Ahead of the 50th edition of the BBC Studios Showcase, taking place on 23–24 February 2026, BBC Studios has unveiled an expansive and ambitious content slate that reflects both the depth of UK creativity and the evolving needs of the global television market.
The announcement is led by the confirmation of pre-sales for Free Nelson Mandela (working title), a major new documentary series produced by Rogan Productions and GroupM Motion Entertainment for Channel 4. Already co-produced with DR in Denmark, NRK in Norway and Dutch broadcaster ZWART, the series has also been pre-sold to key European territories including Finland, France, Germany and Spain. Presented as either a three-part series (3 × 45’) or a single feature-length film (1 × 90’), the documentary traces Nelson Mandela’s journey from activist to revolutionary, from prisoner to negotiator, and ultimately to a leader who helped steer South Africa towards democracy from behind bars. Drawing on extensive archive material, previously unseen footage and first-hand testimony from those who fought for his freedom, the series offers the most comprehensive account to date of the global political and cultural movement that led to Mandela’s release after 27 years in prison.
This headline title sits within a wide-ranging slate that underscores the scale of BBC Studios Showcase 2026, the UK’s largest single-studio content event. The anniversary edition marks five decades of connecting British creatives with international partners and will feature exclusive previews, industry insights and early looks at projects in development across scripted, unscripted, formats and kids and family content.
In unscripted and natural history, BBC Studios builds on one of its most powerful global brands with Blue Planet III (6 × 60’). Twenty-five years after the original series transformed audiences’ understanding of the oceans, the new instalment combines cutting-edge camera technology with the latest scientific research to explore five key underwater habitats, from tropical and polar seas to the deep ocean. While continuing the franchise’s tradition of visual spectacle, the series also confronts new and emerging threats to marine life, balancing urgency with stories of recovery and hope. Alongside it, Tiger Island (2 × 60’) offers an intimate portrait of a unique conservation success in Nepal, where an unprecedented concentration of tigers is observed using pioneering multi-angle drone filming.
History and specialist factual are also central to the slate, with Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution returning in a two-part special that coincides with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The series revisits one of the most dramatic turning points in modern history, examining how the British Empire, then the most powerful force in the world, lost the War of Independence to a group of American rebels.
On the scripted side, the line-up blends high-concept drama with distinctive British voices. Action thriller Deadpoint follows a group of Welsh climbers who stumble across a far-right plot in the remote landscape of Eryri National Park, while Mint, created and directed by Charlotte Regan, offers a darkly comic and emotionally charged portrait of life inside a crime family. Comedy titles include relationship sitcom Break Clause and coming-of-age vampire comedy The Reluctant Vampire, while crime fans are targeted with a contemporary reimagining of Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence for BritBox. New scripted projects making their debut at Showcase 2026 also include Lynley, Death Valley and the emotionally driven relationship thriller Reunion.
Factual entertainment and formats further strengthen the offer, with paranormal series Daisy May and Charlie Cooper’s NightWatch, travelogue Ronan Keating’s Wild Atlantic, food-led cultural journey Ed & Ryu: Mad About Seafood, and international-ready formats such as Secret Genius and Just One Thing.
Rounding out the slate, kids and family content is led by Zog, a 52 × 11’ animated comedy adventure from Magic Light Pictures based on the beloved books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
