There's not much we like more as a nation than getting stuck into a good drama on TV... so have we got a treat for you, because this summer there are plenty of new and returning shows coming to your screen that promise to leave you on the edge of your seats.
Here are the 7 best dramas you can look forward to watching very soon...
1. Champion, BBC One
Fame collides with family in this much-anticipated first TV project from Candice Carty-Williams, author of the bestselling 2019 novel Queenie (which is also being adapted for an upcoming Channel 4 series).
The eight-part musical drama stars Top Boy’s Malcolm Kamulete and newcomer Déja J. Bowens as siblings Bosco and Vita whose relationship fractures as they both try to make it in the music industry. Sherwood’s Nadine Marshall and His Dark Materials’ Ray Fearon co-star as their worried parents.
"Champion is a celebration of Black music and of a Black family, however fragmented that family might be, and I can’t wait for the world to see their story," says Candice.
2. Heat, Channel 5
Ex-EastEnders star Danny Dyer headlines this four-part action thriller, set in Australia, which sees two families holidaying together during bushfire season. But instead of rest and relaxation, secrets and lies start to unravel — and not everyone will make it out alive…
"Heat has a really powerful dark script and a strong Australian cast and crew. Let’s have it!" says Danny.
3. The Tower II: Death Massage, ITV1
Gemma Whelan and Tahirah Sharif return to their roles as experienced DS Sarah Collins and rookie PC Lizzie Adama, who realise they have more in common than they think when their paths cross while investigating a family in peril and the cold case of a missing schoolgirl.
Four-part story Death Message — based on the second book in Kate London’s Metropolitan series of novels — will also welcome new cast members Tamzin Outhwaite and Niamh Cusack while The Nevers star Ella Smith joins as DC Elaine Lucas.
"It’s really great to get a second series with Sarah Collins to explore more aspects of her character," says Gemma. "We see more of her background and what makes her tick."
4. Before We Die season 2, Channel 4
Based on a hit Swedish drama of the same name, Before We Die season 1, which aired in 2021, saw over 12 million viewers tune in on All4 to follow Lesley Sharp’s detective Hannah Laing as she locked horns with a powerful Croatian crime family.
The second season of Before We Die won’t follow the same storyline as its Swedish counterpart but will see Hannah pitched directly against the clan’s dangerous matriarch Dubravka (Kazia Pelka).
"To take part in a story that has a complex, ambivalent, older female character at the center of its beating heart is a privilege. Here’s to the next chapter of Before We Die…" says Lesley.
5. Secret Invasion, Disney Plus
Summer wouldn’t be a summer of fun without a superhero adventure, and this year Hollywood fave Samuel L Jackson is determined to save humanity in Secret Invasion.
Continuing from 2019's Captain Marvel, this action-packed six-part series sees Samuel reprise his role as spymaster Nick Fury, a man on a mission to stop shape-shifting alien species, Skrulls, who are determined to destroy Earth. "We don’t know who’s a friend, who’s the enemy," teases Samuel. The star-spangled cast list includes Brits Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman and Martin Freeman.
6. World on Fire season 2, BBC One
It’s been a long wait, but there’s good news for fans of this 2019 sweeping wartime drama from writer Peter Bowker as the second season is imminent.
Following the hidden lives of ordinary people across Europe during World War Two, the new six-part run sees the action move to October 1940, with civilians and troops in Britain, occupied France, Nazi Germany and the North African desert struggling to cope with the global conflict. New signing Mark Bonnar (Guilt) will play mysterious Sir James Danemere, alongside returning original cast members Lesley Manville, Julia Brown, and The Little Mermaid's Jonah Hauer-King.
"It’s wonderful to be bringing Peter Bowker’s epic scripts to life again. Rich characters telling great, human stories set against the backdrop of World War Two. It’s a feast!" says Lesley, who plays fan fave Robina Chase.
7. Van Der Valk season 3, ITV1
Prepare for more explosive showdowns and high-speed chases as Marc Warren’s cynical cop Commissaris Piet Van Der Valk is back on the beat in Amsterdam to tackle three new grisly crimes, including the show’s first cold case.
Fans will be pleased to hear Maimie McCoy is back as Inspector Lucienne Hassell, while new faces joining the squad for season three are Django Chan-Reeves (Industry) and Azan Ahmed (Hope Street) as Sergeants Citra Li and Eddie Suleman.
Says showrunner Chris Murray: "With co-writer Maria Ward, we have tried to weave together captivating, complex murder mysteries infused with warmth, wit and camaraderie that take the audience into the world of free running, explore contemporary issues surrounding the restitution of ancient artefacts as well as delve into the reality or otherwise of ritual magic."
For more dramas to watch over the summer check out our guides below...
