31 Brand New British TV Premieres Coming in May 2024 (US)
In some cases, we earn commissions from affiliate links in our posts.
Last Updated on May 17, 2024 by Stefanie Hutson
BritBox and Acorn TV are two of the most consistent sources of British TV shows in the US, but there are more than a dozen streaming services that bring in new releases from the UK on a regular basis. To help you keep track, we like to make it a little easier each month by looking at which brand new shows are premiering across the major US streaming services.
This list only includes those shows that:
- Are streaming for the first time in the US in May 2024
- Began airing in the UK within the last year or so
Shardlake (2024)
Based on the late CJ Sansom's Matthew Shardlake Tudor mysteries, this four-part period mystery is set in 16th century England during the dissolution of the monasteries. Arthur Hughes (Help) plays Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer sent by Thomas Cromwell (Sean Bean, Game of Thrones) to investigate the murder of one of his commissioners at a remote monastery. The story is based on the first novel in the series, Dissolution.
Premiered May 1st on Hulu (globally on Disney+).
The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2024)
Based on Heather Morris's 2018 novel of the same name, this historical drama stars Jonah Hauer-King (World on Fire) as Lale Sokolov, a tätowierer (one assigned to tattoo ID numbers on fellow prisoners) in Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942. He meets Gita (Anna Próchniak, Baptiste) when tattooing her arm, and they fall in love at first sight. Under constant threat, they remain determined to stay strong so they can have a life together in the future.
Roughly 60 years later, a recently widowed Lale (this time played by Harvey Keitel) meets writer Heather Morris (Melanie Lynskey) and summons the courage to tell his story.
Premiered May 2nd on Peacock.
Welcome to Wrexham, Season 3
This popular sports docuseries returns for a third season, continuing to follow Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds as they guide the Welsh football club they purchased.
Premiered May 3rd on Hulu (rescheduled from April).
Clarkson's Farm, Season 3
Jeremy Clarkson returns for another season of British farming with his team Lisa, Kaleb, Charlie, and Gerald. Hot weather means his crops are failing, inflation is making everything more expensive, and he can't get planning permission for the restaurant he wants to set up. To make ends meet, he'll have to come up with creative ways to do more with less. His schemes involve everything from goats and pigs to nettles and mushrooms.
Part 1 premieres May 3rd, followed by part 2 on May 10th – all on Amazon Prime Video.
MaryLand (2023)
This three-part drama follows two sisters, Becca and Rosaline, who are brought back together by the unexpected death of their mother, Mary. They find out she was living a secret life on the Isle of Man, nowhere near the home she shared with her husband and their father. As they struggle to understand this new information, they run into a friend of hers, Cathy (Stockard Channing, Grease) who can help them make sense of her life.
Suranne Jones (Gentleman Jack) plays Becca, while Rosaline is played by Eve Best (House of the Dragon).
Premieres May 5th on PBS & PBS Masterpiece.
The Night Caller (2024)
This four-part thriller tells the story of Tony (Robert Glenister, CB Strike), a Liverpool taxi driver who develops an unhealthy obsession with a late-night radio show host.
Premieres May 6th on Acorn TV.
The Other Mrs. Jordan (2023)
This three-part docuseries follows the manhunt for William Allen Jordan, a bigamist and conman who spent years traveling the world and leaving a trail of pain in his wake.
Premieres May 7th on BritBox.
The Final: Attack on Wembley (2024)
This docuseries takes a look back at the chaotic events of July 11, 2021, when England supporters arrived at Wembley and the celebration over England's first major final in decades devolved into madness.
Premieres May 8th on Netflix.
Bodkin (2024)
When three strangers disappear from an idyllic Irish village, a group of podcasters descend to conduct an investigation. Unfortunately for them, they end up discovering something much bigger and stranger than they ever could have predicted.
The seven-part thriller stars Will Forte (Sweet Tooth) as American podcaster Gilbert, Siobhán Cullen (The Dry, Obituary) as the hard-nosed Irish Londoner Dove, Robyn Cara (Trying) as the eager-to-please researcher Emmy, David Wilmot (Station Eleven) as the mysterious and mercurial Seamus Gallagher, and Chris Walley (Bloodlands) as Seán O’Shea, a feckless local who doesn't handle responsibility well.
Premieres May 9th on Netflix.
Doctor Who, Season 1
Ncuti Gatwa takes over the role of the Doctor in this latest incarnation by showrunner Russell T. Davies. If you're wondering about the season numbering, Davies decided the new season should be treated like a “franchise reset”. Of the decision, he told Rolling Stone:
Who is interested in Season 67, or whatever it is? It genuinely starts again. The reason why it’s survived for all these years is that every so often, Doctor Who stops, opens the door and refreshes itself, and gets a new audience in. And there are children who will come and watch this, who will be me in 20, 30, 40 years time making this stuff.
Premieres May 11th on Disney+.
2024 BAFTA Television Awards
Each year, the BAFTAs celebrate the best of British TV. In 2024, comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan will host at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall.
Premieres May 12th on BritBox.
After the Flood, Season 1 (2024)
After a devastating flood, an unidentified man's body is found in an underground car park. PC Joanna Marshall (Sophie Rundle, Gentleman Jack) is determined to find out the truth behind his death. Six hour-long episodes will air in batches of two each week.
Premieres May 13th on BritBox.
Harry Wild, Season 3
Jane Seymour returns as Harry Wild, a former English professor turned detective who, along with her youthful partner, enjoys butting in on many of her police detective son's cases.
Premieres May 13th on Acorn TV.
Cobra, Season 3
As this political thriller returns, Prime Minister Robert Sutherland (Robert Carlyle, Hamish Macbeth) finds himself in a difficult situation when his daughter Ellie (Holly Cattle) gets involved with an environmental protest group whose demonstration spins out of control. His popularity is already plummeting, and investigations suggest his worst problems might be coming from within.
Premieres May 13th on PBS Masterpiece.
Make it at Market, Season 2
This reality series follows a group of amateur makers as they attempt to turn their hobbies into real businesses. Along the way, expert mentors guide them through the practicalities and pitfalls.
Premieres May 14th on BritBox.
The Killing Kind (2023)
Based on Jane Casey's novel of the same name, this thriller follows Ingrid Lewis (Emma Appleton, Pistol), a barrister who defends John Webster (Colin Morgan, Merlin), a charismatic man accused of coercive control over an ex-girlfriend. Though they got close after the trial, Ingrid's attempts to pull away resulted in him turning on her.
Later, after she manages to get her life back together, he shows up again. This time, he claims someone is out to kill her and he's the only one who can save her.
Premieres May 14th on Hulu.
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal
Ashley Madison is a dating site for people who want to have affairs. This docuseries takes a look at a hacking incident that saw the site's user data shared with the world, exposing secrets and wrecking marriages around the world.
Premieres May 15th on Netflix.
Bridgerton: Season 3, Part 1
In Season 3 of this popular period drama, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) moves past her unrequited love for Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) after overhearing his negative comments about her. Determined to marry and gain independence to maintain her secret identity as Lady Whistledown, Penelope faces repeated setbacks in her quest for a suitable match.
Colin, freshly returned from his summer travels, is upset to find Penelope now distant. Hoping to mend their friendship, he coaches her on confidence to improve her prospects for marriage. However, as Penelope becomes more adept, Colin questions the nature of his feelings for her. Meanwhile, Penelope struggles to conceal her alter ego amid a fallout with Eloise (Claudia Jessie), who forges a friendship in unexpected quarters, further complicating Penelope's life.
Premieres May 16th on Netflix.
99 (2024)
This three-part docuseries commemorates Manchester United's historic treble win in 1999, when they clinched the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League. The series explores the team's internal conflicts, personal challenges, and the miraculous events of their legendary season, highlighted by a dramatic comeback victory that became one of English football's most unforgettable moments.
Premieres May 17th on Prime Video.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024
The world's most prestigious flower show returns for another year. BritBox's coverage will include 13 exclusive episodes which air daily following the UK broadcast.
Premieres May 19th on BritBox.
Buying London (2024)
This glamorous reality series follows Daniel Daggers, a high-end estate agent in London. Over the course of seven episodes, it tracks the efforts of him and his team as they move some of the world's most expensive real estate.
Premieres May 22nd on Netflix.
Trying, Season 4
In the fourth season of this acclaimed comedy, six years have passed since Season 3. Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) are now seasoned adopters with a close-knit family and great support network. However, as their teenage daughter, Princess (Scarlett Rayner), begins seeking a connection with her birth mother, Nikki and Jason face their greatest parenting challenge yet.
Premieres May 22nd on Apple TV+ (new episodes weekly through July 3rd).
McDonald & Dodds, Season 4
Jason Watkins returns for another season as DS Dodds alongside Tala Gouveia as DCI Lauren McDonald in this modern, almost-cosy classic. Despite being a strange pair, the two are highly effective at closing cases.
Guest stars for the new season include Toby Stephens (Die Another Day, Black Sails), singer/songwriter Pixie Lott, Lydia Leonard (The Crown, Gentleman Jack), Daniel Lapaine (Catastrophe, Zero Dark Thirty), Dipo Ola (We Hunt Together), John Gordon Sinclair (Traces), and Ace Bhatti (Line of Duty, EastEnders).
Premieres May 23rd on BritBox.
90 Day Fiance: UK, Season 3
This British spin-off of an American reality series gives long-distance partners a short time to either decide they're meant for each other or break things off. The trailer above is from a previous season, as they've yet to release one for season 3.
Premieres May 27th on Max (formerly HBO Max).
Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, Season 4
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay returns for another season in which he visits remote locations in search of adventure and culinary inspiration.
Premieres May 27th on National Geographic and streams on Disney+ and Hulu on May 28th.
Escape to the Country 2023
This pleasantly calm reality series follows residents of cities and suburbs as they hunt for the perfect home in the British countryside (and occasionally, Northern Ireland). Along the way, the presenter and buyers explore not just the prospective homes, but the local areas, too.
Premieres May 28th on BritBox.
Fiennes: Return to the Wild (2024)
In this two-part docuseries, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, dubbed “the greatest living explorer,” and his cousin, actor Joseph Fiennes, revisit their 2019 adventure in Fiennes: Return to the Nile by exploring British Columbia. They retrace Sir Ranulph’s groundbreaking 1971 expedition through Canada's wilderness, facing challenging terrains and spectacular landscapes. Throughout their journey, they reflect on Sir Ranulph's remarkable exploits, his battle with Parkinson’s, and use the trip to deepen their family ties and forge new memories.
Premieres May 28th on National Geographic and streams May 29th on Disney+ and Hulu.
We Are Lady Parts
Season 2 sees Lady Parts, an all-Muslim women punk band, returning to London invigorated from their first UK tour and ready to embark on a new artistic mission. However, the emergence of a rival band challenges their status quo. As they begin recording their debut album, the band grapples with personal ambitions and reevaluates their definition of success, questioning if “making it big” truly aligns with their original aspirations.
Premieres May 30th on Peacock.
Eric (2024)
This 1980s period thriller follows a father’s desperate search for his nine-year-old son after the boy disappears one morning on the way to school. Vincent (Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock), one of New York’s leading puppeteers and creator of the hugely popular children’s television show, Good Day Sunshine, struggles to cope with the loss of his son, Edgar, becoming increasingly distressed and volatile.
Full of guilt, he clings to his son’s drawings of a blue monster puppet, Eric. As Vincent’s progressively destructive behavior alienates everyone trying to help him, it’s Eric who becomes his only ally in the pursuit to bring his son home.
Premieres May 30th on Netflix.
Here We Go, Season 2
This fun family sitcom returns for another season starring Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd, Doc Martin), Jim Howick (Ghosts, Sex Education) and Alison Steadman (Ghosts, Sex Education). The Jessop family can’t help getting things a little bit wrong, a lot of the time. Matriarch Rachel does her best to keep the family in line while husband (and former Olympic archer) Paul tackles his own insecurities. Daughter Amy and Uncle Robin are still struggling with their love lives, and grandmother Sue is threatening to move in.
The family face everyday challenges alongside brilliantly bonkers situations, including sailing a sinking boat and selling ice cream from a hearse. Son Sam is on hand to film it all in this intimate comedy about a family whose indomitable spirit allows them to find moments of delight among the disappointment – and laugh in the face of disaster.
Premieres May 31st on BritBox.
The Outlaws, Season 3
This darkly hilarious dramedy follows a group of very different people who come together while doing community service. As we begin season 3, crime boss The Dean (Claes Bang, Bad Sisters) is behind bars awaiting trial and the Outlaws are busy moving on with life – until one of their own returns with a deadly secret that puts all of them in danger.
Premieres May 31st on Amazon Prime Video.
Need More Ideas?
Prefer to see the full monthly premiere lists for Acorn TV and BritBox (including older shows coming to each)? Check them out below:
Save it to Pinterest!
