The summer is well on its way, but sunny days and rising temperatures aren’t stopping the broadcasters and streamers from coming up with new ways to entertain us on the small screen.
In June there’s plenty of TV to look forward to — even if you’re not a fan of football, which will dominate a lot of the schedules as the biggest World Cup yet kicks off in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
There’s agricultural entertainment with the return of Clarkson’s Farm, a TV version of Cape Fear and the final chapter of The Bear. Plus a new comedy from Mindy Kaling, more from Westeros as we welcome the House of the Dragon for a third run and a beloved documentary series comes to its bittersweet conclusion.
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Here are our experts’ top ten shows to watch in June…
Not Suitable for Work
June 2 — available on Prime Video in the UK and Hulu in the US
Created by The Office and The Mindy Project star Mindy Kaling, this new comedy series is based around a group of five work-obsessed twentysomethings living in the Murray Hill area of Manhattan in New York. Starring Ella Hunt and Avantika among an ensemble cast, the series draws humour and conflict from long working hours, a desire to succeed and trying to find space for messy relationships somewhere in between.
Clarkson’s Farm
June 3— available on Prime Video in the UK and the US
The observational documentary about Jeremy Clarkson’s adventures on a farm in the Cotswolds has become one of Prime Video’s biggest hits, and so it’s with much anticipation that we await its fifth season. In the most recent run of the show Jeremy was left to the run the farm alone when his right-hand man, Kaleb Cooper, and his girlfriend, Lisa Hogan, worked on a new product line. We were also introduced to the nurse and farmer Harriet Cowan. What will happen next on Diddly Squat Farm? Well, you’ll have to tune in to find out…
Cape Fear
June 5 — available on Apple TV in the UK and the US
Inspired by the 1991 film starring Robert De Niro and directed by Martin Scorsese, itself a remake of a 1962 film starring Gregory Peck that was an adaptation of a novel from 1957, this ten-part series has some backstory. However, with Scorsese and Steven Spielberg executive producing this latest retelling of the story of an unreformed former convict seeking vicious revenge on the people that put him behind bars, and Javier Bardem and Amy Adams among the cast, the likelihood is this could be a fine psychological thriller.
Alice and Steve
June 8 — available on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US
There are high hopes for this new “wrong-com” from the writer Sophie Goodhart (Sex Education), the director Tom Kingsley (Stath Lets Flats), and produced by Clerkenwell Films, the company behind Baby Reindeer. Starring Nicola Walker as Alice and Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement as Steve, the series explores in all its awkward detail what happens when the titular best friends’ lives are turned upside down when Steve starts dating Alice’s 26-year-old daughter, Izzy. What comes next is a messy, funny and complicated exploration of friendship and family.
World Cup 2026
From June 11 on BBC and ITV in the UK and NBC in the US
Harry Kane will captain the England team in the World CupJacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images
While it’s not a TV show in the traditional sense, the television schedules will be awash with World Cup coverage across June, so if you don’t like football — beware! The biggest World Cup in the history of the Fifa tournament has 48 teams for the first time, meaning there’s an extra round (the last 32) stretching the joint-hosted event between Mexico, Canada and the USA to a whopping five weeks in length. Things get underway in Mexico City on Thursday 11 June as Mexico welcomes South Africa for the Group A opener.
The Bear
June 25 — available on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US
This intense drama about a chef returning to his family to take over a restaurant after the death of his brother has been something of a rollercoaster ride. While the quality may have dipped a little in the middle after a breathtakingly good opening couple of seasons, it still has a big fanbase who are keen to see how the story is resolved in this final chapter. Season five picks up after the bombshell that Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy has left the restaurant in the hands of Sydney, Richie and Natalie — but can this band of unlikely heroes turn around the sinking ship?
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness
June 26 — available in the UK and the US on HBO Max
While Larry David may have finally, finally ended his long-running hit Curb Your Enthusiasm, the veteran comedian and writer is not finished with entertaining the world. In this new sketch series, executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, David celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States across seven parts as he takes characters on an offbeat, awkward and hilarious journey through the history of the country.
House of the Dragon
June 27 — available on HBO Max in the UK and the US
Finally, after what feels like for ever, it’s time to return to the world of Westeros for the third series of this epic prequel. And it’s all-out war as the factions of House Targaryen engage in a mighty battle. The showrunner Ryan Condal has teased that this new instalment will be about “total war” after season two was about “the fits and starts of an early medieval war”. Matt Smith’s Daemon is plotting an everlasting Targaryen reign, while Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is out for revenge against his brother, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell). There will be plenty of dragons, of course, and the arrival of fresh blood in the form of James Norton, who will play Lord Ormund Hightower, cousin to Alicent (Olivia Cooke). This is the penultimate season, so enjoy it while you can, and without further ado let battle commence.
70 Up
Expected June on ITV in the UK
The participants of 70 Up, which will be showing on ITVMultiStory Media
The excellent documentary series is returning despite the death in 2021 of its long-term director, Michael Apted. In 1964 World in Action screened the first film, Seven Up! — and every seven years since we’ve been invited into the participants’ lives as they have dealt with marriage, divorce, parenting and so much more. Now it’s time for the final chapter, an epic two-parter directed by Asif Kapadia (Amy, Senna and Diego Maradona) that will see the pensioners and retirees look back on their lives and the remarkable situation of having so much of their stories on our screens. It will also be a tribute to Lynn and Nick, who died in 2013 and 2023 respectively.
Ann Droid
Expected June on the BBC in the UK
Diane Morgan is back on our screens, but not as Philomena Cunk — instead she’s starring in a new show co-created with Sarah Kendall and starring Morgan and Sue Johnston. The six-part sitcom is about Sue, who lost her husband 18 months ago and is now living with Linda, a second-hand AnnDroid Z58/100 Basic Eldercare Robot gifted by her son, Michael, who is off trying to fix his marriage. A zeitgeisty theme and lots of laughs — what more could you want in the age of AI and robots?
Love TV? Discover the best shows on Netflix, the best Prime Video TV shows and the best Apple TV+ shows. Don’t forget to check our critics’ choices to watch and our comprehensive TV guide, plus our look at the finest films and TV shows this month