Murder Series 2
– The Horne Section Series 2
– Waterloo Road Series 15
– We Might Regret This Series 2 & 3
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