Strictly Come Dancing, the Great British Bake Off and Ludwig: TV highlights

Strictly Come Dancing (Saturday 19/09/26, BBC1, 7.25pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

As is tradition, the new series of Strictly Come Dancing begins with a launch show to introduce the celebrity contestants and pair them up with the professional dancers who will spend the next few months attempting to teach them the finer points of Latin hips and ballroom footwork.

The class of 2026 is made up of (deep breath) Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Will Best, Sarah Storey, Jaime Winstone, Melanie Walters, Cach Mercer, Bethany Antonia, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Graeme Hall, Lawrence Robb, Tabby Stoecker and John Nellis.

However, for once the contestants might not the most nervous people in the studio, as this year also sees the introduction of a whole new presenting line-up – Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe.

The trio have taken over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who stepped down last year, and who will be a very hard double act to follow.

Tess had been with Strictly since it began in 2004, while Claudia initially presented the companion series It Takes Two before becoming the co-host of the Sunday night results show in 2010. Following Bruce Forsyth’s departure in 2014, she then became a permanent fixture on the Saturday night live show.

The pair made such a brilliant team that when it was announced they were leaving even Queen Camilla wrote a tribute to them, which judge Craig Revel Horwood read out during last year’s final.

So, you could forgive the new hosts for feeling the pressure – including Johannes, who joined Strictly as a professional dancer in 2018 and therefore definitely knows his way around the ballroom.

He says: “To be returning to Strictly Come Dancing in this new role is beyond anything I ever imagined. I’m ready-sequins, nerves, and all…please bear with me.”

Josh has also had some previous Strictly experience, saying: “Dancing the Charleston dressed as a penguin for the 2024 Christmas Special of Strictly remains my career high point, so I am giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television.”

Emma may be a Strictly newcomer, but she’s no stranger to Saturday night TV – viewers can currently also see her on The Voice UK over on ITV1. However, even she is a little bit daunted by her new assignment.

She says: “It’s impossible to fill the shoes that Tess and Claudia have left behind – two wonderful, iconic women who have been the beating heart of Strictly for so long. I can only hope that we are able to help to steer the ship as beautifully as they have, into this new chapter.”

We’ll get out first insight tonight when the trio will be trying to keep order as, for the first time ever, the celebrities and pros discover the identity of their partner in front of the Strictly studio audience via three specially choreographed group dance routines.

Judges Craig, Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse will be on hand to share their first impressions of the celeb pairings, but maybe they’ll want to offer some feedback to the presenters too…

The Split Up (Sunday 20/09/26, BBC One, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

Still missing legal drama The Split?

Sadly, it’s not on its way back, so we’re not about to find out if the Defoe family lived happily ever after the shenanigans that went on in Spain in the two-part 2024 finale, but we are getting the next best thing – a six-part spin-off set in Manchester.

Abi Morgan, who created The Split, is among its executive producers, but it’s the brainchild of writer Ursula Rani Sarma.

“After the success of The Split, it’s been great to see The Split Up take shape in lead writer Ursula Rani Sarma’s capable hands, reinvigorating all that audiences love,” says Morgan. “A new legal family, grabbing at life in a new city, battling new legal cases, as the professional and personal deliciously collide. A brilliant new cast of characters caught in the messiness of love, marriage, deception and divorce, make it their own. It is ripe to be taken into the hearts of anyone who loved the show.”

“I watched The Split with admiration over the years and I was honoured to be asked to create The Split Up, a spin off which introduces a whole new family and city while still holding on to the warmth, humour and heartbreak of Abi Morgan’s original series,” adds Sarma. “To be able to place a contemporary British-Asian family, helmed by brilliant women, at the heart of a primetime drama series is a dream come true for me as a writer who believes strongly in the importance of representation on our screens. It has been a joy to work alongside Abi as well as production company SISTER to bring it to glorious life.”

This time around the focus is on the Kishans who, like the Defoes, specialise in divorce proceedings. The head of the family firm, Dhruv, is looking to take a step back following the death of his wife. It’s always been felt that his daughter Aria would take over, but he’s beginning to wonder if she’s up to the job.

Perhaps sorting out her private life might convince her father that she’s the person to step up. However, as her relationship with fiancé Neal becomes under increasing pressure and an old flame reappears, it seems unlikely that Aria is going to be settled any time soon. Her siblings Maya and Kav have complicated love lives too – and nobody is 100 per cent sure where their loyalties lie.

What’s more, an old family secret is about to raise its ugly head to add salt to the wounds…

Ritu Arya, Sanjeev Bhaskar. Aysha Kala, Arian Nik and Danny Ashok play the central characters, with guest stars such as Jane Horrocks and Lenny Henry popping up during the run.

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, concludes: “Abi Morgan’s The Split is one of our most loved and talked about dramas and a favourite with viewers, and The Split Up, set in Manchester and brilliantly written by Ursula Rani Sarma, promises to be just as compelling. The Split Up is as full of joy, heartbreak and intrigue as the original, with a fantastic new family we’ll fall in love with.”

Finding Britain’s Slave Traders with David Olusoga (Monday 21/09/2026, BBC Two, 9pm)

Richard Jones

He is a familiar face on TV these days, but aside from his stint on a certain Scottish-based reality show, and recently serenading Alan Carr at the NTAs, Professor David Olusoga has made some very important TV programmes.

His series Civilisations, Black and British: A Forgotten History, The Unwanted: The Secret Windrush Files and A House through Time have all been essential viewing in recent years, as the pioneering academic continues to improves the nation’s awareness of black history.

Growing up with a black Nigerian father and a white British mother on a council estate in northern England in the 1970s and 80s, Olusoga was exposed to the ugliness of racism at a young age.

He started to read about the history of black people in Britain, and encouraged by an inspiring teacher, he set himself on the path to studying history at university, focusing on slavery, race and empire.

Olusoga’s early love of history TV documentaries triggered a move into broadcasting, and now he is the BBC’s go-to historian on the subject of Black British History, combining his TV and writing work with his day job as Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester.

In his latest two-part series, Finding Britain’s Slave Traders, he explores the individuals, institutions and organisations who financed Britain’s trade in enslaved Africans, from its first tentative steps in the 16th century to its abolition in 1807.

Based on exclusive access to the findings of a new academic research project led by Professor William Pettigrew, the programme follows the work of the team who, over five years, built a new database, the Register of British Slave Traders.

Using the Register – the most comprehensive picture yet of Britain’s role in the Transatlantic slave trade – the series uncovers the stories of some of the 13,000 individuals and hundreds of institutions.

The series paints a forensic portrait of the traders and investors and the vast and complex system of investment and profits they created.

It shows where they lived, how much money they made and uncovers links between modern British institutions and the trade in enslaved people.

Starting with its early origins in the Tudor period, it goes on to tell the story of the monopoly slave trading companies set up by the Stuart monarchy during the 17th century.

At the end of the royal monopoly, a new and rival set of companies and investors emerged in cities like Bristol and Liverpool.

Free to operate how and where they chose, these independent traders enormously expanded the British slave trade.

Twelve years ago, in the series Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners, David Olusoga explored the compensation paid to Britain’s slave owners when slavery in the Empire was abolished in 1833.

And this poignant and illuminating series uncovers their identities and back stories, reflecting on this uncomfortable but essential chapter in our history.

Olusoga says: “This new series is a follow-up to a series we made over a decade ago; Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners.

“Both series have been built on the very latest academic research that allows us to reveal new details from our expanding understanding of slavery and the slave trade.

“Like the previous series, Finding Britain’s Slave Traders presents the granular details and human stories that lie at the centre of this vast and complicated history.”

The Great British Bake Off (Tuesday 22/09/26, Channel 4, 8pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

It’s not every day an icon takes on a role in a well-established series, so there’s no wonder Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer at Channel 4, looked like the cat that got the cream when it was announced that Nigella Lawson had agreed to become a judge on The Great British Bake Off after Prue Leith decided to step down from her role as judge.

“We’re incredibly excited about the marriage of two great British icons: Bake Off and Nigella,” he revealed when the news broke last January. “With Nigella joining the tent, Love Productions have created the dream team of British telly.

“Nigella brings an incomparable combination of warmth, expertise and sophistication to the tent, and this summer’s series will be as mouthwatering a prospect as her chocolate Guinness cake.”

As for the woman herself, she was pretty pleased too: “I’m uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now! Of course it’s daunting to be following in the footsteps of Prue Leith and Mary Berry before her, great dames both, but I’m also bubbling with excitement.

“The Great British Bake Off is more than a television programme, it’s a national treasure – and it’s a huge honour to be entrusted with it. I’m just thrilled to be joining the team and all the new bakers to come. I wish the marvellous Prue all the best, and am giddily grateful for the opportunity!”

Now we’re about to find out how she got on when the show returns with Nigella alongside fellow judge Paul Hollywood and usual hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, who are welcoming another batch of amateur bakers into the tent.

It looks as if the participants are being tasked with making a variation on the aforementioned Guinness cake too (although Channel 4 are opting to call it a ‘stout cake’ instead); they will also face an artistic technical challenge and provide a self-portrait in the showstopper before one of them gets the boot – and before viewers have had a chance to get to know them. The rest live to bake another day.

Later in the evening there’s another first to look out for too – spin-off show Second Helpings, which airs after the debut episode of Tempting Fortune’s new run at 10.35pm.

Yes, Extra Slice with Jo Brand and Tom Allen is no more. Instead, superfans Jon Richardson and Judi Love are taking centre stage. Both have previously taken part in celebrity editions of Bake Off, so have at least some inkling of what it’s like to enter the tent and have Paul’s steely blue eyes watching their every move.

“I’ve been lucky enough to be in the tent a few times and work alongside Jon, both were pure joy!” smiles Judi. “Joining the show to talk all things baking and celebrate showstopping bakes, including some unique spins, sounds like an absolute blast. I can’t wait to get started and of course eat a few cakes or whatever treats they may have.”

If only we could be there to join in.

20 Years of Not Going Out (Wednesday 23/09/2026, BBC One, 9pm)

Words by Richard Jones

It’s the longest‑running British sitcom currently on air, with 106 episodes (and counting).

When it first aired in 2006, Not Going Out introduced us to Lee (Lee Mack), a childish, lazy slacker drifting from one job to another and living off the good graces of his Californian landlady.

That was before Lee’s best friend Tim’s (Tim Vine) sister Lucy (Sally Bretton) bought the flat he lived in, setting in motion a will-they-won’t-they chain of events that led to the unlikely couple marrying and having a baby shortly after.

Next in Lee and Lucy’s lives, the show jumped forward eight years into their marriage and into the midst of a chaotic family life with three children.

The story then rolled on several years again, with the couple moving away from their suburban ‘empty nest’.

Although there is no doubt Not Going Out is beloved by its fans, it hasn’t been all plain sailing for the hit show.

It was cancelled by the BBC in 2009, a decision that was later reversed due to a combination of strong DVD sales and an online petition.

But from then on, the series has gone from strength to strength, and alongside Mack and Bretton, its regular cast has included Bobby Ball, Abigail Cruttenden, Hugh Dennis, Megan Dodds, Deborah Grant, Miranda Hart, Timothy West, Geoffrey Whitehead and Katy Wix.

Now, for the first time, Mack opens the doors to the creative process behind the show that has defined two decades of BBC comedy.

Anniversary documentary 20 Years of Not Going Out takes viewers on a guided tour through the sitcom’s funniest moments, featuring classic clips, exclusive archive material and never‑before‑seen outtakes.

Mack also reflects on the full history of the series from his unique perspective, sharing candid insights, behind‑the‑scenes stories and the surprising twists that shaped its evolution.

The programme also previews the 15th series, offering unprecedented access as a brand‑new episode is made from the ground up.

Cameras follow Lee and the creative team from the first spark of an idea in the writers’ room, through read-throughs and rehearsals, right up to the studio recording.

Cast and crew from across all eras of the sitcom will also appear, paying tribute to the show’s enduring success and reflecting on its legacy.

Lee Mack says: “After 20 years of Not Going Out we are delighted to finally give a warts-and-all peep behind the curtain of how it’s made.

“Thankfully we have Hoovered behind that curtain, but unfortunately the warts have not cleared up.”

The documentary is followed by the first episode of the show’s 15th series.

It sees (fittingly) Lee and Lucy host a 20th-birthday party, but for their goddaughter, Ella.

Wisely, Lucy absolutely forbids Lee from leaving the bedroom to check that everything is okay, in case he (inevitably) ruins the big day.

But when Lee hears someone playing his precious, special edition Frankie Goes to Hollywood LP, he can’t stop himself from rushing downstairs to save it.

Dennis and Cruttenden reprise their roles in season 15, as Toby and Anna drop by for a weekend visit, which coincides with a botched beauty treatment for a thoroughly embarrassed Lucy.

Meanwhile, comedy great Nigel Planer will also guest star in future episode, where Lee inadvertently orchestrates a night of chaos at a busy restaurant.

Although Lee and Lucy are not ‘Young Ones’ anymore, as this retrospective documentary and new series confirms, they’re ‘Not Going’ anywhere.

Ludwig (Thursday 24/09/26, BBC1, 9pm)

Rachael Popow

One of the reasons the crime drama Ludwig has been such a hit is that it’s so perfectly cast.

It’s hard to imagine anyone but David Mitchell in the role of John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor, the puzzle setter who has discovered a talent for sleuthing while searching for his missing identical twin, copper James.

However, that doesn’t mean David is playing himself – for a start, he doesn’t think he’d make much of a detective in real life.

The actor and comedian says: “I would hate the responsibility of having to solve a crime. I’m absolutely a carper from the sidelines, a sort of commenter, and a moaner. I’m very happy pretending to solve crimes.”

Instead, he’d leave the sleuthing to two of his co-stars, Anna Maxwell Martin and Dipo Ola, aka John’s sister-in-law Lucy and DI Rusell Carter.

David explains: “I think Anna would be pretty good at solving a crime, so I might choose her, and then she would basically get on with it. I think Dipo is very analytical so either of them would be pretty good.”

Would I Lie to You? regular David does have a couple of theories though about why Ludwig has struck a chord with viewers, and one of them is that writer Mark Brotherhood struck the perfect tone.

He says: “The balance between mystery and humour was something, particularly in the first series, that we were quite worried about getting right. It’s a comedy drama, not a straight drama. Although, my view is that any drama with no comic element is flawed. The main thrust is caring about the plot and the characters and then the comedy is decorative to that.

“The risk in Ludwig was putting too many jokes in, so the plot is undermined and becomes silly and a spoof. You need it to be broadly straight, but then to have funny elements that are believable for the characters.”

David also thinks there’s a general appetite for so-called cosy crime. “The truth is that we live in troubled times”, he says.

“The golden age of crime, as they call it, was the 1930s, and that’s when people disappeared into their Dorothy L. Sayers novels, and Agatha Christie. That was also an extremely troubled era.

“Let’s hope that this cosy crime boom ends more happily than the 1930s one did.”

On that sobering note, let’s also hope that second series of Ludwig comes to a satisfying ending with tonight’s concluding episode – although with enough loose ends dangling for the third run, which has already been commissioned.

A shocking death strikes close to home, leaving John shaken – and once again, it all seems to point towards Kemper (Sian Clifford).

The Taylors still can’t work out how the pieces of the puzzle fit together, so John and Lucy are going to have to place their trust in the people around them if they want answers.

Has Kemper finally slipped up, and can John prevent any more lives being lost?

Play for Today: Wild (Friday 25/09/26, 5, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

After a successful run last year, 5 is bringing back the revived Play for Today strand back for more stand-alone dramas, championing new voices and talent on and off-screen.

It’s a worthy cause, but Daniel Mays, admits it wasn’t his only reason for signing up for the opening play Wild. It was also a chance for the actor to put his recent role in the hard-hitting ITV1 series Believe Me behind him.

The actor, whose other credits include Line of Duty and The Thursday Murder Club, says: “I had just finished filming a harrowing drama playing [convicted rapist] John Worboys, which really unsettled me. To be honest, I underestimated how much it would affect me, because I have 26 years’ experience as a professional actor, but it was such an isolating role to play, it shocked me.

“So playing Lou in Wild was a fantastic form of escapism to get out of the headspace of that character.”

Not that Lou doesn’t have problems of his own as he meets up with his old mates Dev (Amit Shah) and Alistair (Joel Fry) for their annual wild camping trip. At first, it’s all banter, nostalgia, and amateur vlogging, but it soon turns into a battle of egos – and when they get lost, it could even be a battle for survival.

Daniel explains: “[Lou is] stuck in a rut and mentally he’s still back at uni with his mates. He wants to hold onto that time even though he knows the dynamic has shifted. There’s a David Brent-esque, Alan Partridge quality about him, because he’s got all the gear but no idea.”

But beneath the comedy, Wild also deals with some bigger issues, including the nature of male friendship.

“These three mates go on their annual camping trip every year, but Al and Dev have moved on with their lives – one has just had a baby and the other is about to go to America. Poor Lou is perpetually stuck and can’t seem to move on”, says Daniel.

“So the drama really deals with men’s mental health, as well as toxic masculinity and the role that can play within a friendship group. It deals with the fracturing of a group and the fact that we need to listen and evolve if we want to sustain friendships, rather than being stuck in the mud like Lou.”

Fortunately, there was plenty of camaraderie during filming, especially as everyone shared an enthusiasm for the project.

Daniel says: “I’ve always been a huge fan of Play for Today, from Alan Clark’s The Firm to Mike Leigh’s work, and it’s amazing to see 5 revitalising it. It’s such a great initiative to give new writers, directors and crew their first crack at the industry, that’s such a worthwhile cause.

“There was a real enthusiasm on set to make everything work, even with long days and difficult conditions, we were all in it together.”

In fact, it seems he’d be up for a reunion. “It’s always such a great opportunity to nail a character, tell a fantastic story and just leave it at that… Saying that, I heard rumours of moving the story of Wild on or revisiting the characters. They’re such a great trio, I’d love to see them again.”