From crime to nature and reality to sport, there is plenty of factual entertainment for telly fans to enjoy this summer.
You can expect to see Renee Zellweger transformed into killer Pam Hupp and get a thrilling peek at condors and cougars in Patagonia.
Viewers can also watch a grand coupling (or uncoupling) on Love Island plus Sport Relief games with lots of celebs.
Here’s our round-up of the fact-based telly you will not want to miss…
Long Lost Family: What Happened Next? ITV, August
This tear-jerking series hosted by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell returns to catch up with more families who were given the LLF treatment.
Among those featured are John Hacking, who was reunited with the birth mother who abandoned him when he was just three months old.
John, who was brought up by the people who found him, said “dreams come true” after finding mum Maureen Clifford, but what happened next?
Plus there is Pearse Egan, who had searched his whole life to find his birth dad Eddie Santos. Tissues at the ready
Build Your Dream Home with Mark Millar. Channel 5, July 21
Straight-talking builder Mark Millar helps people around Britain to take the bold step of building their dream homes themselves.
Bringing his know-how from 30 years as a builder and his experience of hundreds of DIY SOS Big Builds he helps intrepid folk to construct their own dwelling instead of spending a fortune on the housing market.
Letting their imaginations loose on massive projects from new builds to kit houses, to conversions and huge extensions, homeowners end up with extraordinary properties they could not otherwise afford.
Sport Relief All Star Games. BBC One, August 8
Dame Kelly Holmes and Ellie Simmonds lead two teams of celebs and sporting legends competing to be crowned All Star Games champions.
Going head-to-head at this summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the sports stars hope to raise life-changing sums of money for charity.
The two teams will take on five sports – cycling, athletics, gymnastics, basketball and table tennis – in front of live crowds at the Games’ venues.
The line-up of stars is yet to be announced, but Dame Kelly says: “I love seeing people getting involved in sport and giving things a go – getting out of their comfort zone and just having fun.”
Under The Banner of Heaven. Disney+, July 27
This US true crime mini-series follows the murder of a Mormon mother and her baby daughter.
Andrew Garfield plays Detective Jeb Pyre, a fellow believer whose faith is tested during the investigation.
The brutal murder is seemingly connected to an esteemed Utah family’s spiral into Latter-Day Saint fundamentalism and their distrust in the government.
The series also features Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones and Macaulay Culkin’s brother Rory.
The Things About Pam. Paramount+, July 21
Renee Zellweger is completely transformed by make-up to play a murderer in her television debut.
This true-crime, limited six-part series is based on the 2011 murder of Betsy Faria that resulted in her husband Russ’s conviction, although he insisted he was innocent of the crime.
Russ was later exonerated but this brutal crime set off a chain of events that would expose a diabolical scheme involving “businesswoman” Pam Hupp, played by Zellweger.
The show also stars Josh Duhamel as Joel Schwartz, the defence attorney for Russ Faria, and Judy Greer as Leah Askey, the prosecutor.
As it begins, Betsy is found murdered in her home – and her friend Pam was the last person to see her that night...
Patagonia. Sky Nature/NOW, August 14
From the Emmy-winning producers of Blue Planet, Planet Earth II and Hostile Planet, this groundbreaking series celebrates the landscapes, animals and people who live on Earth’s final frontier.
Nowhere else on the planet is there such a bewildering diversity of landscape, amazing wildlife or such fascinating human stories as in South America’s most southerly region.
This unexplored, spectacular and wild place is shown off in all its natural glory.
Colin and Justin's Great Canadian Escape. Channel 5, August
Interior design couple Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan take on a massive venture in this observational documentary series.
Moving to a small coastal town in Nova Scotia, Canada, the Scots attempt to become hoteliers.
The series will track this ambitious undertaking as the duo buy and transform a 21-room, old fashioned and tired hotel that includes a restaurant and beach house.
These two city boys also have to settle into the community and try to get the town on board, hiring local tradespeople, suppliers and staff.
Small-town living, community spirit and a charismatic couple.
Love Island Finale. ITV2, August 1
The summer of love finally comes to an end after eight weeks of watching the beautiful people love and hate each other.
Laura Whitmore has hosted this eighth season, which has featured drama over ridiculous tasks, firepit bombshells and the usual re-couplings, dumpings, tears and tantrums.
Among the barely clothed contestants, we’ve seen Gemma, daughter of former England footballer Michael Owen, and Jack, the son of Boyzone star Ronan Keating. For the winning loved-up couple there is a cash prize and, more importantly, Insta-fame.
At the finale, will one couple have managed to stay the course? Do we care? Sadly, yes.
Welcome to Wrexham. Disney+, August 21
In one of the more bizarre new stories during lockdown, Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham AFC in 2020.
It even got a mention in sitcom Ted Lasso, about a US coach who tries to transform an English team.
Taking ownership of the North Wales town’s historic yet struggling football club has been a huge challenge for Reynolds and McElhenney.
This 10-part documentary tracks Wrexham’s welcome for the actors who wanted to secure the side’s promotion back to the Football League.
It has been a learning curve for all involved.
Welcome to Wrexham is streaming now on Disney+
