ITV Week 39 Highlights 2026

ITV

The confirmed weekly highlights for ITV channels covering Week 38 and 39, covering Saturday, 19th to Friday, 25th September 2026. Key programming includes:

What to Watch on ITV: The Popcorn Jedi Preview Guide

Get your remote ready, because ITV is packing the schedule over the coming week with heavy-hitting prestige drama, massive reality returns, and elite sport. Whether you are looking for a gritty mystery to sink your teeth into or appointment-to-view entertainment, here is your definitive watchlist.

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Code Red at Wakestead: Michelle Keegan Leads, The Blame

If you are craving a high-stakes thriller that will keep you guessing until the credits roll, this is your number-one priority. Headlined by heavy-hitter Michelle Keegan alongside Douglas Booth, this propulsive mystery follows detectives investigating a tragic teenager murder in Wakestead, only to unravel a dark, treacherous institutional cover-up right inside their own precinct.

• Why our readers should care: Starring Netflix’s Fool Me Once breakout star Michelle Keegan, this twisty prestige drama blends high-octane police corruption with deeply personal moral compromises.

• Essential Details:

  • Show Name: The Blame

  • Air Date: Sunday 20th and Monday 21st September

  • Time: 9:00 PM

  • Channel/ITVX: ITV1

Click HERE for more info on The Blame

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Red Chairs and Rewinds: The Voice UK

The nation’s biggest singing search is back on our screens with a massive twist. Emma Willis returns to host as the iconic red chairs light up once again. This season sees franchise veterans will.i.am and Sir Tom Jones joined by pop-rock royalty Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, and high-voltage new coach Kelly Rowland.

• Why our readers should care: Aside from the star-studded panel, the brand-new “Rewind” button changes the tactical game entirely, giving coaches a literal second chance to rescue artists they previously let slip away.

• Essential Details:

  • Show Name: The Voice UK

  • Air Date: Saturday 19th September

  • Time: 6:10 PM

  • Channel/ITVX: ITV1

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Let the Chaos Begin: Big Brother Returns

The ultimate social experiment is back on ITV2, welcoming a fresh lineup of housemates ready to live under 24-hour surveillance for the ultimate prize. AJ Odudu and Will Best return to anchor the main nightly launch and eviction chaos, while companion show royalty Kate Lawler and podcaster supreme GK Barry take over the studio couch to dissect every single argument.

• Why our readers should care: Big Brother remains the undisputed king of watercooler reality TV culture, and with a brand-new cast and unfiltered companion analysis, the social dynamics are primed for pure television gold.

• Essential Details:

  • Show Name: Big Brother & Big Brother: The Group Chat

  • Air Date: Sunday 20th to Friday 25th September

  • Time: 9:00 PM (Main Show) / 10:00 PM (Group Chat)

  • Channel/ITVX: ITV2

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Mind Games and Masterclasses: Professor T

Ben Miller returns alongside Frances de la Tour for another brilliant run of Cambridge-set crime solving. Playing an eccentric university criminologist battling severe OCD while advising the local police force, Miller brings a deliciously unique flavor to the traditional procedural format.

• Why our readers should care: It combines razor-sharp character work with clever, high-concept whodunits—ranging from poisoned art gallery owners to murder striking at a university rowing club.

• Essential Details:

  • Show Name: Professor T

  • Air Date: Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th September

  • Time: 9:00 PM

  • Channel/ITVX: ITV1

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Local Pride on the Pitch: EFL Live – Millwall v West Ham United

Football rivalry doesn’t get much more heated than this. ITV1 kicks off weekend sports coverage with live Championship action as Millwall host West Ham United for the first time in over fourteen years. Hugh Woozencroft leads the studio punditry team alongside Tony Cascarino and Dean Ashton.

• Why our readers should care: This is a rare, high-stakes domestic clash carrying decades of fiery footballing history straight to a primetime audience.

• Essential Details:

  • Show Name: EFL Live: Millwall v West Ham United

  • Air Date: Saturday 19th September

  • Time: 12:00 PM

  • Channel/ITVX: ITV1

The Blame:

Series Overview

• The Premise: Set in the fictional town of Wakestead, the six-part series follows DI Emma Crane (Michelle Keegan) and DI Tom Radley (Douglas Booth) as they investigate the tragic murder of 16-year-old figure skater Sophie Madsen (Matilda Freeman).

• The Conflict: After quickly identifying a main suspect, an unexpected lead emerges, dragging the detectives into a web of lies, institutional cover-ups, and moral compromises that forces Emma to question those closest to her.

• Themes: Part propulsive mystery and part love story, the drama tackles institutional misogyny, “lad culture,” police malpractice, and systemic corruption within the force.

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Episodic Synopses

• Episode One: While investigating a murder, DI Emma Crane and DI Tom Radley uncover serious misconduct within Wakestead Police Station.

• Episode Two: Emma’s discovery of shocking video evidence leads to an unexpected breakthrough in the case, forcing her to arrest a fellow police officer.

• Episode Three: With a key suspect exonerated, Emma cannot shake her suspicion that a serial predator is operating within Wakestead Police Station.

• Episode Four: Emma uncovers a potential lead to Sophie’s killer as a link to another victim is discovered.

• Episode Five: A suspect is brought in for questioning while Emma seeks help from an unlikely ally to get one step closer to Sophie’s killer.

• Episode Six: With the identity of the serial abuser revealed, Emma uncovers a further clue, forcing a final, devastating confrontation.

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Character Biographies & Cast

• DI Emma Crane (Played by Michelle Keegan): A highly ambitious Detective Inspector completely dedicated to the job. Driven by a fierce need to find justice and give a voice to women, her unwavering pursuit of the truth puts her at odds with colleagues in a male-dominated environment, forcing her to take unusual personal and professional risks.

• DI Tom Radley (Played by Douglas Booth): An astute, ambitious detective who has rapidly ascended the ranks. Partnering with Emma on the case severely tests his instincts, forcing him into making tough, morally complex decisions.

• DCI Kenneth Walker (Played by Ian Hart): Head of the CID floor from the “old guard.” A bullish, experienced leader who must perform a precarious balancing act: securing justice for Sophie while desperately safeguarding the station’s institutional reputation.

• DC Lewis Brimah (Played by Nathan Mensah): New to the CID, he combines a strong work ethic and moral compass with eagerness to impress, though he is quickly tested by the toxic “lad culture” at the station.

• Neil Shergill (Played by Nigel Boyle): The Head of Digital Forensics at Wakestead Police Station, who must utilize his digital skills to help detectives identify the suspect.

• Coach Kyle Frasier (Played by Joe Armstrong): A former ice-skating star turned coach of the Wakestead figure-skating team who worked closely with Sophie since she was ten.

• Sophie Madsen (Played by Matilda Freeman): A dedicated 16-year-old athlete whose relentless pursuit of an injustice triggers a dangerous chain of events.

• DC Douglas James (Played by Josh Bolt): A sociable, observant member of the core CID clique who watches, listens, and files away small details.

• DC Joel Stevens (Played by Gavin Spokes): A brash talker and the clown of the CID floor, terrified that the investigation will threaten his career and social standing.

• PC Callum Drummond (Ceallach Spellman): A local Wakestead boy who joined the force to protect his community, forced to confront past complacency under DI Crane.

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Cast & Creative Team Interviews Summary

Michelle Keegan (DI Emma Crane)

• On the Role & Themes: Attracted by her first police officer role and the script’s handling of workplace “lad culture” and misogyny, hoping it sparks conversation and behavioral change.

• Preparation: Consulted a police advisor named Lisa (who stressed standing her ground against institutional male bias) and drew inspiration from 24 Hours in Police Custody alongside stories from her dad, a police inspector in the 90s/2000s.

• Character Trait: Views things strictly in black-and-white; she is driven, unwilling to conform, and unafraid to bend rules to achieve ultimate justice.

Douglas Booth (DI Tom Radley)

• On the Role & Themes: Drawn to playing a complex, flawed human navigating a grey area caused by a broken system.

• Preparation: Built an extensive “character bible” detailing Tom’s background and consulted a real Metropolitan Police DCI, learning how desperately the Met wants to avoid further scandals.

• Perspective on the Villain: Challenges the idea of a single human antagonist, arguing that the real villain is the systemic toxicity of the workplace culture.

Ian Hart (DCI Kenneth Walker)

• On the Character: Intrigued by Walker’s “moral bankruptcy and vacuousness,” viewing him not as outright malevolent, but rather incompetent, lazy, and part of an uncurious old guard unwilling to join the dots.

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Production Credits

• Based On: The debut novel of the same name by Charlotte Langley

• Lead Writer & Executive Producer: Megan Gallagher

• Series Producer: Matt Strevens

• Executive Producers: Nicola Shindler and Richard Fee (Quay Street Productions)

• Production Company: Quay Street Productions (part of ITV Studios)

• Release Window: Launching this September on ITV / ITVX