PICKS OF THE MONTH: AUGUST 2026, WHAT TO WATCH THIS MONTH - NEW AND RETURNING TITLES REVEALED

The new and returning titles airing this August have been revealed.

 LUDWIG

BBC One

The UK’s most-watched new comedy title since 2018 returns for a second series on BBC iPlayer and BBC One this summer and will pick up with master puzzle-setter and Crime Scene Consultant John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor (David Mitchell) solving ‘impossible’ crimes for the Cambridge Police Authority. Anna Maxwell Martin returns as Lucy, John’s sister-in-law and wife of his missing brother James – another puzzle that needs solving and a husband and father that needs to be brought home.

 CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF

BBC One

Michelin-starred, award-winning chef, author and restaurateur Giorgio Locatelli has been announced as the newest judge joining Celebrity MasterChef this year.

Filmed at Digbeth Loc. Studios, Birmingham, the hugely anticipated new series from Shine TV (part of Banijay UK) returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this summer, with Locatelli joining award-winning journalist and food critic Grace Dent, who is also confirmed as a Celebrity MasterChef judge on this year’s series.

 THE GREAT BRITISH SEWING BEE

BBC One

The Great British Sewing Bee returns with brand-new host Sophie Willan. Over ten weeks, 12 of the country’s best home sewers compete to be crowned winner of the Sewing Bee crown.

In the opening week, judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young set three challenges on the theme of the British summer. First up, the Pattern Challenge sees them crafting summer shorts with a patch pocket.

 A HOUSE THROUGH TIME

BBC Two

Returning for its sixth series, A House Through Time, once again presented by Professor David Olusoga, embarks on an exciting new chapter in Scotland's world-famous capital. Edinburgh’s spectacular volcanic landscape and equally dramatic history offer the perfect backdrop to BBC Two’s landmark historical investigation, revealing a new version of our nation’s past through the lives of the ordinary people all living within the walls of a single house.

 RACE AGAINST THE TIDE

BBC Two

On a stunning Scottish beach eight talented teams go head-to-head in a high stakes contest, not only competing against each other but also against Mother Nature to produce amazing sand sculptures.

The reality twist is the ticking clock of the incoming tide. The teams only have 6 hours to complete their builds – from the moment the tide goes out to when it comes crashing back onto the shore. Who can carve the best sand masterpiece before the sea washes everything away?

Iain Stirling is beach ready to issue daily craft challenges and keep the sculptors entertained as the tide retreats. Finally, as the waves lap in, he'll wave a red flag to signal the start of judging, to discover who will be leaving the beach. Only one team can emerge triumphant at the end of the week and be crowned Race Against the Tide champions.

 THE BIG DEAL

BBC Two

From new auction records to sold-out shows, the art market is a vibrant global industry that generates headlines around the world. Yet for many, the art world remains shrouded in mystery... Now seven pairs of aspiring dealers from across the UK get the opportunity to test their creative instincts, flex their entrepreneurial muscle and see if they can make money in this highly competitive business.

Under the watchful gaze of host Steph McGovern, series-mentor Cordelia de Freitas and industry insiders, each episode pulls back the curtain on a corner of the art market, tasking the pairs with real-world challenges designed to test the different skills needed to succeed in the art business. Every penny they make, they get to keep, and for the last pair standing, there is a prize of brilliant British art worth £50,000.

 VAN DER VALK

ITV1

The return of Van Der Valk sees the Dutch detective and his team solving three more homicides in the city. In the first episode the death of a whistleblower under police protection prior to a court hearing means Van Der Valk and his team are called in to make sure the second witness makes it to court. The situation is complicated by the fact that the protection officer in charge of the first victim is Kalie Tenkers, a former flame of Piet’s.

Fair to say there is no love lost between the two, especially when he suggests she might have been involved in the killing… In episode two the team are called in when an environmental campaigner is murdered on the eve of a global conference. Several potential suspects are caught on CCTV, one of which would appear to be Cobie Stegenga, a famous singer who went missing and is now presumed dead. The world assumes she committed suicide as a result of the

 PROFESSOR T

ITV1

Six months on from season three’s devastating finale, dark clouds loom over the team. Consumed by grief, Dan dives headfirst into his work under the supervision of DCI Goswami who struggles to maintain order. The Professor takes up a very unexpected new hobby: avoiding the police at all costs.

Dr Helena Goldberg intervenes to help but soon begins to question her own integrity as his therapist. The police team continues to fight complex and dangerous cases with the addition of an eager new team member, DC Chloe Highsmith. The Dean is struck by the shocking return of an old flame, Zelda - Adelaide’s sister and Jasper’s aunt. Love is on the horizon and even Jasper realises heartstrings plucked in his own heart…

 LONG LOST FAMILY: BORN WITHOUT TRACE

ITV1

BAFTA-award-winning series Long Lost Family is back with its 16th series. Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell present extraordinary stories of family separation. And, after specialist researchers and intermediaries trace missing loved ones, Nicky and Davina deliver longed-for news that leads to reunion.

 FORCE OF NATURE

ITV1

The fascinating six-part series, produced by BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning Plimsoll Productions, part of ITV Studios, is three years in the making and will reveal how nature is fighting back against today’s extreme weather.

hrough dramatic, character-led storytelling, it captures nature’s resilience in the face of hurricanes, floods, droughts, and wildfires - showcasing both the ferocity of Earth’s forces and the ingenuity of animal survival. Urgent, heartfelt and inspiring, there has never been a more pressing and relevant natural history series. Award-winning actor, Andrew Lincoln will narrate the brand new ground breaking ITV series.

 CELEBRITY HUNTED

Channel 4

Each pair of celebrities must go on the run and vanish into mainland Britain, cutting themselves off from the lives - and the fame - they've always relied upon. For 14 relentless days they must stay hidden, think fast and trust no one because the moment they leave a trail, the hunt is on.

Pursuing them is Ray Howard and his elite team of Hunters drawn from policing, military and intelligence backgrounds. They have the full arsenal of the modern state at their disposal including CCTV, ANPR, Facial Recognition, helicopters, drones, search dogs, cyber investigations and media appeals. Every clue, every sighting and every mistake can mean a capture.

 HIT POINT

U&Dave

Written by BAFTA-winner Howard Overman (Misfits) and directed by David Caffrey (The Gentlemen, Peaky Blinds), this Brand-New adrenaline-charged blend of high-stakes crime thriller and sizzling romantic drama follows detectives Leo and Bella as their latest case pulls them into a dangerous West London underworld.

On the hunt for answers, the lines between their personal and professional lives blur with every twist and betrayal. Packed with razor-sharp humour, and heart-stopping action, this is a gripping, fast-paced series where loyalty is tested, secrets explode, and love might just be the most dangerous game of all.

 TED LASSO

Apple TV

Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team. Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would.

 DARK MATTER

Apple TV

Season two picks up with the Dessens as they settle into a quiet life in a world that finally seems safe until the unimaginable forces them to run once again. As Jason’s obsession with the Box deepens, Daniela’s (Jennifer Connelly) growing paranoia pushes her to the brink, threatening to tear their fragile stability apart.

Elsewhere, Amanda (Alice Braga) and Ryan (Jimmi Simpson) join forces in a desperate attempt to find their way home. With Blair (Amanda Brugel) determined to stop him, Leighton (Dayo Okeniyi) relentlessly chases his grand vision of creating a perfect world.

Transmission details will be announced in due course.