David Farnor | On 29, Apr 2020

BritBox, the streaming service created by BBC and ITV, has officially gone live in the UK, as the public service broadcasters team up to take on Netflix.

The subscription VOD platform is slowly but surely adding more titles to its collection of British box sets centred on homegrown talent, and its exclusive access to ITV’s catalogue a month after its broadcast is paying off this May, with Quiz, Belgravia and The Good Karma Hospital all arriving. But the star of the month is undoubtedly the return of several classic children’s TV shows, including Press Gang and the original Thunderbirds.

Here’s what’s coming soon to BritBox in May 2020:

Press Gang – 7th May

A young Dexter Fletcher is just one of the reasons to catch up with this iconic ITV comedy about the activities of a children’s newspaper, produced by pupils at their local comprehensive school. Created by Steven Moffat, it run from 1989 to 1993.

Thunderbirds (1965) – 7th May

Gerry Anderson’s classic puppet actioner thriller, which follows International Rescue – the life-saving, family-run task force with an array of cool craft – is as charming and exciting as ever. Original episodes are joined by the documentary All About Thunderbirds (2008), plus the pilot episodes of Captain Scarlet (1967), Joe 90 (1968) and Stingray (1964).

Kids TV Classics – 7th May

Indulge your inner child and turn back time to enjoy the first seasons of The Worst Witch (1998) and Children’s Ward (1989), along with the pilot episodes of Puddle Lane (1985), Murphy’s Mob (1982), Jungle Run (1999), Tots TV (1993), Wizadora (1991), Wolves, Witches and Giants (1995) and Woof! (1989).

To Walk Invisible – 7th May

Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte face a bleak future, with their father half-blind and troubled brother Branwell in decline. As their situation worsens, Charlotte sees that writing could offer a way out. This is the story of the sisters’ great novels and their extraordinary battle for recognition. Starring Finn Atkins, Charlie Murphy, Chloe Pirrie and Jonathan Pryce.

A Fine Romance: Seasons 1 to 4 – 7th May

Tracey Ullman Show: Tracey Breaks The News – 7th MayQuiz – 15th May

When seemingly hopeless contestant Charles Ingram returns for his second night in the hot seat, he is a brand new man with a brand new strategy. With the audience on the edge of their seats, Charles dithers and about-turns up the question ladder while an increasingly suspicious production team launch an investigation that will lead them to an incriminating pattern of coughs in the studio audience. Starring Matthew Macfadyen and Michael Sheen.

Kate & Koji: Season 1 – 18th May

Kate & Koji centres around a working-class woman who runs an old-fashioned café in a seaside town and who develops a strong, if sometimes volatile, friendship with an asylum-seeking African doctor. Starring Brenda Blethyn and Jimmy Akingbola.

Belgravia: Season 1 – 20th May

Belgravia is a story of secrets and dishonour amongst the upper echelon of London society. The Battle of Waterloo sets in motion a series of events that will have consequences for decades to come. Created by Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey), starring Tamsin Greig, Philip Glenister, Alice Eve, Tom Wilkinson and Harriet Walter.

The Good Karma Hospital: Season 3 – 20th May

The Good Karma Hospital series three finds the tropical Indian hospital busy as ever, with several big new arrivals causing a stir. Starring Amanda Redman, Amrita Acharia, James Floyd, Nimmi Harasgama, Sayani Gupta, Sagar Radia and Neil Morrissey.

King Charles III – 21st May

Prince Charles has waited his entire life to ascend to the British throne. But after the Queen’s death, he immediately finds himself wrestling his conscience over a bill to sign into law. His hesitation detonates a constitutional and political crisis, and his family start to worry, with William and Kate becoming aware his actions may threaten their future. Meanwhile, an unhappy and frustrated Prince Harry starts a relationship with a ‘commoner’, just at the moment that the press is looking for a way to attack. With the future of the monarchy under threat, protests on the streets and his family in disarray, Charles must grapple with his own identity and purpose to decide whether, in the 21st century, the British crown still has any real power. Starring Tim Pigott-Smith, Oliver Chris, Richard Goulding, Charlotte Riley and Margot Leicester.

The Hunt – 21st May

Produced by the team that created BBC’s Planet Earth, The Hunt explores the relationship between predators and their prey. Sir David Attenborough narrates this documentary while the cameras follow the animals in their natural habitats.

Our Queen at War – 23rd May

This new documentary explores how the Queen – yet to be crowned Britain’s monarch – was shaped by the events of the Second World War. Drawing on interviews with a childhood friend, people who shared her experiences, and royal experts, this programme looks at how what WWII transformed a teenage princess into the country’s longest-reigning monarch.

Death in Paradise Season 8 – 28th May

DI Jack Mooney and his team solve a host of baffling murders on the beautiful Caribbean island of Saint Marie. Starring Ardal O’Hanlon, Josephine Jobert, Tobi Bakare, Don Warrington and Shyko Amos.

 

A subscription to BritBox UK costs £5.99 a month, with titles available in HD.

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