Those who love gritty crime series, psychological thrillers, or just a good drama have lots to look forward to this summer. While Love Island appears to be dominating screens, those who fancy switching it up will have plenty to choose from.
Both ITV and BBC are dropping new dramas as soon as Sunday, July 17 while Sky Atlantic’s hotly-anticipated House of Dragons, the prequel to Game of Thornes, officially lands in the UK next month.
August will also see The Split and Unforgotten star Nicola Walker back on screens alongside Time actor Sean Bean in the new four-part series called Marriage. You can read more on the new show here.
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As well as an array of brand new series, this summer will also see the return of fan favourites, including Channel 4’s The Great, which was dubbed “better than Bridgerton” by some viewers when it first aired. And BBC’S surveillance thriller The Capture, which was a huge hit when it landed on screens in 2019.
So what TV shows are coming to the UK this summer? Here’s everything you need to know.
Murder in Provence, ITV, July 17
Based on the books by ML Longworth, the drama series starring Endeavour’s Roger Allam as Antoine Verlaque Marine Bonnet and The Crown’s Nancy Carroll, will air on ITV at 8pm on Sunday, July 17.
A synopsis for the show, reads: “Murder in Provence follows Antoine Verlaque (Allam), Investigating Judge in Aix-en-Provence, and Criminal Psychologist, and romantic partner, Marine Bonnet (Carroll) as they investigate the murders, mysteries and dark underbelly of their idyllic home.”
There are three two-hour episodes in the series which will air weekly.
The Control Room, BBC, July 17
(Image: Brentwood Gazette)
Also starting on Sunday is the gripping new thriller for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The Control Room is a three-part drama that tells the story of Gabe, played by Iain De Caestecker, an ordinary man who works as an emergency call handler for the Strathclyde Ambulance Service in Glasgow.
Filmed and set in Scotland, the three-part series is written by Bafta and RTS Award-winning writer Nick Leather.
A synopsis reads: “Gabe’s world is turned upside down when he receives a desperate life-and-death call from a woman who appears to know him. With Gabe under pressure to work out who she is, he makes a decision that threatens to have devastating consequences…”
The Control room starts on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday, July 17 and will continue at the same time on Monday, July 18 and Tuesday, July 19.
Sanditon, ITV, July 22
The second series of Sanditon , the acclaimed drama based on Jane Austen’s final, unfinished novel, will from next Friday, July 22.
The new series will pick up the action nine months later, as the town is growing in popularity, featuring characters familiar and new. Series two picks up with heroine Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) returning to the picturesque coastal resort, determined as ever to live a life less ordinary, as she takes up the role of governess to the wards of Alexander Colbourne (Ben Lloyd-Hughes). Charlotte is joined by her spirited younger sister, Alison Heywood (Rosie Graham) who comes to Sanditon to pursue her own romantic dream.
The Great, Channel 4, July 27
Also landing in July is the hit Emmy-nominated series The Great. The drama is returning for its second series and stars Elle Fanning as Catherine, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sacha Dhawan, Bayo Gbadamosi and Belinda Bromilow.
The second series of the drama will see Catherine finally taking the Russian throne for her own, however, she will quickly learn that dethroning her husband was just the beginning.
A synopsis reads: ” Catherine must now face the realities of liberating a country that doesn’t want to be free. Her fight to bring enlightenment to Russia will mean battling her own court and those closest to her, including her own mother, played by guest star Gillian Anderson. She will also battle her own heart as she continues to navigate her relationship with Peter. Ultimately, Catherine will learn that to change a country, you must let it change you, that there is a fine line between idealism and delusion, and that becoming ‘Great’ will ask more of her than she could have imagined.
It was announced the series was returning for a second instalment in March and will land on screens on July 27 ata 10pm on Channel 4.
Marriage, BBC, August
Sean Bean (Time, Broken, Game Of Thrones) and Nicola Walker (Last Tango In Halifax, The Split, Unforgotten) are to star in Marriage, from two time Bafta-winning writer and director Stefan Golaszewski.
The series is an up-close portrait of a marriage, sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always revealing. A synopsis for the series reads: “Marriage sees married couple Ian (Bean) and Emma (Walker) negotiate the ups and downs of their 30-year marriage. We see them dealing with the insecurities, the ambiguities, the hopes and the fears that are part of all marriages, as the drama explores the risks and the gifts of a long-term intimate relationship.”
The four-part drama will land on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in August, an official date will be confirmed closer to the time.
The Capture, BBC, August
It’s a big month for dramas on BBC One as The Capture is also returning in August, reports The Mirror. This surveillance thriller first aired in 2019 and was a huge hit.
Holliday Grainger will return as DI Rachel Carey, while Ron Perlman will also be back as US intelligence operative Frank Napier. They’ll star alongside Paapa Essiedu, who will play a young rising star MP called Isaac Turner.
House of Dragons, Sky Atlantic/NOW, August 21
(Image: PA)
The Game of Thrones prequel is almost here. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, the drama tells the story of House Targaryen.
The new chapter in the history of Westeros is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones we all know and love. There’s a star-studded cast list too including Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the King’s first-born. Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best and Rhys Ifans also star. You can read more about House of Dragon’s here. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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