Drama TV Guide: Listings, Schedule & What’s On Drama Tonight

Drama launched on 8 July 2013 and is owned by BBC Studios as part of the UKTV stable alongside Dave, Yesterday and W. It was rebranded U&Drama on 16 July 2024, though most viewers and on-screen guides still call it Drama. Thursday brings Hit Point, a new UKTV crime drama going out simultaneously across three of the group’s channels.

Drama Schedule: Thursday 13 August 2026 (Full Listings)

Here is the complete Drama schedule for Thursday 13 August 2026, on Freeview 20.

Overnight

Breakfast

Morning

Afternoon

Early evening

Primetime

Late night

What’s on Drama today

Today opens just after midnight with Lovejoy at 12:40am (series 1, episode 8), an old clock drawing Ian McShane’s dealer into a case tied to a regiment’s disputed honour. Sister Boniface Mysteries follows at 1:50am (series 1, episode 7), a village marrow contest overshadowed once old human remains surface on Edie’s allotment. The British Sign Language edit of Hotel Portofino takes the 2:50am slot, a gala evening at the casino tipping Lucian and Rose’s marriage towards crisis, before two back-to-back teleshopping blocks run from 4am through to 7:15am. The Bill opens the daytime schedule proper at 7:15am and returns at 11:40am, the same episode both times, with Classic Doctors (two episodes), Classic Holby City and Classic Casualty filling the gap between them. Classic EastEnders runs twice from 12:40pm, Classic Neighbours twice from 2pm, then Whitstable Pearl at 3pm, Lovejoy again at 4:10pm and As Time Goes By at 5:20pm carry the schedule through to early evening.

Worth flagging: the 2:50am Hotel Portofino is the British Sign Language edit rather than the standard broadcast, and the 7:15am and 11:40am editions of The Bill are the same episode, not two different instalments. The feed also marks Classic Doctors, Classic EastEnders and Classic Neighbours as “New” today; all three are archive repeats going back decades, so that flag reads as a feed error rather than a genuine premiere.

Drama tonight — primetime and the evening schedule

Here’s the Drama primetime line-up for tonight, Thursday 13 August 2026.

Last of the Summer Wine — Drama, 6pm, 6:40pm & 7:20pm

Three episodes run back to back this evening. Compo, Clegg and Foggy get fixated on growing vegetables in “Greenfingers” at 6pm (series 4, episode 6), a face from the trio’s past turns up unannounced in “The Bandit from Stoke-on-Trent” at 6:40pm (series 4, episode 8), and a steam railway outing closes the run in “Full Steam Behind” at 7:20pm (series 5, episode 1).

The Marlow Murder Club — Drama, 8pm

Series three opens with “The Queen of Poisons: Part One” (series 3, episode 1). The town’s mayor collapses and dies mid-meeting, and Judith, Becks and Suzie start pulling at threads of blackmail and old scandal that lead well beyond the obvious suspects. Peter Davison guest stars.

Hit Point — Drama, 9pm

A new UKTV crime drama lands at 9pm, simulcast across U&Dave and U&W, even though the premiere flag only shows up on Dave’s own listing (series 1, episode 1). Detective partners Leo and Bella are handed a robbery that doesn’t add up, and every fresh clue seems to point somewhere else, while the pair’s needling chemistry suggests there’s more going on between them than casework.

New Tricks — Drama, 10pm

“Dark Chocolate” (series 7, episode 4) sends the UCOS team into a chocolate factory after a violent assault, with Dennis Waterman and James Bolam among the familiar faces steering the inquiry.

Luther — Drama, 11:20pm

Idris Elba’s early run as DCI John Luther continues (series 2, episode 3), chasing a string of killings that appear to have no motive at all.

What kind of shows are on Drama

Classic BBC and ITV archive drama

The backbone of the schedule is British drama from the last forty-odd years. Jonathan Creek, New Tricks, Lovejoy, Birds of a Feather and Miss Marple all get regular daytime and early-evening outings, most of them first shown on BBC One or ITV. The whole point of the channel is that you can drop in at almost any hour and land on something you half-remember.

Cosy crime and international mysteries

Drama also runs a decent sideline in gentler, often overseas, crime. The Brokenwood Mysteries from New Zealand and Harry Wild from Ireland are the two regulars: puzzle-driven, light on violence, usually tied up within the hour or two.

Newer acquired and prestige drama

The Count of Monte Cristo and The Boy That Never Was are newer, high-profile productions in the schedule alongside all the archive material.

How to watch Drama

Channel numbers

Drama’s channel numbers across the main UK platforms:

Drama is free on all of the above platforms, with no subscription required. Drama+1 on Freeview is a limited-reach service, so availability can depend on your transmitter; your on-screen guide is the definitive source if these don’t match.

Streaming online

Drama streams live at u.co.uk and via the U app on smart TVs, iOS, Android and Freeview Play devices. You’ll need a free U account, and a large on-demand library sits alongside the live stream.

Drama +1 and sister channels

Drama+1 carries the same schedule an hour behind, for catching whatever’s just been missed on the main channel.

Drama sits inside the wider UKTV portfolio, which includes U&Dave for comedy and panel shows, U&Yesterday for history and factual programming, and U&W for factual entertainment, all free-to-air, plus the pay channels U&Alibi, U&Eden and U&Gold. Dave is the nearest alternative on the electronic programme guide for comedy rather than mystery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s on Drama tonight?

Tonight, Drama runs three episodes of Last of the Summer Wine from 6pm, The Marlow Murder Club at 8pm, the new Hit Point at 9pm, New Tricks at 10pm and Luther from 11:20pm. Check the schedule table above for the full day’s listings.

What channel is Drama on Freeview?

Drama is on channel 20 on Freeview, BT TV, TalkTalk TV and YouView. Drama+1 is on Freeview channel 60 as a limited-reach service. Both are free.

What channel is Drama on Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat?

Sky channel 143, Virgin Media channel 116, and Freesat channel 158. Drama+1 is on Sky 243 and Virgin Media 316.

Can I watch Drama for free on U?

Yes. It streams live at u.co.uk and through the U app, with a large on-demand archive alongside it. You’ll need a free U account, but there’s no subscription fee.

Is Drama free to watch?

Yes, completely free to air on every platform, with advertising breaks during and between programmes but no subscription cost.

Verdict

Drama does one thing and does it well: British mysteries and archive drama, filled out with newer acquisitions solid enough to hold their own against the reruns. Tonight is comfort viewing rather than appointment television, with one exception: Hit Point is a genuine launch, and Drama gets it at the same moment Dave and W do.

The trade-off is a daytime schedule that repeats itself heavily and well over three hours of teleshopping before breakfast. Regular viewers put up with both because the evenings are worth it.

Related: Freeview Channel Guide | Dave TV Guide | Films on TV This Week