Angie Quinn

With All Creatures Great and Small awaiting its seventh series and a Christmas special, viewers are being encouraged to stream The Darling Buds of May on ITVX. The 1991 drama, based on H. E. Bates’s novel and starring David Jason, Pam Ferris and Swansea-born Catherine Zeta-Jones, follows the Larkin family in 1950s rural Kent. It is presented as a warm, nostalgic classic whose enduring popularity and audience reactions make it a suitable companion for fans of the Channel 5 period drama.

Delta Goodrem has confirmed that she has not yet been paired with a professional dancer for the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing. Speaking on Sunday Brunch, she said the matching process is expected to begin in roughly a week or two and that she is excited and nervous about competing. Several celebrity contestants and returning and new professional dancers have already been announced, although additional cast members and the final partnerships are still to come.

Call the Midwife is reportedly returning with a three-part World War II prequel, Sisters in Arms, set during the London Blitz and focused on the nuns and nurses of Nonnatus House. Ami Metcalf, who played teenage mother Lynette Duncan in the show’s first Christmas special in 2012, will return as Betty Buckle, the first wife of Fred Buckle. The article revisits Lynette’s childbirth storyline and outlines Metcalf’s television and film credits, including Upstairs Downstairs, Doctors, Sister Boniface Mysteries, Pan and Nan.

An Antiques Roadshow visitor at Powis Castle in Wales was astonished after expert Geoffrey Munn valued her inherited collection of three 18th-century brooches at a combined value of more than £30,000. The ruby-and-diamond pieces, including two diamond brooches gifted by her father and a ruby brooch inherited from her grandmother, were valued at £8,000, £8,000–£10,000 and £15,000 respectively. Munn also suggested that one floral brooch might have originated from the Russian Crown Jewels, although this could not be confirmed.

BBC Countryfile featured Hamza Yassin visiting Coquet Island, a Northumberland wildlife sanctuary overseen by the RSPB. During the winter maintenance visit, site manager Stephen Westerberg captured a woodlark, potentially the first of its species to be ringed in Northumberland and only the eighth local record in 30 years. Yassin helped ring and release the bird, describing the experience as a privilege and one of the most exciting parts of his work.

Susanna Reid will return to ITV's Good Morning Britain on Monday, July 6, after taking a short break to work on a special project. She last presented the programme on June 22 during live coverage of Keir Starmer's resignation as Labour Party leader. Reid confirmed her return on Instagram, saying she was excited to resume presenting alongside Ed Balls, prompting enthusiastic reactions from viewers.

Anita Rani is returning to Countryfile for a four-part BBC special about England's east coast, beginning with Northey Island in Essex and examining coastal wildlife, habitat creation and rising sea levels. The feature also traces her career from Bradford and early radio work to television and radio presenting. Away from broadcasting, Rani separated from her husband Bhupinder Rehal in 2023 after their 2009 marriage and has described entering a new phase of life. She has also spoken publicly about a miscarriage in 2018 and the profound sadness and anxiety that followed.

Alexandra Eala defeated defending champion Iga Świątek in a dramatic Wimbledon third-round match, becoming the first Filipino player to reach the tournament’s fourth round. BBC presenter Clare Balding described the upset as a major shock, while Eala said the achievement was deeply significant given her upbringing in the Philippines, though she remains focused on advancing further.

Peter Davison, who played Tristan Farnon in the original BBC adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small from 1978 to 1990, went on to become widely known as the Fifth Doctor in Doctor Who and to appear in numerous other television dramas. The article also outlines his acting family: sons Louis and Joel have pursued screen careers, while daughter Georgia Tennant is married to David Tennant, her former Doctor Who co-star. The Channel 5 reboot is set to return for a seventh season and a Christmas special.

Samuel West has confirmed that filming has finished on the next All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special, despite production taking place during record June heat. Channel 5 has commissioned series seven and eight, each comprising six episodes and a festive special, with series seven potentially arriving in autumn. Story details remain secret, while commissioning editor Greg Barnett says the drama will continue with new stories and adventures for the Skeldale family.

Dr Ranj Singh is featured in a repeat episode of BBC One’s Escape to the Country, where he searches for a countryside home near the Peak District with a £550,000 budget. The profile reviews his Kent upbringing, medical career, television work, Strictly Come Dancing appearance and bestselling children’s book. It also discusses his 2006 marriage to Sulvinder Samra, their 2011 divorce after Singh came out as gay, and how therapy helped him understand his identity and unhappiness with the life he had built. Singh is now in a relationship with actor and personal trainer James Colebrook and campaigns for LGBTQ+ rights, particularly among minority communities.

Christopher Timothy, best known for playing James Herriot in the BBC's original All Creatures Great and Small from 1978 to 1990, has continued working extensively in television. His later roles included Ted Murray in EastEnders and Brendan McGuire in Doctors, a part he played for more than 900 episodes, before a recent appearance as Alan Gibson in Casualty. The article also recounts his 2008 prostate cancer diagnosis, his recovery and his decision to raise awareness after being declared cancer-free in 2013.

Laura Main says the pause in filming Call the Midwife has allowed her to care for her 91-year-old mother, describing the experience as rewarding and praising the support carers provide. She will also play Sleeping Beauty in a Christmas pantomime. Call the Midwife lost the TRIC Award for Best Drama to Adolescence, while a wartime prequel, Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms, is planned with Jenny Agutter narrating and a new cast portraying younger versions of familiar characters.

Dr Precious Lunga has discussed her husband Jon Snow's Alzheimer's diagnosis in the Channel 4 documentary Jon Snow: A Last Big Story. She described feeling angry at the stigma surrounding the disease and stressed that people with Alzheimer's can remain valuable members of society with appropriate support. Snow, who was diagnosed in 2023, said he initially wanted to hide the condition because of prejudice but noted that it does not affect him constantly. The documentary follows his declining health and his efforts to continue contributing through later-life projects.

Call the Midwife has been renewed for a sixteenth series, but it is expected to follow two Christmas specials, the World War Two prequel Sisters in Arms and an overseas feature film. With creator Heidi Thomas saying each series takes about 14 months to produce, a 2028 premiere is considered possible, though unconfirmed. Series 16 may explore further changes to the NHS and the future location of Nonnatus House after its funding crisis, while the returns of Lady Trixie and Joyce remain uncertain.

Filming has begun on the three-part Christmas special Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms, a prequel set in September 1939 as war is declared. The story follows younger versions of Sister Julienne, Sister Evangelina and Sister Monica Joan, alongside new midwives and medical staff serving Poplar without modern treatments or a welfare state. Heidi Thomas leads the returning creative team, while a cast including Julie Hesmondhalgh, Amy Booth-Steel, Helen Schlesinger, Helena Wilson and Bally Gill joins the project. Further details about a full-length series are expected later.

Chris Harper, known for playing Geoffrey Franklin in Call the Midwife and Nathan Curtis in Coronation Street, has been married to fellow actress Emily Bowker since 2013. Bowker has appeared in Call the Midwife, EastEnders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and numerous other British television productions. Harper is expected to return as Geoffrey in the planned Call the Midwife film and forthcoming sixteenth season.

The spy thriller Citadel, starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, is now available to stream for free on ITVX after originally premiering on Amazon Prime Video in 2023. The series follows memory-wiped agents Mason Kane and Nadia Sinh as they recover their identities and fight the syndicate Manticore. Viewers have offered mixed reactions, praising its twists and James Bond-style entertainment while criticizing some of its dialogue. A second season is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Wales Online recommends seven true-crime television dramas based on real murder cases and police investigations. The selection includes Des about Dennis Nilsen, Unbelievable about a rape investigation and institutional disbelief, Manhunt about Colin Sutton’s pursuit of serial killers, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies about trial by media, The Hunt for Raoul Moat, the Welsh-set The Pembrokeshire Murders, and Little Boy Blue about the killing of Rhys Jones. The article highlights their factual foundations, notable actors, critical reception and availability on ITVX, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.

Mo Gilligan is profiled as a London-born comedian and television presenter whose career took off after Drake shared one of his social-media comedy clips. He went on to host The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan and the BRIT Awards, and appear on The Masked Singer and Celebrity Gogglebox. The piece also highlights his Welsh family connections through his mother, who was born in Barry, and his childhood visits to relatives in Cardiff. Gilligan previously dated actress Sophie Wise and has a son with former partner Selina Christoforou; he is now engaged to model Taia Tulher, with whom he welcomed a child in 2025.

Helen George is performing as Tracy Lord in a major UK revival of Cole Porter's musical High Society at London's Barbican while taking time away from Call the Midwife. The BBC drama is expected to return, with a prequel and film also in development. George attended the production's press-night after-party with her boyfriend, real estate consultant Dan Innes, whom she began dating in February 2025 following her 2023 split from former co-star Jack Ashton.

The Great, a three-season historical comedy-drama loosely inspired by Catherine the Great's rise to power, is available on Amazon Prime Video. Starring Elle Fanning as Catherine and Nicholas Hoult as Peter III, the series uses substantial historical liberties, lavish costumes and dark comedy to depict Catherine's deteriorating marriage and eventual ambition to seize the throne. Originally released on Hulu in the U.S. and later shown on Starzplay and Channel 4 in the UK, it continues to receive enthusiastic recommendations from viewers, who praise its humor, acting, intelligence and refreshing approach to period drama.

The article recommends five British crime dramas for viewers who enjoyed Happy Valley: Manhunt II: The Night Stalker, Code of Silence, Trigger Point, Blue Lights and Broadchurch. It highlights their police investigations, serial-crime and terrorism storylines, deaf representation, contemporary issues such as racial profiling and corruption, and murder mysteries. The programmes are available through ITVX, BBC iPlayer or Netflix, with Code of Silence and Broadchurch receiving especially strong critical and audience praise.

Samuel West has shared behind-the-scenes photographs from the filming of the seventh series of Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small, featuring Callum Woodhouse, Rachel Shenton, Yorkshire landscapes, crew members and a rat. Series seven and eight have both been commissioned, with each planned to include six episodes and a Christmas special. Production began in February, but Channel 5 has not confirmed a transmission date or revealed the new season’s storyline. The series is expected to continue the Skeldale family’s adventures and may return in autumn, following the show’s previous annual release pattern.

Five period dramas are recommended for viewers who enjoy Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey: Lark Rise to Candleford, All Creatures Great and Small, Jane Eyre, The Durrells and Cable Girls. The selections span rural England, veterinary life in the Yorkshire Dales, a classic Brontë adaptation, a family’s life in 1930s Corfu and working women in 1920s Madrid. The article highlights strong audience and critical responses and notes where each programme can be streamed, including BBC iPlayer, Channel 5, Disney+ and Netflix.

Shetland season 11 is filming across Scotland and the Shetland Isles, with the first production block now complete and six episodes expected to air on BBC One and iPlayer later in 2026. Ashley Jensen and Alison O'Donnell return as DI Ruth Calder and DI Alison “Tosh” McIntosh. The new crime story begins when a car containing decomposed human remains is recovered from the water, leading the detectives to investigate a former local GP and a historical killing that takes them into increasingly dangerous territory.