A strong week for terrestrial drama and event TV: King & Conqueror continues its epic sweep on BBC One, ITV books a heavyweight live Carabao Cup tie mid‑week, and I Fought the Law premieres on Sunday. Streaming stays lively with Wednesday still setting the tone on Netflix, while readers have a trio of conversation‑starting books to pick up before the bank‑holiday weekend.
UK Terrestrial Television Highlights
- Monday 25 August, 21:30 — King & Conqueror (BBC One)
Episode two (“The Sins of the Father”) deepens the rivalry between Harold and William with muscular storytelling and striking production design. According to BBC information, episode one airs on Sunday with episode two following on Monday night. - Wednesday 27 August, 20:00 — Carabao Cup: Grimsby Town v Manchester United (ITV1)
A rare early‑round glamour tie on free‑to‑air TV. Expect a packed studio and prime‑time build‑up; the live listings have this at 20:00 on ITV1, a scheduling move that also nudges the regular mid‑week soaps. - Sunday 31 August, 21:00 — I Fought the Law (ITV1)
Sheridan Smith headlines this four‑part true‑crime drama about Ann Ming’s landmark campaign to change the double‑jeopardy law. The broadcaster has now confirmed a 21:00 premiere; according to RadioTimes and according to Digital Spy, the second episode follows the next night in the same slot.
Pick of the Week: King & Conqueror (BBC One, Starts Sunday) — a confident second hour that marries scale with character, and looks the part of late‑summer appointment viewing.
Streaming Highlights
- Netflix — Wednesday: Season 2 (Part 1) — ongoing
The macabre wit and supernatural sleuthing continue to lead the streaming conversation. - Prime Video — The Assassin — ongoing
A brisk, blackly comic thriller with razor‑edged dialogue and surprising warmth. - Also of note this month
New or rolling titles across platforms—Hostage on Netflix and Sister Boniface Mysteries (S4) on BritBox—keep the schedule varied.
UK Soaps: The Week Ahead (at a glance)
Coronation Street shifts to Monday, Tuesday and Friday at 20:00 this week due to football, and Emmerdale pulls its Wednesday outing forward to 19:00; according to RadioTimes. In EastEnders, returning faces spark friction and fresh secrets around the Square. Over in Hollyoaks, the fallout from a dangerous secret tightens the net, as the show continues to seed its autumn anniversary twists.
UK Cinema: Top 5 Right Now
No significant nationwide openers this week, so the multiplexes remain dominated by:
- Superman
- Jurassic World: Rebirth
- I Know What You Did Last Summer
- Fantastic Four: The First Steps
- Smurfs
Books: New Releases and Highlights (UK)
- Frankly — Nicola Sturgeon
A candid political memoir with personal disclosures and headline‑making reflections. - Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York — Andrew Lownie
A brisk, highly reported royal biography already generating debate. - Katabasis — R. F. Kuang (publishing Tuesday 26 August)
A dark fantasy descent into academia’s underworld; a major pre‑order talking point.
UK TV News and Announcements
- Brookside to return in a Hollyoaks crossover this autumn. The first casting confirmation arrived this weekend, with Sue Johnston reprising Sheila Grant; according to Digital Spy.
- I Fought the Law transmission date locked. ITV has set the premiere for Sunday 31 August at 21:00.
- King & Conqueror rollout clarified. The BBC confirms all episodes on iPlayer from Sunday 24 August, with episode two airing on BBC One Monday night; according to BBC press information.
