Tom Hardy’s most cutthroat TV thriller leads best TV to binge this September

No matter how old I get, September will always feel like back-to-school season.

Fresh stationery, digging the knitwear out of the closet, the leaves turning golden brown…and the return of the best of British TV, from Strictly to the new era of Bake Off, acclaimed crime thriller MobLand with Tom Hardy and many more.

Television nowadays is non-stop, with streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime constantly churning out new shows to binge. 

But there’s something about September that brings back those feelings of nostalgia – cosying up in front of the TV at the same time each week, wrapped up in a blanket while hugging a hot Ribena (or whatever steaming beverage takes your fancy).

After the constant heatwaves this summer, there’s honestly nothing I want more.

So without further ado, class is in session. Let’s delve into the best returning shows arriving this month, as well as one of the most exciting new releases coming to Apple TV.

The Gentlemen season 2

This week, The Gentlemen fever has been at an all-time high. Guy Ritchie’s hit Netflix crime thriller has returned for season 2, and Metro got in on all of the action in the lead-up.

The blood thriller became a phenomenon when it launched in 2024, following the newly-instated Duke, Eddie Horniman (Theo James) as he discovers that Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) has been running a weed farm on his property, with his late father’s knowledge.

By the second season, Eddie has gone from being a reluctant collaborator to a merciless drug boss, whose ambitions could result in him losing his morality completely.

After chatting to stars including Kaya, Giancarlo Esposito, Joely Richardson, Hugh Bonneville and Vinnie Jones ahead of its release, we are ready to spend our weekend bingeing the new eight episodes from start to finish.

The Gentlemen season 2 is available to stream on Netflix.

Saturday Night Live UK season 2

Live from London, it’s Saturday night!

I can’t wait for those words to ring out of my TV screen in just over a week’s time. It’s been nearly four months since the first season of Saturday Night Live UK launched, and that wait has been long enough.

I had a lot of faith in SNL UK when it launched, despite the doubtful naysayers, and I’m glad that my optimism paid off. Standout stars including Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, Annabel Marlow and George Fouracres made the British spin-off a resounding success, with skits that have been viewed millions of times on social media. (The Traitors sketch and the Pub Song are a couple of my personal favourites).

Season two is going to kick off with a massive bang, with the help of the show’s incredible first host, Jeff Goldblum. Bring it on!

Saturday Night Live UK returns on Saturday September 12 at 10pm on Sky and NOW.

Strictly Come Dancing

Autumn means the return of Strictly Come Dancing – but this year is going to mark a huge change for one of Britain’s most iconic shows.

It’s been 22 years since the BBC competition began, and none of us really know what it’s going to look like when it returns on Saturday September 19 with the pre-recorded launch show, ahead of the first live show the following weekend.

We have three brand new hosts – beloved dancer Johannes Radebe, legendary presenter Emma Willis and hilarious comedian Josh Widdicombe – while we’re also going to be missing several fan-favourite pros, who recently announced their departures.

I love the spirit of Strictly, and I always have done. This year’s cast boasts a fantastic line-up, including Lacey Turner, Will Best and Dani Dyer returning after injury, so we’ll have to wait and see if this new era of Strictly lives up to its legacy.

Strictly Come Dancing 2026 kicks off with its launch show on Saturday September 19 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The Great British Bake Off

Speaking of new eras, The Great British Bake Off is also coming back with a brand new face leading the way.

In January, Dame Prue Leith announced that she was leaving the Channel 4 show after almost a decade, immediately sparking speculation about who could take her place alongside fellow judge Paul Hollywood and hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.

Along comes Nigella Lawson, the queen of the ‘meecrowavay’, the culinary icon herself, and a woman who’s persuaded friends of mine to return to Bake Off after not watching it for years.

I’ll be going to an advance screening of Bake Off next week – stay tuned to find out what we make of Nigella’s debut.

The Great British Bake Off returns this month on Channel 4.

MobLand season 2

MobLand was already a popular show when the crime thriller premiered in 2025 – but it’s undeniable that the furore surrounding Tom Hardy has certainly upped interest in the drama even more.

In May, it was claimed that his place on the series hung in the balance. Shortly afterwards, it was confirmed that he hadn’t been fired and would be back for the upcoming third season.

But first things first – season 2, the first time that audiences will reunite with the Harrigan crime family and their associates since all of this supposed behind-the-scenes drama went down.

The new episodes will follow Harry Da Souza (Tom), the family’s ‘fixer’, as he walks a ‘dangerous tightrope when tensions between relations intensify’. ‘Prepare for uncivil war, the Harrigans are bloody back,’ the synopsis teases.

MobLand season 2 premieres on Friday September 18 on Paramount Plus.

Long Lost Family

We all need TV shows that we know are going to give us a satisfying cry (at least, I do).

I love a series that pulls on my heartstrings, and Davina McCall’s Long Lost Family never fails to give my ticker a good old tug.

In episode one of the new series, which began on Thursday September 3, 77-year-old Avril reveals that she hasn’t seen her first-born daughter Michelle since she was eight weeks old, after becoming pregnant with her at 15.

She felt as if her heart had been ‘wrenched’ out when her baby was adopted by another family.

All these years later, Avril and Michelle, whose name was changed to Eleanor, are reconnected. Grab the tissue box – you’re going to need it.

Long Lost Family airs on Thursdays at 9pm on ITV and ITVX.

Brothers

Brothers might have one of the most peculiar premises that I’ve read in a long time, but I am well and truly sold.

We all know Matthew McConaughey, star of massive films including How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Dallas Buyers Club, Interstellar and many more. Then we also have Woody Harrelson, screen legend from White Men Can’t Jump, The Hunger Games, Now You See Me and so on.

In real life, they’ve sparked speculation about whether they’re related – or could be brothers – as years back, Matthew’s mother knew Woody’s dad. Plus, when you really look at them, they do bear somewhat of a resemblance.

What could they do with that information, you might ask? Well, Matthew and Woody are playing fictionalised versions of themselves who find out that they might be biological half-brothers. Honestly, it sounds like genius, and a fresh dose of originality that the TV landscape needs. 

Brothers premieres on Wednesday September 12 on Apple TV.

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