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Crisp autumn nights and Halloween just around the corner can only mean one thing: it is time for some seriously spooky television. Whether you prefer gentle ghost stories, supernatural drama or a full-on fright, there’s a TV show for every kind of viewer this autumn. Here are our top picks.

The Celebrity Traitors

With its gothic castle setting and game of deception, The Celebrity Traitors is the perfect show for dark Autumn evenings. Host Claudia Winkleman has recently welcomed a new group of famous faces for the second celebrity series of the hit TV show. Will the Faithful uncover the Traitors before they are banished or murdered from the game?

Where to watch: BBC One and BBC iPlayer

The Reluctant Vampire

For family-friendly Halloween fun, try The Reluctant Vampire, a new six-part comedy starring Lenny Rush. Young Val is expected to follow his family’s bloodthirsty traditions, but a startling discovery about himself forces him to question everything he knows. With Tom Davis, Sian Clifford, Bill Bailey and Joe Wilkinson among the cast, the series mixes coming-of-age comedy with monsters and playful scares.

Where to watch: BBC One and BBC iPlayer

The Party

Secrets come back to haunt two lifelong friends in The Party, a new five-part thriller based on Elizabeth Day’s novel of the same name. Luke Evans stars as journalist Martin Gilmour, whose bond with wealthy politician Ben Fitzmaurice is tested when a lavish birthday celebration threatens to expose their past with tragic consequences. The drama begins on 11 October 2026 on ITV1 and ITVX, making it a tense, twist-filled choice for darker autumn evenings.

Where to watch: ITV1 and ITVX

The Game

Starring Robson Green and Jason Watkins, The Game is a dark cat-and-mouse drama in which the past refuses to stay buried. Threatening encounters and the sense of being haunted by earlier events give this recent 5 thriller an appropriately unsettling edge for October.

Where to watch: 5

Sea Shadows

In French supernatural drama Sea Shadows, an oceanographer returns to her coastal hometown to investigate the mysterious loss of a trawler. Strange disturbances at sea and talk of something monstrous in the bay turn the investigation into something far more dangerous.

Where to watch: Channel 4

Generation Z

Generation Z puts a darkly comic British spin on the zombie story. When an army convoy crashes outside a care home, a chemical spill leaves the older residents with an unexpected appetite for flesh. As the outbreak spreads, teenagers and pensioners are forced into a chaotic battle for survival.

Where to watch: Channel 4

The Listeners

In eerie psychological drama The Listeners, an English teacher begins to hear a low humming sound that nobody else can detect. When one of her students admits that he can hear it too, the pair are drawn towards a group who want to embrace the mysterious noise. Starring Rebecca Hall, this unsettling BBC drama is a strong choice if you prefer creeping unease to jump scares.

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

Passenger

Passenger blends supernatural mystery, dark humour and small-town crime. Former Met detective Riya Ajunwa finds herself investigating a series of strange incidents in the fictional northern village of Chadder Vale, from a missing young woman to an inexplicably mutilated stag. Can Riya convince the villagers that all is not as it seems?

Where to watch: ITVX

My Paranormal Nightmare

My Paranormal Nightmare recounts disturbing experiences reported by people who believe they have encountered unexplained forces. Dramatic reconstruction and first-person testimony bring stories of hauntings, shadowy figures and frightening activity to life.

Where to watch: 5

Help! My House Is Haunted

Enjoy paranormal investigations? Help! My House Is Haunted follows a team of experts as they visit homes whose residents have reported unexplained activity. Night-vision cameras, historical research and tense overnight investigations make it an easy Halloween-season watch.

Where to watch: Really

Don’t let TV interference give you a fright

Once you have chosen what to watch, the last thing you need is interference spoiling the suspense. If you notice new interference to your free-to-view TV, there’s a small chance it may be due to mobile signal upgrades. We’re here to help — call us on 0808 13 13 800 (free from UK landlines and mobiles).