The TV Shows You Won’t Want to Miss in 2021, From BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Netflix, and More

A new four-part thriller from BBC, Ridley Road is based on the story of a Jewish hairdresser who goes undercover in a neo-Nazi organisation. Based in 1960s London — and on the book by Jo Bloom — the story explores the fight against fascism and racism through the 62 Group that came to prominence.

Ridley Road is set to air on BBC One early in 2021.

Doctor Who's Jenna Coleman stars in this true crime drama about mass murderer Charles Sobhraj, also known as "The Bikini Killer", yikes. The series follows his journey as he was finally(!) captured and put on trial in 1976.

The Serpent starts on 1st Jan. 2021 on BBC One.

A Teacher is a new 10-part series from BBC, starring Kate Mara and Nick Robinson. Exploring the tumultuous relationship between a teacher and her younger student, the show is a dark look at the dangers of such affairs.

First premiering in the US in November, the show landed on BBC on 3rd Jan and is now available to watch in full.

A modern love story, loosely based on the life of Catherine The Great, this 10-part series tells the tale of "an idealistic, romantic young girl, who arrives in Russia for an arranged marriage". We're already hooked.

The Great will air on 3rd Jan. 2021 on Channel 4.

ITV's new dating show, The Cabins is set to satisfy all your Love Island needs in 2021. After the folks at ITV decided to postpone Love Island until next summer, it was clear that the winter edition was going to be missed. The Cabins is here to fix just that, and seeks to provide all the same antics, with twelve lucky singletons.

The Cabins airs on 4th Jan. 2021 on ITV.

The Pembrokeshire Murders miniseries is based on the real crimes committed by serial killer John Cooper along the Pembrokeshire coast in the 1980s and 1990s. The show is set to stay true to real life events, and the script was even adapted from a book written by two key players in the case: senior investigating officer Steve Wilkins (played by Luke Evans) and ITV journalist Jonathan Hill. And in case there's any doubt that this series will be as addictive as it is harrowing, it's been created by the same team that gave us Bodyguard and Line of Duty, so you already know it's a must watch.

"I'm a sucker for a true story and this isn't just a true story, it's a shocking, true story about the worst serial killer that Wales has ever seen." Evans told Tyla. We. Can't. Wait.

The Pembrokeshire Murders airs on 11th, 12th and 13th Jan. 2021 on ITV.

Starring Martin Compston from Line of Duty, Traces is the latest offering from the BBC and is based on an original idea by best-selling crime author Val McDermid. Set in Scotland, the forensic crime drama explores an unsolved murder case and features three female main characters.

Traces airs on BBC One on 4th Jan. at 9pm.

Season two has finally been confirmed and honestly, the excitement is real. After a year of very little inspiration, we know we're not the only ones that can't wait for more killer outfits, catty conversations, and epic makeup looks.

Have no fear, because Season 2 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK arrived on BBC iPlayer on 14th Jan. Keep up with the status of all the contestants here.

The fourth instalment of Noel Clarke and Top Boy's Ashley Walters has been given the green light by Sky this year. News of the new series comes just after Walters announced a three-part special of the show, airing on Sky this month.

He took to Twitter to announce the news, sharing the title sequence "to the new 3 part special of #bulletproof airing on @skytv on the 20th of January 2021."

Bulletproof will return to Sky on 20th Jan.

It's been a while since new Riverdale hit our Netflix screens, but the end is near. The fifth season of this perfectly thrilling drama is set to land this month and we can't wait to see how it all plays out. Think new cast members, time jumps, and plenty of high school reunions.

Season five is out on Netflix on 21st Jan.

Showcasing the coming-of-age story of five fairies, Fate: The Winx Saga follows the adventures that take place in Alfea, a magical boarding school in the Otherworld. From the creator of The Vampire Diaries, it's definitely one for those of you in desperate need of some escapism.

The six-part series hits Netflix on 22nd Jan.

Based on Sarah Pinborough's bestselling novel, Behind Her Eyes is a new thriller produced by the same people behind Netflix's The Crown. The story follows main character Louise, who finds love after her husband leaves her, before realising that her newfound romance has been lying all along.

Starring Tom Bateman and Game of Thrones star Robert Aramayo, you're not going to want to miss this.

Behind Her Eyes lands on Netflix on 17th Feb.

This five-part series explores the HIV epidemic in London in the 1980s. Following the lives of a group of young gay men, the show stars Years and Years frontman Olly Alexander alongside Stephen Fry and Neil Patrick-Harris.

In a statement on the show, Channel 4 said that "it's the story of their friends, lovers and families too. Together they will endure the horror of the epidemic, the pain of rejection and the prejudices that gay men faced throughout the decade."

It's A Sin is available to watch on All 4 now. Binged the show and need a recap? Have a read of our refresher here.

This new ITV drama has a pretty impressive cast. Starring Keeley Hawes, Joanna Lumley, and Nigel Havers, it follows the story of a widow named Alice who is processing the death of her beloved husband, Harry. Eventually, she uncovers a dark secret about the house she lives in, and goes on to discover even more shocking information about the man she thought she knew.

Finding Alice is available to watch on ITV now. Fans have already binged the first season, which leads us to ask will there be a second?

One for marvel fans everywhere, Wandavision follows the story of Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (played by Paul Bettany), presumably before Vision dies at the end of Avengers: Endgame . . .

Wandavision is available to watch on Disney Plus now.

Series four of this ITV crime show is due a return this year, and it looks like it'll be a good one. The show follows the story of detectives Cassie Stuart and Sunil 'Sunny' Khan as they attempt to solve a series of cold cases surrounding murders and historic disappearances.

The fourth season of Unforgotten lands on ITV on 22nd Feb.

BBC police drama Line Of Duty has slowly become one of the most watched shows in the UK. Nominated for a BAFTA Award this year, the show's already had five whole seasons and next year, it's due a return.

The sixth series is set to return in March 2021, after filming was unavoidably impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Starring The Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant is a new HBO drama about a reckless alcoholic named Cassie Bowden who drinks during flights and gets herself into some pretty messy situations. The show kicks off with Bowden waking up in Bangkok next to a dead body, unable to remember how she ended up there. Think The Hangover meets Sex and the City, sounds pretty good right?

The show even earned Cuoco her first Golden Globe nomination, so it's definitely one to watch.

The Flight Attendant airs on Sky One and NOW TV from 19th March.

Set in Victorian London, The Irregulars follows a gang of troubled street teens who are manipulated into solving crimes for a sinister character named Doctor Watson and his mysterious business partner, also known as Sherlock Holmes. The show also stars Sex Education's Jojo Macari, The Witcher's Royce Pierreson, and Henry Lloyd-Hughes from Killing Eve.

The Irregulars lands on Netflix on 26th March.

A new mystery thriller series, Mare of Easttown follows the story of Mare Sheehan, a detective in a small town in Pennsylvania who's assigned to investigate the murder of a young girl. According to the show's synopsis, it's "an exploration into the dark side of a close community and an authentic examination of how family and past tragedies can define our present."

Mare of Easttown lands on NOWTV on 19th April.

Based on Leigh Bardugo's worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone follows a war-torn world where soldier and orphan Alina Starkov (played by Jessie Mei Li) has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. The show also stars Ben Barnes, aka Prince Caspian from The Chronicles of Narnia.

Shadow & Bone lands on Netflix on 23rd April.

After the nerve-inducing episode that was the season three finale, it's safe to say we've been on the edge of our seats waiting to find out what happens next.

Speaking to Digital Spy about the show's heavily anticipated return, Elisabeth Moss revealed that "we are making it a bit of a bigger season this year. We're really stretching the limits of our capabilities, production wise, and we're on the move a lot."

Season four of The Handmaid's Tale will air on 28th April, with Hulu and C4 releasing the first three episodes.

After the confusing end to season two, we cannot wait to see what becomes of that final scene. Is it his mum? Is she going to be his next victim? Is he really going to become a dad? We could go on and on . . .

While a release date has not yet been confirmed, season three is definitely on its way.

You've been asking about series six since 2019 (no, really), and the time has finally come. The highly anticipated series is set to return early 2021, after filming and production came to a halt as a result of the pandemic.

Specific dates have yet to be confirmed however, so watch this space ...

Whether it was the mismatched outfits, that iconic phone case, or the debate over how best to pronounce its name, everyone had something to say about season one of Emily In Paris.

Regardless of whether you loved it or hated it, it's coming back for more. Season two has officially been confirmed, with a release date still TBC.

At the end of 2020, Motherland got a festive return on BBC Two with a Christmas special that saw most 'popular' mum Amanda throw a seasonal soiree that Julia, Kevin, and Liz gatecrash. The Christmas special came ahead of the third series arriving in 2021, which we cannot wait for!

Motherland series three is set to return at some point next year.

Everyone's favourite sex therapist is back for a third season of Sex Education this year, and after the rollercoaster romance that is Otis and Maeve, we're extremely excited to see how it all goes.

The release date for series three of Sex Education is still TBC.

Adapted from Nancy Mitford's classic novel, The Pursuit of Love is the next period drama for your must-watch list. Starring Rebecca's Lily James and Fleabag's Andrew Scott, the show is set in Europe in between the two World Wars and follows the relationship between James and her cousin, played by Emily Beecham.

The release date for The Pursuit of Love is still TBC.

Fan of Normal People and ready for more? You're in luck. Sally Rooney's debut novel, Conversations With Friends is finally getting the screen time it deserves and it's happening this year.

Following the story of college students Francis and Bobbi, the show explores their newfound connection with an older married couple, Nick and Melissa.

The release date for Conversations With Friends is still TBC.

BBC's new drama Vigil explores the disappearance of a Scottish fishing trawler on-board a Trident nuclear submarine. Starring Suranne Jones, Rose Leslie, and Martin Compston (he's had a busy year already, hasn't he!), this six-episode series is made by the same masterminds behind Line of Duty and The Bodyguard.

The release date for Vigil is still TBC.

Jill Halfpenny stars in this new Channel 5 drama about a grieving mother who thinks she's spotted her missing son.

Dates for The Drowning are still TBC, but the show is set to drop this year.

After part one took the world by storm, it's unsurprisingly been confirmed that part two is on its way. On 28 Jan., Netflix announced that the series will officially return in summer 2021 for another five-part series. We cannot wait.

ITV's new series sees acclaimed British actress Joanne Froggatt (previously starring in Downton Abbey) teaming up with the writers behind Liar for a new psychological thriller. Set in London, the show follows the story of Angela Black, a victim of domestic abuse. Froggatt spoke to ITV about working on the show, saying that "I am honoured to be working with Two Brothers Pictures again and this important and timely story from the brilliant Harry and Jack Williams is like nothing I've read before. Angela is a complex and intriguing character and I hope audiences will be immediately drawn into her gripping, and sometimes heart-breaking journey, just as I was."

The release date for Angela Black is still TBC.

A heartwarming baking show from ex The Great British Bake-Off contestant Nadiya Hussain is due to land on Netflix this year, after the success of her first series Nadiya's Time to Eat. Speaking to Thrillist about the new 8-part series, Hussain said "I hope people are inspired by the bakes, whether they are a novice in the kitchen or uber confident. I hope they enjoy the show and feel compelled to get into the kitchen. I hope it creates a spark in them and allows them to bake, create, and hopefully share the joy of baking."

The release date for Nadiya Bakes is still TBC.

A new three part series landing on Channel 5 later this year sees Jodie Turner-Smith take on the role of Anne Boleyn. The psychological drama is set to explore the royal's final moments, from her point of view. In a statement released back in October 2020, Turner-Smith said that "In the hands of Lynsey Miller, the legend of this formidable queen and fierce mother will be seen as a deeply human story that is still so relevant for today. I look forward to bringing my heart and spirit into this daring retelling of the fall of this iconic woman."

The release date for Anne Boleyn is still TBC.

BBC One have just announced the launch of a brand new comedy, written and starring Greg Davies. The show has a pretty impressive cast list, featuring the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, David Mitchell, Donald Sumpter (Game of Thrones), and Georgie Glen (The Crown) — to name a few. It follows the story of Paul 'Wicky' Wickstead, a state-certified cleaning technician with a very special field of work: as a crime scene cleaner responsible for the removal of any signs of death.

On the show, Davies said "I'm thrilled that this remarkable collection of actors has agreed to appear next to me on screen. Scrubbing up blood in a hazmat suit in front of them will be a pleasure."

The release date for The Cleaner is still TBC.