From highly-anticipated literary adaptions to returning favourites: The new BBC dramas everyone will be talking about in 2026
If your TV watchlist is already overflowing, brace yourself: the BBC is about to make it even harder to log off in 2026. From the long-awaited return of The Night Manager to fresh twists on classics like Lord of the Flies and The Other Bennet Sister, plus buzzy new dramas from Richard Gadd and Marian Keyes, the year ahead has something for every kind of viewer.
Here’s your first look at the shows everyone will be talking about…
The Night Manager (Season 2)
Eight years after the explosive events of the first series, Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) is drawn back into a world of espionage and danger. With old enemies and new threats emerging, Pine must again navigate the shadowy terrain of global crime and intelligence – where trust is scarce and the stakes are deadlier than ever.
Coming to BBC iPlayer on New Year’s Day
Lord of the Flies
After a plane crash leaves a group of schoolboys stranded on a Pacific island, their attempts to maintain order quickly unravel. As competing factions form and violence escalates, the boys descend into a haunting exploration of leadership, fear and the fragility of civilisation.
It’s a first – and truthful – adaptation of the novel for television.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in early 2026
Waiting For The Out
Young philosopher Dan (Josh Finan) begins teaching in a men’s prison, sparking raw and revealing debates that challenge both inmates and teacher. As he confronts the legacy of his own violent family history, his grip on his identity – and his future – begins to falter in troubling ways.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in early 2026
Industry (Season 4)
Harper (Myha’la) and Yasmin (Marisa Abela) are riding high at Pierpoint – until a flashy new fintech disruptor drags them into a global chase for power, money and influence. As shifting alliances and high-stakes deals test their loyalties, their once-unbreakable bond begins to fracture under pressure.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in early 2026
Lynley
Aristocratic detective DI Tommy Lynley (Leo Suter) and sharp, working-class DS Barbara Havers (Sofia Barclay) form an unlikely but formidable partnership in this reboot of the beloved crime series. Navigating class tensions, complex cases and personal entanglements, they prove that justice makes unexpected allies.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
The Walsh Sisters
Based on Marian Keyes’ beloved novels, this warm, chaotic family saga follows five very different sisters as they stumble through heartbreak, reinvention and the complexities of sisterhood. From addiction recovery to romantic upheaval, each Walsh woman faces life’s messiest challenges with humour and heart.
Louisa Harland stars as Anna Walsh, Caroline Menton as Rachel, Danielle Galligan as Claire, Máiréad Tyers as Helen and Stefanie Preissner as Maggie.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
Dear England
A gripping dramatisation of Gareth Southgate (Joseph Fiennes)’s efforts to reshape the England men’s football team, confronting decades of disappointment and penalty heartbreak. As he redefines leadership and national identity, the series explores what it means to carry a country’s hopes on your shoulders.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
Half Man
Spanning nearly four decades, this intense drama traces the volatile relationship between two estranged ‘brothers,’ Niall (Jamie Bell) and Ruben (Richard Gadd). A violent outburst at a wedding forces them – and viewers – back through the formative moments of their lives, probing masculinity, identity and the damage families do.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
The Cage
When two casino employees, Leanne (Sheridan Smith) and Matty (Michael Socha), accidentally discover they are each stealing from the same dangerous gangster, their lives spiral into chaos. Trapped between criminal retribution and the threat of police exposure, they enter a high-octane game of survival with everything to lose.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
The Rapture
A forensic psychologist (Ruth Madeley) begins working with a teenage patient (India Amarteifio) convicted of killing her mother – who insists she can predict the future. As a sweltering heatwave grips the country, the psychologist must uncover the truth behind the girl’s claims and the dark secrets surrounding her family.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
The Split Up
This spin-off of The Split dives into the world of Manchester’s elite divorce lawyers, where the powerful Kishan family dominates the field. But when a long-hidden family secret surfaces, their professional empire and personal relationships are thrown into turmoil.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
The Other Bennet Sister
Mary Bennet (Ella Bruccoler) finally takes centre stage in this reimagining of Pride and Prejudice. Stepping out of her sisters’ shadows, Mary embarks on a journey of self-discovery that leads her from Meryton to London’s ballrooms and the Lake District – where love and independence await.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
Babies
After a heartbreaking pregnancy loss, Lisa (Siobhán Cullen) and Stephen (Paapa Essiedu) struggle to maintain hope while life continues around them. Through grief, love and quiet resilience, they begin to rediscover each other and rebuild the future they still long for.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
Two Weeks in August
A sun-soaked Greek holiday takes a dark turn when a stressed mother (Jessica Raine) acts on an impulsive desire that fractures a friend group already teetering on the edge. Trapped on the island as tensions rise, the travellers are forced to confront their secrets, resentments and the consequences of their choices.
Coming to BBC iPlayer in 2026
