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Last Updated on October 5, 2026 by Stefanie Hutson

BritBox has announced their October schedule, and while it's not a long one, it brings the return of the hit mystery Ludwig. Keep reading for the full schedule + descriptions – and bear in mind, BritBox Premier members get some new releases earlier (this schedule is based on the standard offering, aside from the BBC Select/Premier documentaries at the end).

Looking for previous BritBox and Acorn TV US premiere schedules? Check out:

New Shows Coming to BritBox (US) in October 2026

October 2nd Premieres

Celebrity Escape to the Country premieres October 2nd

Celebrity Escape to the Country, Season 2

This series takes the familiar Escape to the Country house-hunting format, but applies it to house hunts for minor British celebrities. Though very few are likely to be familiar to the average American viewer, the often above-average budgets mean lots of pretty houses to enjoy. Six hour-long episodes in total, two released the first day, followed by one per week.

Catch up on the first season HERE.

October 5th Premieres

War & Peace (2016)

Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood), Lily James (Downton Abbey), and James Norton (Happy Valley) star as Pierre, Natasha, and Andrei, three young members of Russian high society whose personal ambitions and relationships unfold as Napoleon’s forces draw closer to Russia. Based on Leo Tolstoy’s novel, the drama follows their lives through war, social upheaval, romance, and changing fortunes. Six episode binge premiere.

October 13th Premieres

Ludwig, Season 2

David Mitchell (Peep Show) stars as John “Ludwig” Taylor, a reclusive puzzle-setter who's drawn into police work after his identical twin brother James disappears. In the first season, John impersonates James, a Cambridge detective, and discovers that his talent for solving complex puzzles also makes him unusually good at untangling murder cases.

Season 2 picks up with John now working openly as a Crime Scene Consultant alongside DCI Russell Carter (Dipo Ola), tackling seemingly impossible crimes without having to pretend to be his brother. James is still missing, however, and John is officially barred from using police resources to investigate the disappearance, leaving him and his sister-in-law Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin, Motherland) to continue searching for answers on their own. Six hour-long episodes will be released at a rate of one per week.

October 22nd Premieres

Time, Season 3

Created by Jimmy McGovern, the anthology drama looks at life inside the British prison system, with each season following a different group of prisoners and staff as they deal with guilt, punishment, responsibility, and the possibility of change. Earlier seasons starred Sean Bean, Stephen Graham, Jodie Whittaker, and Bella Ramsey.

Season 3 moves to a young offenders institution, where prison chaplain Marie-Louise (Siobhan Finneran, Happy Valley) arrives after losing her faith and clashes with veteran officer Bailey (David Tennant, Doctor Who) following a serious incident inside the prison. The story also follows teenagers Peter (Ollie McNulty) and James (Louis McCartney, Hope Street) through their first months in custody, as both wrestle with the consequences of the crimes that brought them there. Three hour-long episodes will be released at a rate of one episode per week.

Catch up on past seasons HERE.

October 26th Premieres

Would I Lie to You?, Season 19

Rob Brydon hosts this long-running comedy panel show in which team captains David Mitchell and Lee Mack lead celebrity guests through a series of stories that may be true or completely invented. The opposing team has to decide who's telling the truth, with much of the comedy coming from the increasingly elaborate explanations, cross-examinations, and attempts to bluff. Binge premiere of all 13 half-hour episodes.

Watch previous seasons HERE.

BBC Select Premieres in October 2026 (Included with BritBox Premier)

October 1, 2026: Egypt’s Great Mummies: Unwrapped with Bettany Hughes S1 | Available in North America | 2 x 60’ | Released All at Once – Bettany Hughes unearths ten embalmed bodies, each with a unique story to tell. From pharaohs, to criminals, to children to priests, she opens up a portal into the incredible stories of people from all different parts of ancient Egyptian society.
October 1, 2026: The Showjumper Murder S1 | North American Premiere | 2 x 60’ | Released All at Once – When showjumper Katie Simpson dies, her community accepts suicide, but a journalist questions the truth. A secret investigation uncovers hidden secrets, a dark past and a potential motive, leading to a dramatic murder trial that seeks justice.
October 1, 2026: The Land of Troy | Available in North America | 1 x 30’ – Cultural historian Janina Ramirez explores the legendary city of Troy, uncovering its ancient ruins and treasures before journeying through Bozcaada and Gallipoli to discover the region’s rich layers of history.
October 5, 2026: Epstein: Money, Power and Abuse | United States Premiere | 1 x 50’ – It’s a sex abuse scandal that has gripped the world. But despite all the headlines and stories, important questions remain unanswered about Jeffrey Epstein. How did he become so powerful?
October 8, 2026: Suez: 24 Hours that Broke the British Empire S1 | United States Premiere | 2 x 45’ | Released All at Once – The dramatic inside story of 6 November 1956, the final day of the Suez Crisis. A day that changed Britain forever. Exactly as it happened – hour by hour, minute by minute.
October 15, 2026: Human S1 | Available in North America | 5 x 50’ | Released All at Once – 300,000 years ago when Homo sapiens appeared in Africa, at least six other human species were alive at the time. Today, they're the only human species that remains. This revelatory series unlocks the secrets of our extraordinary evolution.
October 15, 2026: Fantastic Friends S2 | Available in North America | 8 x 60’ | Released All at Once – Harry Potter legends James and Oliver Phelps are traveling around the world to catch up with their favorite celebrity friends in luxurious locales.
October 22, 2026: Murder in Concrete S1 | North American Premiere | 2 x 60’ | Released All at Once – When a man confesses to killing his housemate several years earlier, two detectives set out to discover the truth behind this brutal crime.October 22, 2026: The Castle: Rebuilding History | North American Premiere | 1 x 60’ – Norwich Castle has dominated the local skyline since 1121 and now it's being restored. Filmed over seven years, can one of Europe’s most complex heritage projects succeed and stay on budget?
October 29, 2026: Wonderland: Secrets of the Spymasters and Spies S1 | North American Premiere | 4 x 60’ | Released All at Once – They have shaped what has become a hugely popular genre, weaving intricate plots, clandestine operations and intense suspense into their novels. The world’s greatest spy authors, including Ian Fleming, John Le Carré and Graham Greene, explored political issues and international relations with unsettling and often cynical insight. But how much of their work was based on reality?
October 29, 2026: Einstein and Hawking: Masters of Our Universe S1 | Available in North America | 2 x 50’ | Released All at Once – Explore two of the 20th century's greatest minds: Albert Einstein, who created the theory of relativity, and Stephen Hawking, who produced pioneering work on the Big Bang and black holes.
October 29, 2026: Stolen Babies: Britain’s Adoption Scandal | North American Premiere | 1 x 90’ – From the postwar era through the early 1980s, Britain's state-sanctioned practice of forced adoption separated over 250,000 women from their babies. Through powerful first-hand testimonies, uncover one of the worst injustices of the modern era.

More British TV Shows to Keep You Busy…

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