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

Published: 18 September 2026

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. Tonight, Saturday 19 September 2026, two Chelsea Detective episodes run from 5pm, the second opening primetime at 6pm, ahead of The Brokenwood Mysteries at 7pm. Wallander takes 9pm and Blackshore closes out the night at 11pm.

Drama Schedule: Saturday 19 September 2026 (Full Listings)

Here is the complete Drama schedule for Saturday 19 September 2026, on Freeview 20.

Overnight

Breakfast

Morning

Afternoon

Early evening

Primetime

Late night

What’s on Drama today

Overnight opens with Lovejoy just after midnight, then Sister Boniface Mysteries at 1am, At Home with the Braithwaites at 2am and a British Sign Language edition of You’re Killing Me at 3am, before Teleshopping fills the small hours from 4am until twenty-five past seven.

Four Birds of a Feather episodes carry the morning from 7:25am, then Jonathan Creek’s 2016 Christmas special, Daemons’ Roost, takes the mid-morning slot at 10am. Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar fills midday, Father Brown takes 2pm, and two Pie in the Sky episodes lead into this evening’s pair of Chelsea Detective episodes from 5pm.

Drama tonight — primetime and the evening schedule

Here’s the Drama primetime line-up for tonight, Saturday 19 September 2026.

The Chelsea Detective — Drama, 5pm

Two episodes of the Brighton-set detective drama run back to back from 5pm, the second sliding straight into the 6pm start of primetime. A murder investigation along the south coast unfolds with the show’s usual dry humour intact (series 4, episodes 1 and 2).

The Brokenwood Mysteries — Drama, 7pm

New Zealand’s small-town detectives take the early primetime slot with a fresh case (series 2, episode 3). The wine references and classic-rock soundtrack are as much a part of the formula as the plot itself.

Wallander — Drama, 9pm

The mood shifts at 9pm for this Scandinavian crime drama, its slow-burn atmosphere a contrast to the cosier mysteries earlier in the evening (series 3, episode 1).

Blackshore — Drama, 11pm

Blackshore, one of Drama’s newer crime imports, closes out the night at 11pm with its fifth episode (series 1, episode 5).

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?

Two Chelsea Detective episodes run from 5pm, the second opening primetime at 6pm, ahead of The Brokenwood Mysteries at 7pm. Wallander and Blackshore close out the night. 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 sitcoms filled out with archive comfort viewing. Tonight’s shape is straightforward: two Chelsea Detective episodes lead into The Brokenwood Mysteries at 7pm, with Wallander and Blackshore taking the rest of the night.

Daytime is where the channel earns its keep the rest of the time. Four Birds of a Feather episodes anchor the morning, Jonathan Creek’s Christmas special drops into mid-morning, and Father Brown and two Pie in the Sky episodes carry the afternoon towards evening. It’s a schedule built for dropping in rather than appointment viewing, and tonight follows that pattern rather than breaking from it.

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