Back in April, the UK was given a glimpse into Manchester’s grim criminal underworld when BBC Two aired a docuseries called The Detectives.
The Detectives: Fighting Organised Crime investigated real instances of historic organised crime In Manchester and the gangs behind such activities, and followed a team of detectives trying to put a stop to it – with each episode covering cases as they happened.
It aired on BBC Two and millions watched, tweeted and series linked it on their Sky boxes.
#WATCH | The second episode of the new BBC Two series #TheDetectives airs tonight at 9pm…
Watch exceptional coverage of DCI Liz Hopkinson and her team from the Major Incident Team successfully working to tackle a murder investigation involving serious and organised crime. pic.twitter.com/OVzecWLZqT
The show was a smash hit due to its exceptional coverage of live police investigations, filmed over a two year period, and gave viewers unprecedented access into the Greater Manchester Police.
However, after two episodes, the docuseries disappeared from TV guides and when Tuesday rolled around (the day it aired on both weeks) many people were wondering where it had gone.
The BBC didn’t do much to answer everybody’s questions at the time, with many wondering if the show had been axed – but while looking deeper on Twitter it has become apparent that the show’s creators are waiting to unleash a three-part episode on a single investigation this summer.
Answering someone’s inquisitive tweet, BBC iPlayer explained: “The first two episodes were self-contained narratives.
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“There are three remaining episodes that are planned later in the summer which follow one complete story.”
So while the first and second episode focused on individual stories – such as the murder of Luke Graham and the investigation into a series of kidnappings which introduced Paris Bostock to the nation – the last three episodes will be one continuous storyline (or three hours following the same criminal gang).
Hi Matt, The first two episodes were self-contained narratives. There are three remaining episodes that are planned later in the summer which follow one complete story. Keep an eye on the programme page for dates nearer the time: https://t.co/k77v9sWGjp Thanks
Currently, there is no information available on which investigation the show will focus on for its second-run (there are significant rumours online that it will be covering the Rochdale grooming gang scandal — but this is unconfirmed), but by dedicating three hours to it, we imagine it will be a significant story that we’re all familiar with.
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There are currently no exact dates set out for its return, with the BBC asking people to “keep an eye on the programme page for dates nearer the time”, however our educated guess is that it will be released at some point in July due to formal messaging stating its return will be in “summer” – and summer in the UK officially begins at the end of June.
As always, we will let you know as soon as the programming dates have been revealed, because if you’re reading this, you’re probably as much of a fan of The Detectives as we are.
A first look into the highly-anticipated TV soap crossover ‘Corriedale’ has just dropped
Thomas Melia
The wait is nearly over for TV soap fans, as producers behind the highly-anticipated ‘Corriedale’ crossover have just dropped an exclusive first look.
Whether you’re team Coronation Streetor team Emmerdale, this show has all areas covered as it merges both the iconic TV soaps into an hour-long special.
Now, it feels like Christmas has come early as pictures of two very distinctive cast members smiling next to each other while filming the crossover episode have been released.
In the newly-released images we can see Vicky Myers, known for playing the assertive and dedicated DS Lisa Swain, representing the Manchester-based production Coronation Street.
Vicky Myers (DS Lisa Swain) and Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle) pictured together ahead of upcoming TV soap crossover Corriedale / Credit: ITV Press Centre (Supplied)
Stood by her side is Danny Miller known for his role as the complex and vulnerable Aaron Dingle in Leeds-based hit soap Emmerdale.
Both can be seen on-set and are pictured in front of a white trailer filming for the upcoming Corriedale special.
Although the shows are set just a one hour’s drive away from each other, separated by The Pennines, this soap special marks the first time that characters from each drama will have ever crossed paths.
Most details for this soap crossover are being kept very tight-lipped although filming kicked off in September with this latest update marking the first-ever major cast announcement for Corriedale.
ITV Executive Producer for Continuing Drama Iain Macleod said: “It’s beyond exciting that filming is under way on Corriedale.
“There is a massive buzz around both the Leeds and Manchester sites and the images coming out of the shoot are utterly spectacular. And that’s before we’ve even got to all the brilliant transpennine interactions between characters from the different shows!
“As a soap fan myself, I think my head is going to explode when the episode airs next year. It will be mind-blowing, historical and unmissable.”
Corriedale is coming to our TV screens in early 2026 and heralds the start of a new soap power hour with 30 minute episodes of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale to air every weekday.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman to step down from Strictly Come Dancing
Danny Jones
Long-serving Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have announced that they will be stepping down from the beloved reality TV competition after more than three decades between them.
The Strictly team will, of course, ‘keep dancing’, but this still feels like the end of an era.
While Claudia Winkleman only became a joint co-anchor back in 2010 in preparation for the legendary Sir Bruce Forsyth’s eventual retirement in 2014, Tess Daly has been one of the two lead presenters since the hit smash-hit UK show first started way back in 2004.
Boasting a cumulative and incredible 31 years as the respective lead faces on one of the nation’s favourite IPs, Daly and Winkleman released a joint video on their social media pages confirming the bittersweet news.
Writing in the caption on Instagram, the pair said: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together, and now feels like the right time.
“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series, and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.
“They’re the most brilliant team, and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last ‘keep dancing’, but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”
Although Winkleman, 53, began as the presenter of the spin-off programme ‘It Takes Two’, it now seems hard to imagine the main show without either of them.
Confirming that they will be departing the British telly favourite at the end of the current series, which is around a month into its 23rd series.
Daly, 56, went on to share a further statement addressing the decision to quit the Strictly lineup after such a lengthy stay on BBC One.
It goes without saying that, much like when ‘Brucey’ left 11 years ago now, the show just won’t be the same without them.
For now, all we can say is thanks for all the memories, and we’d better see them back in the ballroom or popping up for special cameos in Blackpool again one day soon.
What do you make of the announcement, Strictly fans – and who do you think should replace them?
The Manc -
17th May 2021 
