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

Published: 20 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, Monday 21 September 2026, three Last of the Summer Wine episodes open primetime from 6pm, ahead of The Brokenwood Mysteries at 8pm. New Tricks takes 10pm and Copper closes out the night at 11:20pm. Channel numbers are further down the page.

Drama Schedule: Monday 21 September 2026 (Full Listings)

Here is the complete Drama schedule for Monday 21 September 2026, on Freeview 20.

Overnight

Breakfast

Morning

Afternoon

Early evening

Primetime

Late night

What’s on Drama today

Overnight opens with The Nora Roberts Collection just after half past midnight, then 2point4 Children at twenty to three and a British Sign Language edition of Copper at ten past three, before Teleshopping fills the small hours from 4am until twenty-five past seven.

The Bill opens the breakfast run at 7:25am, then two Classic Doctors episodes and Classic Holby City carry the morning through to eleven, when Classic Casualty takes over. A second run of The Bill opens the afternoon at midday, followed by two Classic EastEnders episodes and two Classic Neighbours episodes, before Sister Boniface Mysteries and Father Brown lead into this evening’s schedule.

Drama tonight — primetime and the evening schedule

Here’s the Drama primetime line-up for tonight, Monday 21 September 2026.

Last of the Summer Wine — Drama, 6pm–7:20pm (three episodes)

Three consecutive episodes open the evening, series 15’s third, fourth and fifth instalments run back to back. It’s one of Drama’s daily fixtures: the retired trio’s gentle misadventures in the Yorkshire Dales fill the hour and forty minutes ahead of primetime proper.

The Brokenwood Mysteries — Drama, 8pm

Series 5 continues with its fourth case for DS Mike Shepherd, working a death in New Zealand’s fictional wine country. The unhurried pace and small-town cast are the draw here, closer to character study than whodunit.

New Tricks — Drama, 10pm

Series 11’s fifth episode brings back the UCOS team for another cold case, handled with the show’s usual mix of procedure and bickering between its retired detectives.

Copper — Drama, 11:20pm

Series 2’s sixth episode closes the night. The Civil War-era New York police drama has settled into a reliable late slot on Drama.

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?

Three Last of the Summer Wine episodes open primetime from 6pm, running through to 8pm when The Brokenwood Mysteries takes over. New Tricks follows at 10pm and Copper closes out the night at 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 filled out with archive comfort viewing. Tonight’s shape is straightforward too: three Last of the Summer Wine episodes open the evening, The Brokenwood Mysteries takes 8pm, and New Tricks leads into Copper at 11:20pm.

Daytime is where the channel earns its keep the rest of the time. The Bill opens the breakfast run, Classic Doctors and Classic Holby City carry the late morning, and Classic Casualty, Classic EastEnders and Classic Neighbours fill the afternoon. It’s a schedule built for dropping in rather than appointment viewing, and today follows that pattern rather than breaking from it.

Related: Freeview Channel Guide | Dave TV Guide | Tonight’s Films on Freeview