Some of TV’s best shows have long originated in Britain. From Monty Python’s Flying Circus to Dr. Who and Downton Abbey there has never been a shortage of both popular fare and under-the-radar gems in which to immerse oneself. And during this unprecedented time of home isolation, when screen time is at a maximum, the folks at Visit Britain have put together a list of binge-worthy British television to help pass the time – not to mention giving a quick Brit fix to keep future travel juices flowing.
From new shows to perennial fan favourites that run the gamut from “captivating mini-series to side-splitting comedies and explosive dramas,” Visit Britain proclaims that “there is a show that’s ready and waiting to captivate you.” Read on for their list, and, at the end, a few suggestions of our own:
1. Peaky Blinders
Dive into the dramatic world of British gangsters in Peaky Blinders, with five gasp-inducing seasons already released and ready to binge. Set in the once industrial hub of Birmingham, anglophiles can follow the story of gang leader Tommy Shelby, played by Irish actor Cillian Murphy, as he and his family rise to become the top dogs of the city, shortly after the First World War. Expect scenes of smoke-filled pubs, mist-covered canals and hours of dramatic suspense. Many of the gritty scenes from the seasons were filmed in the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, a firm favourite with creator and writer Steven Knight, as scenes from all seasons to date have been shot there. The open-air living museum explores life since the Industrial Revolution, providing a number of backdrops for the show’s 20th-century setting.
2. Killing Eve
Having returned to the small screen in mid-April, two weeks earlier than originally planned, season three of Killing Eve is the perfect antidote to lockdown boredom. Available in Canada on Crave, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s hit spy drama follows the fortunes of assassin Villanelle and former MI6 agent Eve in another enthralling game of cat-and-mouse. Filmed on location in London, if you’re an avid fan you’ll able to spot some of the capital’s prettiest locations and a few lesser-known spots, from the sun-dappled delights of Regent’s Canal to the 18th-century architectural hotspots of Highgate and the inner-city buzz of Greenfield Road in Whitechapel.
3. Sex Education
If you loved the first season of Sex Education, why not jump into another semester of puberty-fuelled shenanigans as season two can now be binged! Following the antics of Moordale Secondary School students and their efforts to establish a school sex clinic, Gillian Anderson will return to her role as Jean, alongside Asa Butterfield and Emma Mackey, with scenes shot in England and Wales. The former University of South Wales campus in Caerleon, near Newport, doubles up as the school – a town that also houses a wealth of archaeological treasures including the National Roman Legion Museum and the Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths. Other locations in Monmouthshire, including Tintern, and England’s picturesque Wye Valley, have also been used for filming.
4. His Dark Materials
If you were a fan of Philip Pullman’s set of enthralling novels, His Dark Materials, you are in for a treat, as an adaptation of the first page-turner aired on the BBC in November 2019. The first novel in the trilogy, Northern Lights, has been adapted in the first series and co-produced with HBO, while filming for the second series is already completed. The pick of an all-star cast includes James McAvoy as Lord Asriel, alongside Dafne Kean as Lyra and Ruth Wilson as the villainous Mrs Coulter. In addition to Cardiff’s Wolf Studios, filming also took place amid the scenic beauty of the Brecon Beacons and at the Welsh National Temple of Peace and Health. Eagle-eyed TV fans may also recognise parts of Oxford, including The Bridge of Sighs and the city’s botanic gardens.
5. All Creatures Great and Small
Looking for a taste of British country life? This one is for you. Based on the collection of stories from James Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small is making its return to the small screen in 2020, 30 years on from its last showing. Detailing the heart-warming and humorous adventures of a young Yorkshire vet, the show initially ran on the BBC from 1978 through to 1990. In partnership with American broadcaster PBS, Channel 5 are bringing the television drama back to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first book’s publication. Set against the striking backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales, Nicholas Ralph debuts as the much-loved vet and is joined by British stars Callum Woodhouse, Anna Madeley, Rachel Shenton and Dame Diana Rigg.
6. Belgravia
Have you got a Downton Abbey-sized hole in your life that needs filling? Having first aired on ITV on 15 March 2020, Downton creator Julian Fellows’ Belgravia will explore life among the higher levels of 1840s London society. The binge-worthy historical period drama, based on his 2016 book of the same name, features an all-star British cast including Tamsin Greig, Harriet Walter, Philip Glenister and Alice Eve. Scenes were shot in Northumberland, home to Roman remains at Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland National Park and a stunning stretch of heritage coastline, as well as other locations including London, Bath and Edinburgh.
7. Call the Midwife
Call the Midwife returned for a ninth season in the UK in early 2020 and to PBS in late March. A Christmas special also aired in 2019, with seasons 10 and 11 of creator Heidi Thomas’ masterpiece set to air by 2022. The festive special saw the midwives heading to Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, a string of idyllic islands that are renowned for bird watching and wildlife, striking coastlines and an abundance of exciting adventure sports. Season nine saw the cast return to the East End of London in the mid-1960s, set against a backdrop of vast social change.
8. The English Game
Another work from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, The English Game tackles the origins of football having and first aired on Netflix on March 20. Set in the late 19th century, the period drama looks into how the sport crossed class lines on its way to becoming the phenomenon that it is today. Kingsman’s Edward Holcroft, Line of Duty’s Craig Parkinson and Game of Throne’s Charlotte Hope star in the drama, filmed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site and model village of Saltaire, near Bradford, Yorkshire.
9. Carnival Row
Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom stars alongside Cara Delevingne in the Victorian fantasy, Carnival Row. Revolving around a rising population of mythological creatures and their struggles to coexist with humans as they lose their exotic homelands, it created an entirely new world of whimsy and drama just waiting to be explored! You can catch season one on Prime Video in readiness for the expected second season in 2021.
10. The Elephant Man
Telling the tragic story of Joseph Merrick, a man with severe physical deformities who was paraded as part of a ‘freak show’ in Victorian England, The Elephant Man will debut on the BBC in 2020. The two-part biopic from the makers of The Missing will star Stranger Things actor Charlie Heaton and was filmed predominantly in Wales. It chronicles Merrick’s rise from a working-class Leicestershire family to being well-known among London’s elite after forming a friendship with prominent surgeon Sir Frederick Treves.
11. Father Brown
Fancy following the crime-busting life of a 1950s priest? Set in the heart of the Cotswolds countryside and based on the stories of G.K. Chesterton, Father Brown returned to the BBC for an eighth season in early 2020. Harry Potter actor Mark Williams stars as a mystery-solving Roman Catholic priest in the hit period drama, while regular filming has taken place in the scenic Gloucestershire village of Blockley, with several other villages also making an appearance. Stow-on-the-Wold’s Donnington Brewery will also feature in season eight as regulars Emer Kenny, Sorcha Cusack, John Burton and Jack Deam reprise their roles.
12. Englistan
Exploring the birth of multicultural Britain, creator Riz Ahmed’s Englistan follows three generations of a British Pakistani family when it airs on BBC Two in 2020. The Rogue One: A Star Wars Story star dives into how the Latifs pursue their dreams against a backdrop of societal change, in this original series produced by the BBC and Left Handed Films.
13. Small Axe
With its all-star British cast, Oscar and Bafta-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen’s new anthology drama series Small Axe will explore life in London’s West Indian community from the late 1960s. Filmed on location in west London and starring Star Wars’ John Boyega and Avengers: Infinity War’s Letitia Wright, the series tells five separate stories over six hour-long episodes on the BBC. Amazon is co-producing in the USA, with Lost in Space actor Shaun Parkes, Line of Duty’s Rochenda Sandall and The Crown’s Alex Jennings also set for starring roles. The west part of the capital is home to the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the V&A and the Museum of Brands.
14. Endeavour
Combing the thrill of a detective drama series and the beauty of the British countryside, why not get stuck into Endeavour! February saw Shaun Evans mark his return as Detective Sergeant Endeavour Morse in season seven alongside Roger Allam as Detective Inspector Fred Thursday. Set in 1970, the new season again features Oxfordshire’s picturesque countryside as well as an array of Oxford’s iconic landmarks and is set to air on PBS later in the year. Notable past filming locations have included Oxford University’s Bodleian Libraries and Christ Church College, the Bridge of Sighs and the city’s Sheldonian Theatre.
15. Taboo
Developed by Stephen Wright, the man behind Peaky Blinders, and co-created by actor Tom Hardy and his scriptwriter father, Chips Hardy, dark period drama Taboo is set for a second series in 2020. Eight new episodes will see Hardy return as James Keziah Delaney, following on from his efforts to rebuild his life after a stint in Africa and save what is left of his father’s shipping empire. Set in London in 1814, the first series featured several London locations, as well as the splendour of Hertfordshire’s Hatfield House.
Recommended:
And here are a few worthy shows of (mostly recent) vintage that we recommend watching (and where they were filmed and/or set):
• Good Omens (London/Oxfordshire)
• Derry Girls (Derry, Northern Ireland)
• Outlander (Scotland)
• The Crown (various)
• Mrs. Wilson (Northern Ireland/London)
• Broadchurch (West Bay, Dorset)
• The Fall (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
• Sherlock (Bristol/London)
• Luther (London)
• Being Human (Bristol)
• Torchwood (Swansea, Wales)
And don’t forget these comedy classics (if you can find them): Benny Hill, The Two Ronnies, Fawlty Towers, Mr. Bean, Black Adder, Chef, Absolutely Fabulous, Yes Prime Minster, Coupling, and The Office.