#FIRSTLOOK: BRITBOX CANADA MAY 2026 PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS

The Other Bennet Sister reimagines Jane Austen’s world through the eyes of Mary Bennet (Ella Bruccoleri, Call the Midwife), placing the often-overlooked sister at the center of a fresh Regency-era story of love, ambition and self-discovery. A breakout hit in the UK, the series became the BBC’s biggest new drama launch in the past year, and now arrives in North America on BritBox. Featuring a standout ensemble cast including Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey) as Mrs. Bennet – also appearing on On the Box: The BritBox Podcast on May 4 – The Other Bennet Sister premieres May 6.

Twenty Twenty Six sees Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) reprise his beloved role as Ian Fletcher, returning to navigate another high-stakes, high-pressure chapter in this acclaimed satirical franchise. Continuing the story that began with Twenty Twelve and W1A, the new series brings its signature wit to an ambitious new setting: the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bonneville is also the latest guest on On the Box: The BritBox Podcast, with his episode now streaming. Twenty Twenty Sixpremieres on BritBox May 1.
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On the Box: The BritBox Podcast:
Hosted by award-winning British radio and television personality Edith Bowman and American comedian, presenter and proud Anglophile Michelle Collins, On the Box: The BritBox Podcast is created in partnership with BBC Studios Audio and delivers exclusive cast interviews, behind-the-scenes stories and sharp, lively takes on the best of British television. With new episodes released every Monday, the weekly series is available wherever listeners enjoy their podcasts.

May 4, 2026: 1×09: Ruth Jones ON Mrs Bennet as the Greatest Villain
Do not miss this brilliant episode as the fantastic Ruth Jones stops by On The Box to talk about playing Mrs Bennet in the new BritBox original The Other Bennet Sister.

The Gavin & Stacey star joins Edith and Michelle to talk about her experience working with the magnetic new star Ella Bruccoleri, the awesome power of a costume corset, her writing process with James Corden as they work on upcoming Apple TV show The Choir, and how to perfect the lunchtime nap on set.

STREAMING NOW: 1×08: Hugh Bonneville ON Where’s Paddington?
A VERY special episode joined by bonafide A-lister and British national treasure, Hugh Bonneville! The star of Paddington sits down with Edith and Michelle to discuss the secret sauce that made Downton Abbey so popular around the globe, the return of Ian Fletcher to our screens in Twenty Twenty Six and he also reveals the one question that all school children always ask him. You do not want to miss this one.

STREAMING NOW: 1×07: Edith & Michelle ON There’s Been A Murder
From Sherlock to Father Brown, there’s just no beating a Great British Detective story. In this episode, Edith and Michelle revisit a pair of classic episodes of Taggartand Inspector Morse, the hosts uncover some serious 90s nostalgia, amongst the grit and toil of these weathered detectives.

STREAMING NOW: 1×06: Ed Speleers ON I Didn’t Want To Go The Jack Sparrow Route
Ed Speleers (You, Outlander, The Lady, Eragon) joins Edith and Michelle for a hilarious conversation about wild nights on the streets of Budapest, teasing and marvelling at Mia McKenna-Bruce on the set of The Lady, his best sources for pirate inspo, how he and Edith go way, way back, and why they cut out all his worst clumsiness from Downton Abbey.

ICYMI:

STREAMING NOW: A Taste For Murder | Worldwide Premiere, BritBox Original, BritBox Exclusive, | 6 x 45’ | Released Weekly
For connoisseur Detective Chief Inspector Joe Mottram (Warren Brown, Luther), the beautiful island of Capri was meant to be a place to grieve his deceased wife, reconnect with his troubled teenage daughter and get closer to his late wife’s Italian relatives. All he planned was a summer’s break and a chance to savor some delicious Italian produce. But Joe attracts murder cases like a wasp to a ripe peach and soon he finds himself involved in a case that is very close to home. The finale of A Taste For Murder premieres May 5 on BritBox.

STREAMING NOW: After the Flood S2 | North America Premiere, BritBox Original, BritBox Exclusive | 6 x 60’ | Released Weekly
The second series of After the Flood finds newly-promoted detective Jo Marshall (Sophie Rundle, Peaky Blinders) on the trail of a baffling murder investigation. As tensions simmer in Waterside amid the rising threat of moorland fires and the subsequent risk of further flooding, a body is discovered in bizarre circumstances. Jo’s race to stop the killer will put her in opposition to dark, influential forces within the town, and ultimately take her on a much more personal investigation. One that will require her to operate in secret if she is to have any hope of rooting out the corruption that has blighted the town’s police force – and her own family – for decades. The season two finale of After the Flood premieres May 28 on BritBox.

BritBox May Listings:

May 1, 2026: Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) | New to BritBox | 1 x 120’ | Released All at Once | *US Only
Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger, Chicago) is a busy journalist and singleton lost amid a sea of smug-marrieds in London. After vowing to abandon her many vices, Bridget turns over a new page by channeling her opinions and insecurities in a journal that becomes a hilarious chronicle of her misadventures. Soon, Bridget finds herself stuck in the sights of not one, but two men: her dashing boss Daniel (Hugh Grant, Love Actually), who thrives on bad behavior; and the brooding Mark (Colin Firth, The King’s Speech), who she despises but somehow can’t get away from.

May 1, 2026: Twenty Twenty Six S1 | BritBox Co-Exclusive, North America Premiere | 6 x 30’ | Released All at Once
Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) reprises his role as Ian Fletcher from acclaimed comedies W1A and Twenty Twelve. And this time he’s managing the biggest sporting event in history. The year 2026 will see the biggest football competition ever staged. Three host nations. Thousands of miles apart. And with five billion fans set to watch, someone needs to retain possession of this complex operation. What could possibly go wrong? Enter Ian Fletcher, former Head of Deliverance for the London 2012 Olympics. A man who’s got where he has because of a unique capacity to remain relentlessly positive – even when all available evidence suggests otherwise. From BAFTA winner John Morton (Twenty Twelve, W1A).

May 6, 2026: The Other Bennet Sister | North America Premiere, BritBox Original, BritBox Exclusive, | 10 x 30’ | Released 3x on Premiere, Then Weekly
Ella Bruccoleri (Ludwig, Call the Midwife) stars as one of Jane Austen’s most unassuming characters: Mary Bennet – the seemingly unremarkable and overlooked middle sister in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The series follows Mary as she steps out of her sisters’ shadows in search of her own identity and purpose – finding herself in the middle of an epic love story along the way. Her journey will see her leave her family home in Meryton for the soirees of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love and reinvention.

May 11, 2026: I Literally Just Told You S3 | North America Premiere | 5 x 60’ | Released All at Once
Jimmy Carr (The Big Fat Quiz of the Year) presents a new gameshow with a unique twist – the contestants have to answer questions being written live as the show is being filmed

May 20, 2026: Howards End S1 | New to BritBox | 4 x 60’ | Released All at Once | *US Only
Academy Award winning screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan brings a fresh take to E.M. Forster’s classic novel with an adaptation starring Matthew Macfadyen (Succession, Pride & Prejudice) and Hayley Atwell (Rivals, Paddington in Peru). Howards End is a portrait of two imaginative and life-loving sisters in Edwardian England as they develop relationships within both the upper and lower classes.

May 25, 2026: QI (W) S24 | North America Premiere, BritBox Exclusive | 14 x 30’ | Released All at Once
The nation’s most curious comedy quiz show is back. QI returns with Series W, promising another round of razor-sharp wit, unexpected facts and the very best in comedy talent. At the helm once again is Sandi Toksvig (No 73), joined by Alan Davies (Jonathan Creek) as they both lead a dazzling mix of first-time guests and returning favourites who wrestle with the Weird and Wonderful, dabble in Wordmongery, puzzle over Who, What, Why and unravel all manner of Whatnots.

BritBox 2026 Sneak Peek:
Coming Soon: A Woman of Substance S1 | BritBox Original, BritBox Exclusive, North America Premiere | 8 x 60’
From servant’s quarters to business empire, Emma Harte’s (Brenda Blethyn, Vera) indomitable spirit propels her rise from poverty to riches, yearning for one unattainable love.

Coming Soon: Gone S1 | BritBox Original, BritBox Exclusive, North America Premiere | 6 x 60’
David Morrissey (Sherwood) and Eve Myles (Torchwood) star in this gripping drama. When his wife disappears, an inscrutably composed headmaster finds himself under mounting suspicion.

BBC Select May Listings:
May 1, 2026: The Real Spies Among Friends | Available in North America | 1 x 60’ | Released All at Once
Uncovering the staggering extent of Kim Philby and his fellow traitors’ deception.

May 4, 2026: Queen Victoria: Secret Marriage Secret Child? | North America Premiere | 1 x 60’ | Released All at Once
Rob Rinder and Dr. Fern Riddell investigate scandal and rumor surrounding Queen Victoria.

May 5, 2026: The Race for Ancient Egypt in Colour | North America Premiere | 2 x 60’ | Released All at Once
Archaeology and politics collide as Egypt’s fight for independence shapes a fierce race to control its ancient past.

May 6, 2026: Mountains: Life Above the Clouds | Available in North America | 3 x 50’ | Released All at Once
An awe-inspiring journey to the three most iconic mountain ranges on the planet, the Rockies, Himalaya and Andes Mountains.

May 7, 2026: Matthew Perry and the Ketamine Queen | Available in Canada (already streaming in the US) | 1 x 50’ | Released All at Once
Investigating the events leading up to the shocking death of Friends star Matthew Perry.

May 7, 2026: Scotland: 1000 Years of History | Available in North America | 1 x 120’ | Released All at Once
How did a tiny nation like Scotland have such an influence on shaping the world today?

May 8, 2026: Clash of the Superpowers: America vs China | North America Premiere | 2 x 60’ | Released All at Once
From tariffs to TikTok, the inside story of Trump vs Xi and the pivotal moments that have shaped a world-changing battle for power and influence.

May 14, 2026: Fake or Fortune S13 | North America Premiere | 4 x 60’ | Released All at Once
A team of experts employ detective skills and the latest forensic testing to investigate mysteries behind works of art.

May 14, 2026: How to Build a Dinosaur | Available in North America | 1 x 50’ | Released All at Once
Dr. Alice Roberts discovers how scientists rebuild dinosaurs from incomplete fossils, revealing accurate skeletons, muscles, and even skin colour.

May 16, 2026: The Travel Show Vol. 8 | Available in North America | 8 x 25’ | Released Weekly
Explore new destinations around the globe with the latest travel stories and news.

May 21, 2026: Britain’s First Photo Album | Available in North America | 10 x 30’ | Released All at Once
John Sergeant retraces Victorian photographer Francis Frith’s 1860s quest to record Britain, revealing what has changed, endured or disappeared.

May 21, 2026: Stonehenge: The Lost Circle Revealed | North America Premiere | 1 x 60’ | Released All at Once
Dr. Alice Roberts follows a decade-long historical quest using cutting-edge research that reveals Stonehenge’s oldest secret.

May 28, 2026: How the Victorian’s Built Britain S1 | Available in North America | 4 x 60’ | Released All at Once
Travel the length and breadth of the country to find out how the Victorians built Britain.

May 28, 2026: Rob and Rylan’s Passage to India | North America Premiere | 3 x 60’ | Released All at Once
Rob and Rylan head to India to seek out its incredible art, religion, culture, and history.
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About BritBox
BritBox is the leading streaming destination for the best of British television, offering an unmatched collection of expertly curated entertainment. From critically acclaimed dramas and mysteries to comedies, documentaries, and lifestyle programming, BritBox invites audiences to step out of their everyday and into a world of exceptional British storytelling. Launched in 2017 and now owned by BBC Studios, BritBox is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and the Nordics. For more, visit britbox.com, or find the BritBox app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

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About BBC Select
BBC Select is an ad-free, streaming service offering documentaries across history, travel, culture, true crime and more to audiences in the U.S. and Canada on Amazon Prime Video Channels, Apple TV, The Roku Channel and BritBox Premier. BBC Select is owned and run by BBC Studios – creator, producer and distributor of unparalleled British content globally.

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