Chill out! The best TV shows to get you through the cold months

Chilly season is officially upon us and that can only mean one thing: an excuse to spend long, cosy nights in front of the TV. PJs on, cup of tea in hand and, if we’re lucky, the TV remote all to ourselves. Are you with me?

Fortunately, 2025 has quite the line-up of shows, from page-to-screen adaptations to the long-awaited return of some of our favourite series. If you’re not already hooked on the season three of The Traitors, it’s a good place to start. The new series is all about ‘woman power’, unexpected twists and, yet again, Claudia Winkleman’s wardrobe (how could it not be?).

Better yet, if there’s a Motherland-shaped hole in your life, it’s finally being filled with an Amandaland spin-off arriving in February. Needless to say, Lucy Punch is the star of the show as the highly strung, aspirational Amanda who’s navigating the world of modern parenting – social media, eco anxiety and teenage drinking included. Sound familiar?

Whatever your tastes, fill the kettle, grab a blanket and check out our pick of the best TV shows to help get you through the cold snap…

Brian and Maggie

Remember the (now infamous) 1989 interview between journalist Brian Walden and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, which triggered the downfall of the Iron Lady? Steve Coogan and Harriet Walter are bringing the 45-minute showdown to life in this two-part drama – and the pair’s physical transformation alone has got us very excited. Coming soon to Channel 4.

Playing Nice

This new psychological thriller based on JP Delaney's bestselling novel is one you’ll be thinking about long after the credits roll. The lives of two couples are turned upside down when they discover their toddlers were switched at birth, due to a hospital mix up. James Norton, Niamh Algar, James McArdle and Jessica Brown Findlay make up the couples. Coming to ITV1 on Sunday 5^th January.

The Traitors

Claudia Winkleman and her iconic fringe are officially back in the Scottish Highlands for another series of the BAFTA-winning game show - and we're already obsessed. Admittedly, things aren't going particularly well for this year's Faithfuls, but there's still plenty of time for them to sniff out the Traitors in the pack. Let the backstabbing continue! Currently airing on BBC One and iPlayer.

The White Lotus

Another fix of Mike White’s delicious drama is just what the doctor ordered. The new series kicks off in Thailand where a fresh crop of guests (Jason Isaacs, Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb and Michelle Monaghan are among them) arrive at The White Lotus Hotel ready to embrace sun, sea and spirituality. But as a Buddhist monk ominously warns: “Everyone runs from pain towards pleasure, but they get there only to find more pain”. It remains to be seen quite what that means, but we do know that what happens in Thailand stays in Thailand. Coming to Sky Max and NOW on 17^th February

Lockerbie: A Search for Truth

Colin Firth is as a father seeking justice in his latest small-screen role. Based on the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 that killed 259 passengers and crew members, he plays the real-life Dr Jim Swire, who lost his young daughter in the tragedy and embarked on a three-decades-long mission to find out the truth about what happened. Available now on Sky Atlantic and NOW

A Thousand Blows

Peaky Blinders creator Stephen Knight is gifting us with yet another great drama, this time set in the perilous world of illegal boxing in Victorian London. Stephen Graham has seriously bulked up for the role of notorious boxer, Sugar Goodson, while Malachi Kirby (Small Axe, Boiling Point) stars as his Jamaican rival Hezekiah Moscow. Top performances from both. Coming to Disney+ on 21^st February

Amandaland

Lucy Punch is getting her moment in the spotlight in this long-awaited Motherland spin-off. Returning as her hilariously uptight character Amanda, she's been forced to downsize and is navigating modern parenting dilemmas including social media, eco anxiety and teenage drinking. Dame Joanna Lumley also returns as her rather brutal mother Felicity. Coming to BBC One in February

Am I Being Unreasonable?

Daisy May Cooper's brilliant comedy-thriller is returning for a second series in hilarious fashion. The show opens in the chaos of where the season one finale left off – but has Nic (Daisy) got away with murder? Kicked out of her family home, she's now sharing a caravan with best friend Jen, her husband is having a midlife crisis which involves a love of rollerblading and she may or may not be experiencing hallucinations... Coming to BBC One in February.

Zero Day

Conspiracy is the name of the game in Hollywood legend Robert De Niro’s first TV series. Both producer and star of the show, he plays former US president George Mullen who's investigating a deadly cyberattack. While dealing with personal demons, George must make sense of the aftermath and bring a nation back from the brink of chaos. Arriving on Netflix from 20^th February.

Miss Austen

2025 marks the 250^th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, so what better time for Keeley Hawes to step into the role of her lesser-known sister Cassandra? This adaptation of Gill Hornby’s bestselling novel is set in 1830 and explores Cassandra's mysterious decision to destroy most of her sister's personal letters decades after Jane's death. Rose Leslie and Jessica Hynes also star. Coming to BBC One in February

The Handmaid's Tale

The long-running dystopian drama is returning for its sixth and final (sob) series. The details are sadly being kept firmly under wraps, but we can tell you that the show’s lead Elisabeth Moss has directed four of the episodes and described it as “absolutely for the fans”. Enough said. Coming to Disney+ on 4^th March.