Television fans have an extraordinary year to anticipate in 2026, with an impressive lineup of returning favorites and groundbreaking new series set to captivate audiences worldwide.

The upcoming year promises a remarkable blend of drama, mystery, and entertainment, featuring highly anticipated returns like Line of Duty and The Traitors, alongside innovative new programming that spans multiple genres and platforms.

One of the most exciting returns is the second series of The Night Manager, which arrives on BBC One on January 1st. Nine years after the first acclaimed series, this new installment will expand on John Le Carré's original novel, reuniting Tom Hiddleston's British intelligence operative Jonathan Pine with Olivia Colman's Angela Burr, ensuring fans of the original will be thoroughly satisfied.

Netflix will also make a significant splash, concluding the Duffer brothers' epic sci-fi series with a global simultaneous release on January 1st. The finale promises to feature most of the main cast, wrapping up a decade-long exploration of psychic abilities and alternate universes that has captured audiences' imaginations.

Reality television enthusiasts will be thrilled by the return of The Celebrity Traitors, which kicks off its fourth series on New Year's Day. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, the show will welcome 22 participants to a castle environment, where they'll compete for a potential £120,000 prize through a complex game of strategy, betrayal, and cunning.

The year also brings exciting adaptations and reboots, including a three-part Netflix adaptation of Agatha Christie's The Seven Dials Mystery, featuring Mia McKenna-Bruce as Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent. Additionally, fans of medical comedy will rejoice at the return of Scrubs, 15 years after its last series, reuniting original cast members Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke.

Sports fans have another major highlight to look forward to: the potential for an extraordinary World Cup from June 11th to July 19th. With England and Scotland already qualified, and Wales and Northern Ireland still in contention, the possibility of a two-home-nations final adds an extra layer of excitement to the tournament.

Other notable releases include Guy Ritchie's innovative Sherlock Holmes origin story on Prime Video, exploring the detective's early years in Oxford, and a four-part BBC series about Gareth Southgate's transformative tenure as England's national football manager, promising to delve into the personal and professional journey of a coach who restored national pride to the game.