ITV September 2023 monthly highlights

• Love & Death and Jonathan Ross: Must Watch Films streaming on ITVX from 07/09
• Crime Series 2 streaming on ITVX from 21 September 
• Films on ITVX from 1st September include 10 Cloverfield Lane, Everest, Julie & Julia and Easy Rider amongst others  
• ITV1 Highlights include The Rugby World Cup, The Long Shadow, Payback, National Television Awards, Britain by the Book with Mel Giedroyc and Martin Clunes, and Bali 2002

1st September 

Feature films: 

Films coming to ITVX this month include crime drama Donnie Brasco (1997) featuring Al Pacino and Johnny Dep and legal drama Marshall (2017) starring Chadwick Boseman. Sci-fi thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman and Chappie (2015), featuring Sharlto Copley, Hugh Jackman and Dev Patel will also launch. Closer to reality we have The Walk (2015) starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Everest (2015) starring Jason Clarke.  Those looking for something lighter can enjoy Closer (2014) starring Natalie Portman, Punch-Drunk Love (2002) starring Adam Sandler, It’s Complicated (2009) starring Meryl Streep and Julie & Julia, also starring Streep from the same year. Last but not least film fans can revel in classics including Easy Rider (1969) starring Dennis Hopper and Sunset Boulevard (1950) starring Gloria Swanson. 

7th September

ITVX

Exclusives: 

Love & Death 

A riveting, psychological drama from David E. Kelley (HBO’s The Undoing and Big Little Lies) and directed by Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland), Love & Death tells the unbelievable true story of Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen), a 1980s Texas housewife accused of murder. Despite a loving family, a picture-perfect home, and an active presence at church, Candy is unable to shake her sense of suburban ennui. After an unexpectedly charged moment with fellow church member Allan Gore (Jesse Plemons), Candy finds just the risk-taking thrill that's been missing from her life. Their ensuing, meticulously strategized affair unfolds mostly as planned – until their respective spouses, Pat (Patrick Fugit) and Betty (Lily Rabe), each discover their secret...and someone picks up an axe.

Jonathan Ross: Must Watch Films

Jonathan Ross’ monthly film recommendations cover a selection of the best films available on the services. Further details on September’s selection will be released shortly.

21st September

Exclusive: 

Crime Series 2

In the second season of Crime, Ray Lennox is ready to return to the fray at Edinburgh Serious Crimes, keen to prove he is fully recovered from his breakdown induced by bringing Mr Confectioner to justice. But he’s surprised to find that it’s all change: Bob Toal has lost his mojo, while Amanda Drummond is newly promoted. And there are two new faces on the team in the form of the devious Tommy Stark and failed actor Norrie Erskine. 

When one of Lennox’s former colleagues is attacked, Lennox and Drummond quickly realise that all is not as it seems as they become embroiled in a case about vengeance, identity and social justice. The attack is linked to a gruesome attempted murder on a high-ranking establishment figure at a posh hotel which has been hushed up from the police. As Lennox investigates via Edinburgh’s saunas, crack dens and poshest hotels, he finds doors slammed in his face; there is an Establishment cover up at play.

It's not until the killer targets one of Lennox’s own team that the pieces start to fall into place. Tracing the motivation back to an unsavoury incident 30 years ago, Lennox begins to realise that there is more to this case than meets the eye and the killer he has been chasing may not be the driving force behind these murders after all.

ITV1

Dates to be confirmed in due course

The Rugby World Cup

Are you ready for the biggest sporting event of 2023? It's all to play for across the home nations as the tournament comes back to the Northern Hemisphere. 

It's been 20 years since a home nation has won the World Cup. We all remember Johnny Wilkinson's iconic drop goal, it's a moment that will be forever etched in our memories. ITV is proud to have brought that moment live to 15 million people and we are excited to be the tournament's official broadcaster in 2023. The opening match and final will take place at the Stade de France, Paries, with other matches played at 9 other venues across France. The tournament takes place from 8th September - 28th October.

The Long Shadow

Meticulously researched and drawing upon the most extensive archive of the investigation, comprising of hundreds of case files, interview transcripts and police reports, The Long Shadow will be the first definitive account of a case that shook Britain. 

Based upon Michael Bilton’s highly praised book, Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, George Kay’s scripts will focus on the lives of the Sutcliffe’s victims, the loved ones they left behind, and the everlasting toll the investigation took on the detectives who led the investigation.

What began as a series of murders on sex workers in Leeds, soon spread across the whole of the North of England, to women of all backgrounds, living in all different neighbourhoods. In all, Sutcliffe killed thirteen, and attempted to kill seven others. By the late 1970s, Sutcliffe had terrorised Britain creating a national obsession of finding out the killer’s true identity. He was finally caught in 1981 and was sentenced to 20 concurrent sentences of life imprisonment.

Payback

With an idyllic family lifestyle in the suburbs of Edinburgh, Lexie is unaware her husband, Jared, has been laundering Cal Morris’ illegal earnings on a vast scale. Jared’s every move is being monitored by financial investigators DC Jibran Khan (Prasanna Puwanarajah) and DCI Adam Guthrie (Derek Riddell), who are determined to use the Noble family to bring Cal Morris to justice. 

A partner in Jared’s business, Lexie is forced into working for Cal, at the same time as the police net inexorably tightens.  Soon Lexie finds herself walking a treacherous tightrope between Cal and the police in which her safety, and even her life, are in grave danger.

The National Television Awards 

Britain’s most popular TV awards are back.

This year’s ceremony on 5th September 2023 at The O2 London will celebrate a remarkable year in TV, giving viewers the power to vote for their favourite stars and shows ahead of that all-important prize-giving ceremony, hosted for the third time by the irrepressible Joel Dommett.

Britain by the Book with Mel Giedroyc and Martin Clunes

Much-loved actress, comedian and writer Mel Giedroyc heads to Dorset on a travel adventure with a twist. Inspired by her passion for books, Mel hooks up with her friend and Dorset local, Martin Clunes, to explore the spectacular scenery and iconic locations made famous by some of Britain's favourite books and films.

In this funny, revealing and heart-warming travelogue, the two friends walk in the footsteps of Meryl Streep’s French Lieutenant’s Woman, stoke up the engine on a steam train ride through Enid Blyton country and having worked up a thirst Mel and Martin sample Dorset’s finest cider on a farm overlooking magical Corfe Castle. A boat trip to the world-famous Durdle Door on the breathtaking Jurassic coast proves challenging for the sea-sick Mel despite Martin’s best efforts at distracting her by reading bursts of Thomas Hardy and they meet, walk and talk with Raynor Winn, author of the blockbuster No 1 best-selling novel ‘The Salt Path’.

Throughout this revealing and joyful episode Martin shares his love for Dorset, takes Mel to his favourite secret spot, explains how Peter O’Toole inspired him to get into acting and talks about the precious book his dad gave him as a boy, before his untimely death.

Bali 2002

On October 12, 2002, the island paradise of Bali was shattered by a terrorist attack on two of Kuta Beach’s busiest nightclubs. Both the local Balinese, and international tourists scrambled to escape, to rescue the injured and to comfort the dying. Australian and Indonesian authorities not only mobilised to evacuate survivors and identify victims, but to hunt down those responsible.

Amidst this chaos, heroes arose to defy the odds from the most unlikely places and cultures united in the search for healing, justice and- meaning.

BRITBOX UK 

Highlights on BritBox UK this month include The Casual Vacancy, adapted from the novel of the same name and starring Michael Gambon, Rory Kinnear and Emilia Fox. Mosley will also launch; this mini-series traces the turbulent political career and tempestuous private life of Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists during the 1930s. Musical drama Judy, starring Renee Zellweger, can also be streamed from September.