Doctor Who, White House Farm and The Masked Singer: TV shows to look forward to in 2020

Get ready for another year of great television
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Isobel Frodsham31 December 2019

New year new, television shows - and 2020 has got some real corkers in store.

January will sereve up the return of numerous reality TV shows, including Dancing On Ice and Love Island, and there are some hot new picks too, with The Masked Singer making its UK debut.

Netflix has got us covered on the drama front with the adaptation of Harlan Coben's book The Stranger arriving along with a second series of Sex Education.

But what does the rest of the year hold?

With all-new period dramas and thriller series, along with plenty more reality tv, there's truly something for everyone next year.

Here are our top picks...

Doctor Who, New Year’s Day, 6.55pm (BBC One)

Doctor Who returns tomorrow
BBC

Jodie Whittaker is back in her role as the ground-breaking female Time Lord when the BBC favourite returns for its 12th series. The new episodes will also see Robert Glenister return after appearing in the show more than three decades ago. Other guest stars for the new series include Sir Lenny Henry and Stephen Fry. Whittaker returns as the Thirteenth Doctor alongside co-stars Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill and Bradley Walsh.

The Masked Singer, Saturday January 4, 7pm (ITV)

ITV

Based on the King Of Mask Singer, the South Korean singing competition launched in 2015, The Masked Singer will see 12 celebrities perform behind elaborate masks which conceal their identities.

Their aim is to be the last masked singer standing as the judges try to figure out who they really are.

Instead of their usual showbiz outfits, they will be dressing up as a Butterfly, Hedgehog, Pharoah, Tree, Unicorn, Fox, Monster, Chameleon, Daisy, Octopus, Duck or a Queen Bee.

Jonathan Ross, Ken Jeong - who has featured in both of the US versions - Rita Ora and Davina McCall are on the panel. The show is presented by Joel Dommett.

White House Farm, Wednesday January 8, 9pm (ITV)

 (ITV)

Back in 1985, the nation was left shocked after a family of five was found dead at their home in a quiet village of Tolleshunt D'Arcy in Essex.

Nevill and June Bamber, along with their adoptive daughter Shelia Caffell and Sheila's six-year-old twin sons, Daniel and Nicholas Caffell, were shot inside the farmhouse on August 6 or 7.

It was believed at first that the deaths were a result of a murder-suicide by Shelia. However the Bambers' adoptive son – and only surviving member of the family – Jeremy was later arrested after ex-girlfriend told police that he had implicated himself.

He was convicted in 1986 of five counts of murder, however, he has always protested his innocence and his lawyers have made repeated attempts for the case to be reviewed.

The story will be chronicled in a six-part drama series starring Freddie Fox, Stephen Graham and Cressida Bonas.

Deadwater Fell, Thursday, January 10 (Channel 4)

Channel 4

Doctor Who star David Tennant will star opposite actress Cush Jumbo in the Channel 4 drama.

He will play a local GP in the four-part series, described as a psychological story of suspicion. The series is set in a small fictional Scottish town, which is rocked by the murder of a family. It has been penned by Grantchester writer Daisy Coulam and has been filmed entirely on location in Scotland.

Winter Love Island, January 12 (ITV2)

Amber Gill - who won this year's Love Island
ITV

The first half of the TV viewing year kicks off with the first of two series of Love Island. The villa will be in South Africa and for the first time ever, the series will be hosted by Laura Whitmore, following Caroline Flack's decision to temporarily stand down.

Sex Education, Thursday 17 January (Netflix)

Kedar Williams-Stirling as Jackson Marchetti
Netflix

The Netflix show about socially-awkward high school student Otis (Asa Butterfield) and his sex therapist mum Jean (Gillian Anderson) is returning with eight new episodes in 2020.

The Stranger, Wednesday, January 30 (Netflix)

Based on the novel by Harlan Coben, the Netflix show sees Adam Price, a father-of-two, left speechless after a stranger in a coffee shop tells him his wife lied to him about being pregnant years ago.

He then begins to investigate his spouse and discovers more secrets about her.

Starring Richard Armitage and Dervla Kirwan, this is bound to be the British thriller equivalent of You.

Star Trek: Picard, Wednesday, January 23 (Amazon Prime Video)

CBS

The much-anticipated series sees Sir Patrick Stewart reprising one of his most famous roles when he returns as Jean-Luc Picard, a character he first played in 1987.

Bridgerton, Date tbc (Netflix)

Based on the Julia Quinn novels, the series marks Shonda Rhimes’ first collaboration with Netflix.

Described as being set in the “sexy, lavish and competitive world of Regency London high society”, it will follow the trials and tribulations of the Bridgerton family. The cast boasts the voice of Dame Julie Andrews, as well as Phoebe Dynevor, Jonathan Bailey and Vanity Fair star Claudia Jessie.

Drag Race UK, date tbc (BBC Three)

RuPaul's Drag Race UK
BBC/ Leigh Keily / Matt Burlem

After crowning its first winner in November 2019, the colourful BBC Three series is back for more drama, fashion and runway magic.

The first UK series featured judges RuPaul and Michelle Visage as judges, with Graham Norton and Alan Carr starring as rotating judges. Celebrity guests included Maisie Williams, Geri Horner and Stacey Dooley.

After Life, Spring, date tbc (Netflix)

(Netflix / Natalie Seery)
Netflix

Ricky Gervais’ dark comedy returns for a second instalment on Netflix with a six-episode run.

The first series introduced viewers to journalist Tony Johnson, played by Gervais, who is trying to make sense of his life following the death of his wife. After contemplating taking his own life, he decides instead to live long enough to punish the world by saying and doing whatever he likes.

Honour, date tbc (ITV)

Keeley Hawes
PA

Keeley Hawes takes on the role of a real-life detective – Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Goode – and her relentless search for the truth surrounding the murder of Banaz Mahmod.

The 20-year-old disappeared in 2006 and her body was found three months later, buried in a suitcase in a garden in Birmingham. The two-part drama has been written by Gwyneth Hughes, whose credits include Vanity Fair and Dark Angel.

The Circle, date tbc (Channel 4)

Paddy Smyth of The Circle
PA

After the success of the second season – which saw Paddy Smyth crowned the winner – producers for the Circle are on the hunt for fresh contestants.

The show sees a group of people move into a block of flats and interact with each other through social networking site, The Circle. The contestants can either be themselves or create a new personality inside The Circle with an aim to win over their fellow contestants. In the end they vote for the contestant they like the most, which allows them to scoop the cash prize.

The series has inspired international versons as Netflix has announced it will be doing French, American and Brazilian series of the programme.

Normal People, date tbc (BBC Three)

BBC

Based on the bestselling novel by Sally Rooney, the 12-part BBC series will star Cold Feet actress Daisy Edgar-Jones and newcomer Paul Mescal as Marianne and Connell. The series is described as “an exquisite and compulsive modern love story about how two people can profoundly impact each other’s lives”.

Belgravia, date tbc (ITV)

Carnival Films

The six-part ITV series will be one of 2020’s big period dramas.

From Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, it is described as being set in the “upper echelon of London society in the 19th century”. It stars Tamsin Greig, Alice Eve, Philip Glenister, Dame Harriet Walter and more.

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