The highly anticipated return of Rivals headlines a bumper year for television in 2026, with the bonkbuster series set to continue its mix of high finance and high passion. Also making waves is the horny hockey drama Heated Rivalry, which has already caused a stir in the US with its near-constant raunchy scenes. And in a nostalgic twist, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is reportedly making a comeback, though details remain under wraps.
Dennis Kelly, known for Utopia and Together, brings us a dark new drama starring Josh Finan as a philosophy teacher working in a prison. As he explores fate and freedom with inmates, his own anxieties threaten to fulfill a prophecy tied to his abusive father. This BBC One series starts on 3 January.
Dawn French returns to sitcom with Can You Keep a Secret?, written by Simon Mayhew-Archer. The comedy follows a couple coping with a windfall after one is mistakenly declared dead. Mark Heap also stars, and the show premieres on BBC One on 7 January.
Season two of the comedy Boarders sees Dom and Kay, played by Gbemisola Ikumelo and Hammed Animashaun, move from community support to MI5 – though their admin jobs soon get interesting when a charismatic spy appears. Balancing espionage and hilarity, it arrives on BBC One on 8 January.
Other highlights include Heated Rivalry (Sky/Now, 10 January), the fourth season of Industry featuring new character Whitney Halberstram (Max Minghella), and the Game of Thrones prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight (Sky Atlantic/Now, 18 January). Lisa McGee, creator of Derry Girls, presents a new comedy drama set on home turf, while Euphoria returns with Rosalía joining the cast.
