U&Drama Highlights: A Day of Classic Dramas and Crime Mysteries
This is the U&Drama schedule for May 18, 2026, presented in London timezone. The channel offers a mix of classic British soaps, crime dramas, and comedies, with a few new series to keep things fresh. All times are converted from UTC to London time (BST), reflecting the channel’s broadcast schedule for the day.
Early Morning: Police Drama and Classic Soaps
06:00-06:20: Teleshopping – Shopping from Home.
06:20-07:15: The Bill – The Squad: Stamp is faced with a baptism of fire on his first day with the Flying Squad. S18 Ep91.
07:15-07:55: Classic Doctors – New. A Lesser Man: Jimmi helps a man suffering from clinical depression whose wife died three months previously, while Ruth is jealous of Michelle and Mike’s relationship. S10 Ep105.
07:55-08:30: Classic Doctors – New. Fallout: Ronnie and George face a dilemma when a girl caught stealing in the surgery reveals she is only doing it to protect her heroin-addicted mother. S10 Ep106.
Midday: Medical Drama and Soap Operas
08:30-09:50: Classic Holby City – Love and Marriage: The wedding dawns, but Chrissie is determined it won’t go ahead. Tricia becomes everyone’s confidante and Jodie collapses, forcing Connie to perform a complex operation. S7 Ep23.
09:50-10:50: Classic Casualty – Common Vector: Hit medical drama. When several seemingly-unrelated patients are admitted with similar symptoms, Dylan is faced with a race against time to find the common link. S26 Ep3.
10:50-11:55: The Bill – The Squad: Stamp is faced with a baptism of fire on his first day with the Flying Squad. S18 Ep91.
11:55-12:35: Classic EastEnders – New. Phil’s worst nightmare becomes a reality, Patrick is forced to come face-to-face with his failings, and Max has to choose between his daughter and his lover. S27 Ep70.
Afternoon: New Crime Series and Comedies
12:35-13:15: Classic EastEnders – New. Phil responds to his situation in the worst way possible, Chelsea has a tough confession to make, and Carol meets her match. Meanwhile, a nasty surprise arrives from Max’s past. S27 Ep71.
13:15-14:20: New: Harry Wild – Silence Dogood Did Bad: Chief Superintendent Ray Tiernan is found dead, with his estranged wife slumped over him and in possession of the murder weapon. S2 Ep1.
14:20-15:20: The Doctor Blake Mysteries – The Ties of the Past: Craig McLachlan stars in the Aussie mystery series. When a life model is murdered at the start of a painting class, Dr Blake is drawn into a troubling case. S2 Ep8.
15:20-16:20: Lovejoy – The Sting: More capers with the charming antiques dealer and ladies’ man! When Lovejoy is conned out of some figurines by his landlord, he is determined to exact his revenge. S1 Ep3.
16:20-17:00: Birds of a Feather – Dead Loss: Comedy with Chigwell’s famous sisters and their lusty neighbour. A family tragedy wins Sharon’s husband leave from prison – an opportunity he uses to do a runner. S5 Ep6.
Evening: Classic Sitcoms and Crime Mysteries
17:00-17:40: Last of the Summer Wine – Wheelies: More badly-behaved antics from the sprightly trio. Compo, Clegg and Foggy prove that the invention of the wheel might not have been such a good idea after all. S15 Ep9.
17:40-18:20: Last of the Summer Wine – How to Clear Your Pipes: The old country rogues growing old disgracefully. Foggy devises an assault course to bring Compo up to the physical standard of Rudolph Valentino. S16 Ep1.
18:20-19:00: Last of the Summer Wine – Where There’s Smoke There’s Barbecue: Compo, Clegg and Foggy get excited about a portable gas barbecue, but have some difficulty mastering the gas pressure valve. Take cover! S16 Ep2.
19:00-21:00: The Brokenwood Mysteries – Blood Pink: The Kiwi crime drama series continues. DSS Shepherd’s favourite country musician dies after being electrocuted, but was her death really an accident? S2 Ep4.
21:00-22:20: New Tricks – Objects of Desire: The ever-popular crime drama with a cast of the nation’s favourites. When the team reinvestigate the murder of an antiques dealer, Sandra meets an old flame. S8 Ep6.
Late Night: Crime Drama and Repeat Episodes
22:20-00:20: Dalziel and Pascoe – For Love nor Money: Rising star Colin Buchanan is one of the hard-nosed cops. A retired detective is found dead on his local golf course, and Pascoe uncovers a tale of bribery. S7 Ep4.
00:20-01:20: Lovejoy – The Sting: More capers with the charming antiques dealer and ladies’ man! When Lovejoy is conned out of some figurines by his landlord, he is determined to exact his revenge. S1 Ep3.
01:20-03:00: The Brokenwood Mysteries (BSL) – Day of the Dead: When the Brokenwood Small Business Association stage a Mexican ‘Day of the Dead’ night market they didn’t bargain on a real dead body being part of it. [SL] S10 Ep2.
Viewing Guide
For classic soap fans, the two episodes of Classic EastEnders at 11:55 and 12:35 offer intense family drama. Crime enthusiasts should note the two-hour The Brokenwood Mysteries at 19:00, which features a mystery around a musician’s electrocution. The new series Harry Wild at 13:15 provides a fresh take on police procedurals with a murder mystery involving a chief superintendent and his estranged wife.
Comedy lovers will enjoy Birds of a Feather and Last of the Summer Wine in the afternoon and evening, offering light-hearted humor. The schedule includes a signed language version (BSL) of The Brokenwood Mysteries at 01:20, accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.
Overall, this schedule provides a balanced mix of genres, with classic soaps and crime dramas dominating the lineup. The channel delivers reliable entertainment for viewers seeking both nostalgic content and contemporary mysteries.