16 must watch TV series of the summer – from Keeley Hawes spy thriller to Danny Dyer comedy and return of Netflix hits

The Sun

20-06-2025

THE summer telly schedules are bringing the heat — with can't-miss premieres and buzzy returns.
Whether you want to escape with reality TV, like ITV's Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, or get bingeing with red-hot dramas such as Netflix's Squid Game, there are plenty of shows to keep you glued to the couch.
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There's also the live drama of the Women's Euros and excitement of Glasto.
And with the return of fan favourites such as The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Wednesday, you can settle in with some old friends.
Jess Lester rounds up the best of the upcoming TV . . .
Attack On London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers -Netflix, July
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NETFLIX is no stranger to a true-crime documentary, and this time it has turned its attentions to London's worst terrorist attack.
Investigating the 2005 bombings, the four-part series follows the intense effort to track down those responsible for the attack on the city's public transport system, which killed 52 people and injured more than 700.
Through interviews, archive footage and expert analysis, including with then PM Tony Blair, it celebrates the resilience of those who worked around the clock to put the guilty individuals behind bars.
There is a deeper dive into the broader issues of terrorism, too.
Destination X - BBC, July
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THERE'S a brand new travel adventure competition coming to the BBC, hosted by Rob Brydon.
The show takes contestants on a journey on a blacked-out bus, sending them on a mystery road trip across Europe not telling them where they are, or where they are heading.
Through a mix of clever challenges and red herrings, they must guess each destination or face elimination from the show, which is based on a popular Belgian format that launched last year.
Think Race Across The World mixed with The Traitors, as there's set to be plenty of tension with psychological twists and turns, while Rob acts as the puppet master overseeing it all.
And with prize money likely up for grabs, it's all to play for.
The Summer I Turned Pretty - Prime Video, July 16
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IT'S set to be an emotional finale as The Summer I Turned Pretty returns for its third series, finishing up Jenny Han's much-loved trilogy of books.
This time, there's a two-year time jump as Belly (Lola Tung) is further into her college education.
Season two saw her end things with Conrad, and instead choose other love interest Jeremiah.
But as they plan their future together, possibly even a wedding, Conrad returns and reignites long-simmering feelings between him and Belly.
With the love triangle at the centre of the story, there's a mammoth 11 episodes for Belly to figure out what she really wants. But will she?
Squid Game - Netflix, June 27
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SQUID Game took the world by storm in 2021, and now its highly anticipated third and final series hopes to captivate audiences once again.
We see lead character Seong Gi-hun, below, regroup with Cho Sang-woo and Kang Sae-byeok after the failed armed uprising from the previous season.
The survivors are determined to bring down the cruel billionaires who orchestrate the deadly games.
However, to succeed, they must first continue playing the brutal competitions, all while secretly plotting their escape.
But the question remains: Will they survive the games this time and finally end the nightmare?
The Couple Next Door - Channel 4, July
FOLLOWING the success of the first series on Channel 4 – it was the broadcaster's biggest scripted series streaming launch ever – the drama is back with a fresh storyline and new cast.
In this next chapter, the plot centres around Charlotte Roberts (Annabel Scholey), a brilliant heart surgeon, and her husband Jacob (Sam Palladio), a consultant anaesthetist.
Things will be turned upside down when mysterious new hospital colleague Mia (Aggy K Adams, above) rents the house next door and becomes entangled in their personal and professional lives.
While Charlotte navigates the reappearance of her past flame, the hunky Leo (Sendhil Ramamurthy), only time will tell whether Mia will spell disaster for the formerly happily married pair.
The Assassin - Prime Video, July
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KEELEY HAWES and Freddie Highmore, above, star in this tense six-parter which sees the duo battling it out in a globe-spanning showdown.
Keeley plays Julie, a retired assassin who is enjoying a quiet life on a remote Greek island – until her estranged son Edward arrives, that is.
He has come to ask questions about his father, but it sets a whole chain of events in motion.
Julie and Edward, played by The Good Doctor's Freddie, go on to uncover a dark conspiracy and are forced to head off on the run.
Julie's complicated past then resurfaces and her fractured relationship with her son is put to the ultimate test.
The Bear - Disney+, June 26
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IN what is likely to be the final series of Disney+ 's much-loved drama, Jeremy Allen White is in a race against time to secure the restaurant's future.
At the end of the last series, the restaurant was ripped apart by a review in The Chicago Tribune.
Joined once again by Ayo Edebiri's Sydney, Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Richie and the rest of The Bear crew, Chef Carmy (White, above) will once again be chasing Michelin glory.
It's all under wraps, but the cast will likely be packed with even more guest appearances, after series three featured John Cena, Thomas Keller and Will Poulter.
Glastonbury - BBC, from June 27
THE BBC is showing more than 90 hours of the festival, with live streams from five main stages, and on-demand content for 30 days.
The likes of Clara Amgo, Jo Whiley, Lauren Laverne and Huw Stephens will be there to guide viewers through the action on the iPlayer Glastonbury Channel.
Neil Young The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, Raye, Loyle Carner and Jorja Smith will all hit the screens, alongside some surprise 'secret' acts.
The channel will also have special recap montages from previous festivals, including Beyonce and Coldplay.
The Hostage - Netflix, August 21
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SHE'S played some big characters and now Suranne Jones, takes on the role of Prime Minister Abigail Dalton in this hot Netflix thriller.
But her life is turned upside down when her husband is kidnapped and she is forced to work together with the French President, a long-time rival.
The two powerful women, who are also being blackmailed, have to navigate betrayal, danger and looming threats to their careers and personal lives in this twisting five-parter.
Also featuring are Queen Charlotte hunk Corey Mylchreest, Miss Scarlet's Sophie Robertson, Before Sunrise actress Julie Delpy and actor and musician Ashley 'Bashy' Thomas.
Dora And The Search For Sol Dorado - Paramount+, July 4
STARTING off as an animation series in 2000, Dora The Explorer had her first live action film in 2019's Lost City Of Gold. Now she is back for more adventuring.
This time, teenage Dora, played by Samantha Lorraine, is embarking on a new journey deep in the jungle on a quest to find the mythical treasure of Sol Dorado.
Along the way she will have to battle villains, with the help of her loyal cousin Diego, archaeologist Camila the Crusader and her trusty sidekick Boots the monkey.
After making its premiere on kids' channel Nickelodeon UK on July 2, it will be available to stream – for kids and adults – on Paramout+.
The Institute - MGM+, July 13
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BASED on a 2019 novel by horror writer Stephen King, this eight-episode thriller follows 12-year-old genius Luke Ellis, who is kidnapped and wakes up in a mysterious facility where children with unusual abilities are being held against their will.
As Luke (played by Martin Freeman's son Joe) plots his escape, a former police officer, who has moved to the town for a quiet life, uncovers disturbing facts about the place, known as The Institute.
Expect Stranger Things-style superpowers and the same kind of simmering discomfort as Stephen's previous TV adaptations, Castle Rock and The Outsider.
Mr Bigstuff - Sky, July
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AFTER winning a Bafta for its first series, Sky's hit comedy returns for a second run, reuniting Ryan Sampson and Danny Dyer as brothers Glen and Lee.
This time, the Essex duo navigate the Earth-shattering revelation that their dad might still be alive, sending the pair into a meltdown over how to locate him.
Meanwhile, secrets threaten to tear the family apart.
Expect a host of new characters, including Rula Lenska as the eccentric Rita, and Shaun Williamson playing a surprisingly angry children's entertainer.
Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters - ITV, July
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WHAT better way to mark the 50th anniversary of the film Jaws than to challenge a group of ocean-phobic celebrities to dive alongside sharks?
Filmed off the coast of Bimini in the Bahamas, this new reality format sees the group coming face to face with increasingly larger and more dangerous sharks.
The high-stakes, five-part show will feature Sir Lenny Henry, Rachel Riley, Ross Noble, Ade Adepitan, Helen George, Dougie Poynter and Lucy Punch.
From panic attacks to near-miss encounters with the apex predators, the celebrities will be pushed to their personal limits in what is sure to make fun viewing.
Wednesday - Netflix, August 6
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HIT series Wednesday became Netflix's most-watched English-language series of all time, in large part thanks to Jenna Ortega's deadpan performance of the iconic Addams Family character.
And after solidifying itself in pop culture with the help of a viral dance, there's little surprise the series is back, this time with a darker mystery.
Wednesday returns to boarding school Nevermore only to discover there is a serial killer on the loose.
Series two brings back fan favourites Morticia, Gomez and Pugsley, while fresh faces on the cast list include Steve Buscemi and Joanna Lumley.
Uefa Women's Euros - ITV & BBC, from July 2
THE BBC and ITV are sharing coverage of the Women's Euros in Switzerland as the Lionesses, captained by Leah Williamson try to retain their crown.
BBC Sport will air half of the group-stage matches, including both England and Wales' games against the Netherlands, as well as three of the tense quarter-finals.
Commentary and analysis will come from Gabby Logan, Jeanette Kwakye, Alex Scott, Ellen White, Jill Scott and Steph Houghton.
The England v Wales clash on July 13 will be a big live draw for ITV.
Both channels will simultaneously broadcast the final on July 27.
Thursday Murder Club - Netflix, August 28
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RICHARD Osman's best-selling first book is hitting the box with a star-studded cast.
The series follows sharp-witted retirees – ex-spy Elizabeth, former union activist Ron, retired psychiatrist Ibrahim and nurse Joyce – in a fancy village for old folks who meet to solve cold cases.
But then they find themselves caught up in a current murder that happens on their doorstep – and like the nosy old folk they are, they get to work trying to solve it.
With a cast list that includes Dame Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan, above, plus Sir Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Sir Jonathan Pryce and Tom Ellis, this one is not to be missed.