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

Published: 22 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, Wednesday 23 September 2026, three Last of the Summer Wine episodes open primetime from 6pm, ahead of The Chelsea Detective at 8pm. Father Brown takes 9pm, New Tricks follows at 10pm and Copper closes out the night at 11pm. Channel numbers are further down the page.

Drama Schedule: Wednesday 23 September 2026 (Full Listings)

Here is the complete Drama schedule for Wednesday 23 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 and At Home with the Braithwaites at 2am, before a British Sign Language edition of Copper at 3am and 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, Wednesday 23 September 2026.

Last of the Summer Wine — Drama, 6pm

Three back-to-back episodes of Last of the Summer Wine open the evening from 6pm, starting with series 15, episode 9 — the trio’s Yorkshire wanderings still filling the early-evening slot they’ve held for years.

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

The second instalment, series 16 episode 1, runs straight on at 6:40pm.

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

A third episode, series 16 episode 2, closes out the run and leads into the evening’s drama proper.

The Chelsea Detective — Drama, 8pm

The Chelsea Detective returns with series 4, episode 2 at 8pm. Adrian Scarborough’s laid-back seaside detective is one of the newer arrivals in Drama’s line-up rather than an archive rerun, and it’s the closest thing tonight has to a headline booking.

Father Brown — Drama, 9pm

Mark Williams is back as the cassocked sleuth at 9pm, with series 7, episode 2 of Father Brown taking the hour after The Chelsea Detective.

New Tricks — Drama, 10pm

New Tricks moves into 10pm with series 11, episode 7, the UCOS team working through another cold case.

Copper — Drama, 11pm

The night closes with Copper, series 2 episode 8, at 11pm.

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 Chelsea Detective takes over. Father Brown follows at 9pm, New Tricks takes 10pm and Copper closes out the night at 11pm. 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 Chelsea Detective takes 8pm, Father Brown follows at 9pm, and New Tricks leads into Copper at 11pm.

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