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The TV Shows You Won't Want to Miss in 2022, From BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Netflix, and More

13/05/2022 - 01:00 PM

2022 is set to be an exciting year for many reasons, but especially where TV shows [1] are concerned. So many of our favourite TV series are finally due a return, including some that fans have been waiting a seriously long time for. Peaky Blinders [2] is of course one of the biggest, with a series 6 release date officially confirmed for March this year. Along with our favourite dysfunctional crime family from Birmingham, we can likely expect to see new series of shows like BBC Three's RuPaul's Drag Race UK [3], Netflix's Sex Education [4], and You — plus some newly commissioned shorts from the likes of ITV, Channel 4, and BBC that aim to highlight stories from underrepresented communities.

Speaking of inclusivity, Netflix also seems to be rightfully encouraging more foreign-language shows in the coming months following the success of Squid Game [5], Indian Matchmaking, and Lupin. And while there's no news of a second season of Squid Game [6] for this year, we're fairly sure that there's going to be lots more amazing international TV series coming our way from the streaming platform.

Alongside Squid Game, 2022 has seen the rise of some newly commissioned crime dramas from BBC like Screw (which also stars Derry Girls actor Jamie-Lee O'Donnell), an exciting The Office-esque workplace drama called Sneakerhead on Dave, an '80s-inspired heist series called The Curse, series two of Starstruck [7], and the highly-anticipated fourth series of Top Boy.

Read on to take a look through all the shows, new and old, expected to hit our screens this year.

Big Boys

Channel 4's "Big Boys" is a tongue-in-cheek, new comedy series starring the "Wee English Fella" [8], Dylan Llewellyn from "Derry Girls" [9]. Llewellyn plays the shy, closeted Jack, who forms an unlikely friendship with Danny (Jon Pointing, "Plebs"), a laddish student he meets at Freshers week. "Big Boys" is a smart, witty look into the spectrum of masculinity; and finding your identity amongst the frenzy of university life.

"Big Boys" is available to watch on Channel 4.

Screw

"Screw" is a brand new show from Channel 4 that stars "Derry Girls"' [10] very own Jamie-Lee O'Donnell. The dark comedy series follows the story of Long Marsh Prison and all the eclectic characters that live in it.

"Screw" is available to watch on Channel 4 now.

The Tourist

The Tourist stars the rugged Jamie Dornan as a British man who gets pursued by a tank truck in the Australian outback. The official synopsis reads: "An epic cat and mouse chase unfolds and the man later wakes up in hospital, hurt, but somehow alive. Except . . . he has no idea who he is."

Production on The Tourist is available to watch now on BBC.

RuPaul's Drag Race UK VS The World

RuPaul's Drag Race UK VS The World [11] is a new international Drag Race competition, hosted in the UK which will bringing together nine queens from all over the world.

RuPaul's Drag Race UK VS The World airs every Tuesday on BBC Three at 9pm.

Chloe

Chloe is an all-new thriller from BBC. The series has a stellar cast including The Crown's Erin Doherty, The Serpent star Billy Howle, Gangs of London's Pippa Bennett-Warner, and Poldark star Jack Farthing. Written by Sex Education director Alice Seabright, the six-part series follows a young girl named Chloe who dies mysteriously.

Chloe is available to stream on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer now.

This Is Going to Hurt

Based on the bestselling book by Adam Kay, "This Is Going to Hurt", is a new BBC series that delves into the life of Ben Whishaw, a doctor on the Obstetrics and Gynaecology ward. The series sees Whishaw desperately trying to cling to his personal life while overwhelmed by 97 hour working weeks and life and death decisions.

"This Is Going to Hurt" is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.

The Curse

"The Curse" is an all-new '80s crime comedy starring "People Just Do Nothing"'s Allan Mustafa and Steve Stamp. The story is loosely based on an infamous robbery from the early '80s, where six men raided a depot near one of London's airports hoping to walk away with £50,000 in cash, only to stumble across 7,000 bars of gold instead.

Of the show, Stamp said: "I've always wanted a mullet so really this is just an excuse to do that. But also an absolute privilege to work with such a talented group of people and to be making something with this level of scale and ambition. Really excited to start shooting."

"The Curse" is available to stream on All4 now.

Pam and Tommy

The new Hulu and Disney+ series, "Pam and Tommy", follows the story of a leaked sex tape that belonged to Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. Starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan, the series is a must-watch for fans of Anderson or Lee.

"Pam and Tommy" is available to stream on Disney+ now.

Starstruck Series 2

Rose Matafeo is back for round two of her comedic series Starstruck, with the next instalment of the show going into production this year. The second series will explore the blossoming relationship between Jessie and Tom, and we cannot wait to see what comes of it.

Starstruck series 2 is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Bel-Air

Produced by Will Smith [12], "Bel-Air" is a new series that reimagines the classic Fresh Prince for a modern-day audience. The series is a new, more dramatic take on Will's complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air, and it looks pretty good.

"Bel-Air" is available to watch on streaming platform NOW and Sky now.

Gassed Up

"Gassed Up" is BBC Three's new series starring Spencer Matthews, Big Narstie, and Nicola Adams, that pits rapper Mist against a number of celebrities in a series of high-octane challenges. To put it bluntly, "if you like cars, this is the show for you. If you don't like cars, that's your business," according to Big Narstie.

"Gassed Up" is coming to Netflix at the end of Feb.

The Dropout

New Disney+ series, "The Dropout" stars Amanda Seyfried [13] as self-made female billionaire, Elizabeth Holmes, who ends up losing everything.

"The Dropout" lands on Disney+ on 3 March.

How I Met Your Father

The spin-off for E4's successful "How I Met Your Mother [14]" is coming soon, and it stars Hillary Duff, Kim Cattrall [15], and Tom Ainsley. According to the synopsis, "In the near future, Sophie is telling her son the story of how she met his father: a story that catapults us back to the present where Sophie and her close-knit group of friends are in the midst of figuring out who they are, what they want out of life, and how to fall in love in the age of dating apps and limitless options."

"How I Met Your Father [16]" lands on Disney+ on 9 March.

Killing Eve Series 4

The fourth and final series [17] of "Killing Eve" is returning to our screens at the end of Feb., and we cannot wait to see what will come of Villanelle and Eve's relationship.

"Killing Eve" series 4 will land on BBC iPlayer from 27 Feb.

Peaky Blinders Series 6

You've been asking about series six since 2019 [18] (no, really), and the time has finally come. The highly anticipated series is set to return in spring 2022 [19], after filming and production came to a halt as a result of the pandemic.

Peaky Blinders series 6 is set to air on 27 Feb.

The Witchfinder

"The Witchfinder" is an original new comedy for BBC Two following a witchfinder (played by Tim Key) and his suspect (played by Daisy May Cooper) on a road-free road trip through England gripped by civil war, famine and plague.

"The Witchfinder" is available to stream on BBC Two and iPlayer now.

The Drop

BBC Three's new series "The Drop" sees host Clara Amfo working with 9 creatives from different parts of the UK as they compete to have their streetwear brands chosen to be stocked at Flannels. The judging panel includes music artist Miguel alongside skateboarder and clothing designer Blondey McCoy.

"The Drop" is available to stream on BBC Three now.

Top Boy Series 4

The long-awaited fourth series of "Top Boy" is on its way, and we can't wait to see what becomes of Jamie and his brother. The new series finally has a release date and thankfully, it's not too far away.

"Top Boy" series 4 lands on Netflix on 18 March.

Bridgerton Season 2

Bridgerton [20]'s second season is just around the corner, and we couldn't be more excited about all the new drama and romances ahead. Last season took us on a wild journey with Simon (Regé-Jean Page) and Daphne's (Phoebe Dynevor [21]) relationship, and the upcoming season promises to be just as thrilling with its new leading ladies, Kate and Edwina Sharma [22] (played by Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran).

Bridgerton [23] season 2 will land on Netflix on 25 March.

Sex Education Season 4

After a truly informative third series [24], Sex Education has rightfully been renewed for a fourth [25], and we can't wait to see how it goes. In the last series, we discovered that the relationship between Otis and Maeve was far from over, we watched Aimee find her way through [26] after experiencing sexual assault, and we watched the most emotional breakup we've ever seen: Adam and Eric [27]. With all of that still hanging in the air and more, series four is going to be a big one.

The release date for Sex Education series four is still TBC.

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Series 4

Start your engines, ladies, because the fourth series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK is coming. In September, the third series [28] of RuPaul's iconic show began, and based on when series two aired back in January, we suspect we won't have long to wait for the new iteration.

The release date for RuPaul's Drag Race UK series four is still TBC.

Conversations With Friends

Adapted from Sally Rooney's novel, "Conversations With Friends" [29] is due to land on our screens this spring. The story follows 21-year-old college student, Frances, an aspiring writer who works at a literary agency by day, and performs spoken-word poetry in Dublin with her best friend and ex-girlfriend Bobbi by night.

"Conversations With Friends" is set for release in May.

I Hate You

Channel 4's new show I Hate You comes from the creator of Friday Night Dinner, Robert Popper. A comedy about two best friends in their 20s, the show follows Charlie (played by Sex Education's Tanya Reynolds), Becca (played by Melissa Saint), and their messy friendship in today's complicated world.

The release date for I Hate You is still TBC.

Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary

Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary is the story of Princess Sophia Duleep, as told by Anita Anand's biography of the same name. "While statues are being felled around the world, we desperately seek out the truth of our history," show writer Anjli Mohindra said. "I have an immense amount of respect for Anita and I couldn't put her book down. Sophia Duleep Singh's real life story packs a punch and now feels like the right time to bring such a bold and historically game-changing woman centre stage. I'm thrilled to be working with Urban Myth Films who share our extraordinary passion for this incredible South Asian woman."

The release date for Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary is still TBC.

You Season 4

After the horrifying end to season three [30], we cannot wait to see what becomes of Joe next. Seemingly taking place in Paris to follow Joe's next victim, Marienne, the new season is likely to be even more twisted, more shocking, and more unbelievable than the last.

While a release date has not yet been confirmed, season four [31] is definitely on its way.

The Great British Bake Off

The Great British Bake Off [32] is one that gets better every year, so we're really looking forward to it inevitably returning to our screens in 2022. Here's to more biscuit challenges, kitchen bants, and of course — opening sequences [33].

The release date for 2022's The Great British Bake Off is still TBC.

We Are Lady Parts Series 2

After the successful first series of Channel 4's hilarious comedy, We Are Lady Parts, a second season has in fact been confirmed [34].

The release date for We Are Lady Parts season 2 is still TBC.

Derry Girls Season 3

Derry Girls is returning for its third and final season [35] next year, and we can hardly contain our excitement. The final instalment of the hit show is currently in production, so we hope to have it on screens in early 2022.

The release date for Derry Girls season 3 is still TBC.

Sneakerhead

Sneakerhead is a new three-part series from UKTV's Dave, that stars People Just Do Nothing actor Hugo Chegwin alongside Big Zuu. Set in Petersborough, the series is a workplace drama about a company called Sports Depot, focusing on main character Russell (played by Chegwin). On the series, Big Zuu said that "I'm very gassed to be a part of Sneakerhead and to be working with Dave again. This is a first for me, venturing into acting, so I'm really excited to get started!"

The release date for Sneakerhead is still TBC.

WeCrashed

An all new series from Apple TV, WeCrashed stars Jared Leto [36] and Anne Hathaway [37]. Already, we're invested. Inspired by the rise and fall of WeWork, the synopsis for the show reads "Inspired by actual events — and the love story at the centre of it all. WeWork grew from a single co-working space into a global brand worth $47 billion in under a decade. Then, in less than a year, its value plummeted. What happened?"

The release date for WeCrashed is still TBC.

Our House

ITV's brand new thriller, "Our House", stars "Line Of Duty"'s Martin Compston and "I May Destroy You" actor Weruche Opia. An on-screen adaptation of Simon Ashdown's international best-selling novel, the series will follow the lives of an estranged husband and wife.

The release date for "Our House" is still TBC.

Anatomy Of A Scandal

A psychological thriller and gripping courtroom drama, "Anatomy Of A Scandal" aims to highlight the personal and political scandals of Britain's elite. Following the life of James, a minister in parliament, and his wife Sophie Whitehouse, the series stars Sienna Miller [38], Rupert Friend, and Naomi Scott.

"Anatomy Of A Scandal" will land on Netflix on 15 April.

The Great Series 2

Channel 4's Emmy-nominated series "The Great" is set to return for a second series this summer for a second series. Starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, series 2 will see Catherine finally taking the Russian throne for her own.

The release date for "The Great" series 2 is still TBC.

Half Bad

Netflix's new drama, "Half Bad" is an eight-part series based on the trilogy of books from Sally Green. Starring "I May Destroy You"'s Jay Lycurgo along with "Starstruck"'s Nadia Parkes, the series follows the story of 16-year-old Nathan, the son of a dangerous witch.

The release date for "Half Bad" is still TBC.

Everything I Know About Love

Adapted from the internationally bestselling memoir [39] by Dolly Alderton, "Everything I Know About Love" is set to land on our screens later this year. The 7-part series [40] is set to give viewers an unflinching account of surviving your 20s.

The release date for "Everything I Know About Love" is still TBC.


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