TV to look forward to...

Aside from providing a mixture of excitement, near misses and triumphs, the Olympics has also caused considerable changes to our summertime television schedules which, funnily enough, are now almost completely dominated by sport or sport-related content.


And if you've been wondering why the non-olympic scheduling has been a bit bland of late, don't worry, you're not the only one. Whilst most of the country is spending their days staring at Jessica Ennis's abs or watching death-defying gymnastic routines with baited breath, a select few are wondering what on earth has happened to the schedules on every channel that isn't BBC-owned. 


Well the truth of the matter is, when the majority of the country is busy running round dressed in Union Flags, screaming at the TV and supporting their country in the games, there really is no sense in 'wasting' good programming on the minority of TV audiences who aren't being thrilled by the prospect of our ever increasing Gold medal tally. 


The good news is that there's an awful lot of great TV lined up for the schedules post-Olympics (although i've no idea what content will fill the News when the games are over. Journalists might actually have to leave the Olympic Park and find real stories again!). Here are just a few of the programmes I'm getting excited for this Autumn...




Good Cop - BBC1
Warren Brown plays the part of a young Liverpool response cop. When his best friend is murdered the impact of his brutal death throws his whole life and career into turmoil. He starts to question everything he believes in and the difference between right and wrong.

A Touch of Cloth - Sky1

Suranne Jones and John Hannah star in this Sitcom-slash-Crime-Drama which will "spoof the very best and worst of British crime dramas made in the last decade. A Touch of Cloth is an all-encompassing parody of every police procedural ever written." (Skymedia.co.uk)

Merlin (Series 5) - BBC1
Merlin Returns with its all star cast for another series of Magic, Mystery and, let's be honest, a fair bit of mayhem. The show, which first aired in 2008, will once again star Colin Morgan as Merlin, Bradley James as King Arthur and Katie McGrath as Morgana as well as Angel Coulby as Gwen and Richard Wilson as Gaius.

The Secret of Crickley Hall - BBC1

Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey, Single Father, Five Days) will star as Eve Caleigh alongside an all-star cast including Tom Ellis (Miranda, The Fades) and Douglas Henshall (Primeval, South Riding) in a chilling haunted house event drama for BBC One this autumn. The drama is an adaptation of James Herbert's best-selling novel made by BBC Drama Production North.

The X Factor - ITV1
The never-ending entertainment juggernaut that is 'The X Factor' returns for what feels like its millionth series in just a few weeks. Last years judges Gary Barlow and Tulisa join Simon Cowell and new judge Nicole Scherzinger for the usual mix of good, bad and downright ridiculous singers (although it's debatable whether some of the auditionees should actually be labelled as 'singers'). And the first official promo for the new series is GREAT! 

So, if the weather carries on in its usual British fashion (rain, wind and the occasional glimpse of the sun just to get all our hopes up) and you find yourself stuck inside of an evening, rest assured there'll be plenty on the Box to entertain you!