This is a list of events in 2026 relating to television in the United Kingdom.

Events January Date Event1BBC One airs Ronan Keating & Friends: A New Year's Eve Party to welcome in 2026.BBC One airs a flashforward episode of EastEnders set on New Year's Day 2027 and involving the character Max Branning (played by Jake Wood). Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu) also appears in the episode, suggesting she will make a return to EastEnders during 2026. It also features the return of Mark Fowler Jr, with the role recast to Stephen Aaron-Sipple.2ITV and STV have announced that the 2026 edition of Celebrity Big Brother will not air in the spring slot until 2027 due to the unorganised scheduling issues with the rival reality shows as it moves from ITV1 to ITV2. The twenty-third civilian version will continue as normal later this autumn.4The Floor, hosted by Welsh comedian Rob Brydon, makes its debut on ITV1 for the first time as a replacement for the twice-axed Dancing on Ice.5A UK-wide exclusion on junk food advertising on television before the 9pm watershed, and at anytime online, comes into force in an attempt to tackle childhood obesity. Good Morning Britain begins airing from Studio 1 of ITN as it takes over production of the programme from ITV Studios, alongside new sets for ITV News bulletins and ITV News London. On the same day, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women are relocated to The H Club Studio in Covent Garden.ITV airs Corriedale, a crossover episode featuring characters from both Coronation Street and Emmerdale. Channel 5 launches a new weekday daytime schedule of six hours of continuous live talk-focused programming.6It is announced that former Brookside actors Philip Olivier and Suzanne Collins will join Hollyoaks, where they will reprise their roles as Timothy O'Leary and Nikki Shadwick.7The identity of the "secret traitor", a new feature of the latest series of The Traitors, is revealed.During the evening's edition of Match of the Day, presenter Gabby Logan is replaced by Mark Chapman midway through the programme after Logan is called away because of a family emergency. 10Canadian TV series Heated Rivalry makes its UK television debut on Sky Atlantic. 14Former Grange Hill actor, John Alford, is jailed for eight and a half years following his conviction for sexually assaulting two teenage girls in April 2022. He would die in prison 2 months later.ITV confirms that filming for Love Island: All Stars has been suspended for a number of days after the villa used for the series is evacuated due to wildfires.17Ant & Dec apologise over an advert for their new podcast was criticised for evoking suicide and as triggering because it showed a pair of feet dangling above the ground.21The BBC announces a landmark deal with YouTube that will see it produce content for the platform.Prue Leith announces she will leave her role as a judge on The Great British Bake Off after a decade with the show.23Rachel Duffy and Stephen Libby win Series 4 of The Traitors, and share £95,750.24Series 1 of The Traitors Ireland makes its UK television debut on BBC One.25The final edition of Sky News at Ten is transmitted, ending after more than 25 years on air. It is replaced by The Wrap.26The first edition of a new two-hourly late evening programme on Sky News, The Wrap, is broadcast. The programme, which focuses on storytelling and debate rather than being a traditional news bulletin, includes a look at the next day's newspapers.Nigella Lawson is to replace Prue Leith as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, it is announced.27Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood announces that she has decided to leave the BBC after 28 years with the corporation. She will present her final weather forecast on BBC Breakfast in April. Author and GB News presenter Matt Goodwin is announced as the Reform UK candidate in the 2026 Gorton and Denton by-election.28The BBC urges producers of The Apprentice to carry out stricter background checks on its contestants after the emergence of offensive tweets posted a decade ago by Levi Hodgetts-Hague, a contestant in Series 20, after filming had finished on the series.29Publication of an independent review into the BBC in which the broadcaster commits to strengthening how it measures the ways audiences from different socio-economic and geographical backgrounds are portrayed and represented in its output.30It emerges that comedian Alan Carr inadvertently revealed he had won the first series of The Celebrity Traitors the day after filming finished.

February Date Event11ITV confirms that the 2026 The British Soap Awards will be completely cancelled.12The BBC announces 10% of cost cuts in the face of financial pressures.14 Sugababes singer Keisha Buchanan wins the seventh series of The Masked Singer as "Moth".EastEnders producers confirm that Ross Kemp will briefly reprise his role as Grant Mitchell for two major storylines later in the year.15BBC Two airs a special edition of Newsnight in which Gisèle Pelicot speaks about the aftermath of her former husband's trial.17Channel 5's coverage of snooker expands as it begins to show the Players Championship. Channel 5 will also broadcast the Tour Championship and the British Open.The electronic music and YouTube content creator Look Mum No Computer is chosen to represent the United Kingdom at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.19The BBC confirms it will celebrate Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday on 8 May with a week of programming, including three special programmes about the presenter and wildlife expert.Ofcom updates its electoral guidelines for broadcasters ahead of May's local elections.Former Coronation Street actress Beverley Callard makes her debut in Irish soap Fair City.20At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court, seven reality stars and influencers from The Only Way Is Essex and Love Island plead guilty to illegally promoting foreign exchange trading on Instagram. Those involved in the case are Lauren Goodger, Yazmin Oukhellou, Rebecca Gormley, Biggs Chris, Jamie Clayton, Scott Timlin, and Eva Zapico.21EastEnders announces that Gemma Bissix will reprise her role of Clare Bates in the soap opera after 18 years, for a short stint as part of a dementia storyline involving Clare's stepfather, Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley).ITV confirms that the revived edition of You Bet! has been axed again after just two series.22The 79th British Academy Film Awards are broadcast on BBC One. During the ceremony, Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson (the subject of the biographical drama I Swear, a film nominated for five BAFTAs) has several tic-related outbursts, including screaming a racial slur at black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo while they are presenting the category of Best Special Visual Effects. This later prompts ceremony host Alan Cumming to apologise for any strong language heard throughout the broadcast, though he thanks the audience for their "understanding" of Tourette's. The BBC apologises the following day for not editing Davidson's outburst during the delayed broadcast.24BBC content director Kate Phillips confirms that a second racial slur that occurred during the BAFTA Film Awards was edited out of the broadcast.Sky One returns after a 4.5 year absence. It replaces Sky Max. Sky Showcase, which had been used as a shop window for the entire Sky portfolio, also closes on this day.25The BBC launches an investigation into its coverage of the BAFTA Awards.

March Date Event3Richard Osman announces that he will relinquish or abandon his role as presenter of the quiz Richard Osman's House of Games after nine years, handing the role on to someone else. 6The BBC says the broadcast of a racial slur during the BAFTA Awards was a "genuine mistake" but that it is looking into why the footage is still available on BBC iPlayer.BBC News launches a temporary programme nightly at 18:30 The Iran War Today to cover the days events in the 2026 Iran War.11The BBC confirms its gay dating show I Kissed a Boy has been axed after two series. Its sister show, I Kissed a Girl, is renewed for a second and final series, which airs in June. The decision is criticised by the general public, who deem it a step back for LGBTQ+ portrayal in the media.13The BBC announces that two missing episodes of the Doctor Who serial "The Daleks' Master Plan" have been found in a private collection. Restored versions of the two episodes are scheduled to be released on BBC iPlayer during Easter.Channel 4 announces that Clare Balding will continue to present The Boat Race after they took over the rights from the BBC. She will be joined by Ade Adepitan with commentary from the channel's F1 lead commentator Alex Jacques.The Claudia Winkleman Show makes its debut on BBC One, with Jeff Goldblum, Vanessa Williams, Jennifer Saunders and Tom Allen appearing in the opening episode. 16It is announced that Michael Sheen will replace Richard Osman as presenter of BBC Two's House of Games.17Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed are named as the first three hosts of the new UK version of Saturday Night Live.20The Red Nose Day 2026 telethon on BBC One raises £30m for charity.21The UK version of Saturday Night Live launches on Sky One.Karen Hauer, Strictly Come Dancings longest-serving professional dancer, quits the show after 14 years.23BBC presenter Louise Minchin is taken to hospital after contracting frostbite during an Arctic adventure challenge in Canada to raise money for the Duke of Edinburgh Award.24The Sun reports that a segment of BBC One's The Repair Shop featuring the restoration of a Bob Monkhouse joke book was dropped because the jokes were deemed to be inappropriate. 25Former Google executive Matt Brittin is confirmed as the new Director-General of the BBC, replacing Tim Davie.26Launch of HBO Max in the UK, which will include Friends as part of its streaming content, meaning the series is once again available to watch in the UK.Gareth Baty wins the 2026 series of MasterChef: The Professionals.28Emily Bell and Josh McDonald win Series 3 of the Gladiators reboot.31Launch of Sky and Disney's Disney+ Cinema, which will include films from the film studio's library along with the streaming service becoming available on Sky's pay-TV services as part of a multi-year agreement between the two companies.The BBC confirms it is to air a two-part drama about the murder of Sarah Everard.

April