What To Watch, Read and Listen To This Autumn

Doing It Right, Season 2

Still not over the loss of The High Low? Get your Pandora Sykes fix with season two of another of her excellent podcasts, Doing It Right. This one sees Pandora interviewing different guests about topics surrounding modern life, from self-care to sex and sadness. First up is beauty reporter Jessica DeFino on ‘the myth of good skin’.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

How To Fail, Season 15

Elizabeth Day’s wildly popular podcast How To Fail is back for a 15th season, with another exciting line-up of guests primed to reveal how failures in their lives actually taught them how to succeed better. First up is Vanessa Feltz. 

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Acast or Spotify

Kabul Falling

A new eight-episode podcast from Project Brazen tells the story of the Taliban taking over control of Kabul, through the perspective of Afghans. Narrated by journalist Nelufar Hedayat, the series features firsthand accounts of the events of 2021, from desperate attempts to flee to jumping on flights into the unknown.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Jaime Winstone’s Greatest Night Ever

The new podcast from actress Jaime Winstone sees notable names from fashion, art and music reminiscing on the greatest nights of their lives. We’ll hear stories from Nick Grimshaw, Rita Ora, Giggs, Danny Dyer and many more, interviewed by Jaime alongside her sidekick, punk icon Princess Julia. 

Listen on Acast or Apple Podcasts

Image by Sammy King

LISTEN

American History Hit

Keen to get clued up on American history? Dan Snow’s content platform, History Hit, is launching a new podcast this September, which will be hosted by American TV presenter and historical professor, Don Wildman. The bi-weekly podcast will delve into key events from America’s rich history, from the Declaration of Independence to the Battle of Midway and Pontiac’s Rebellion.

12 September, historyhit.com

Our Missing Hearts, Celeste Ng

From the author of the bestselling Little Fires Everywhere comes Our Missing Hearts, a gripping story set in America, where a new law allows for the repression and removal of children from suspected dissidents. As a result, 12-year-old Bird hasn’t seen his mother for three years – but when a cryptic drawing arrives, he’s pulled into a quest to find her.

4 October 2022, Little Brown

Best of Friends, Kamila Shamsie

Kamila Shamsie’s 2017 novel Home Fire won the Women’s Prize For Fiction – and now she’s back with a new story. Best of Friends follows Zahra and Maryam, who grew up together in Pakistan. They go on to live very different lives, remaining best friends – but when people from their past resurface, their relationship is tested. 

27 September 2022, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The Romantic, William Boyd

From one of Britain’s best-loved writers, William Boyd, comes exciting new book The Romantic, which recounts the life of Cashel Greville Ross, born in 1799. He travels the world during the 19th century, facing moral choices along the way and finding love in Pisa.

6 October 2022, Viking

Lessons, Ian McEwan

The Booker prize-winning Ian McEwan is back with his 17th novel, Lessons, which follows protagonist Roland Baines through a series of both personal and historic events – from the Cuban missile crisis to Covid. 

13 September, Vintage

Just Sayin, Malorie Blackman

A new memoir from Malorie Blackman, Just Sayin’, will chart her early childhood and journey to becoming one of the most beloved children’s writers of our time. 

20 October 2022, Cornerstone

Carrie Soto Is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid

Prepare to guzzle up this new page-turner from the brilliant Taylor Jenkins Reid, which follows legendary tennis player Carrie Soto as she steps out of retirement in attempt to reclaim her record. Eagle-eyed fans might recognise Carrie’s name from Reid’s previous book, Malibu Rising, in which we were introduced to her as the woman who has an affair with Nina Riva’s husband.

Cornerstone

READ

Illustrated Black History, George McCalman

George McCalman’s new book presents a collection of vibrant portraits and biographies spanning 145 Black heroes. Illustrated Black History is a gorgeous tribute to those who have shaped history through activism, science, politics, medicine and the arts. From singer Aretha Franklin and literary luminary James Baldwin to medical practitioner Vivien Thomas and documentarian Madeline Anderson, there’s plenty of histories inside that will leave you feeling inspired.

HarperCollins Publishers Inc

Uncoupled

Neil Patrick Harris stars in new Netflix series Uncoupled, which follows protagonist Michael, who finds himself suddenly single after his partner walks out the door after 17 years. 

Netflix

Blonde

We’ve been waiting a long time for Andrew Dominik’s Blonde, the new Marilyn Monroe biopic based on Joyce Carol Oates’ bestselling novel of the same – and this September, it’s finally making its debut. Cuban actor Ana de Armas (No Time To Die) stars as Monroe in the film, which shows a darker side to the icon’s life. 

Netflix, 23 September 2022

Marriage

Sean Bean and Nicola Walker star in Marriage, the BBC’s moving new drama about the bittersweet reality of a 27-year relationship. The four-parter is an intimate look at long-term relationships, taking place over just 12 days or so.

BBC iPlayer

Image: BBC / The Forge / Rory Mulvey

The White Lotus, Season 2

Good news for fans of Mike White’s comic satire The White Lotus: it’s back for a second season – and Jennifer Coolidge will reprise her standout role as the wounded heiress Tanya McQuoid. The rest of the characters, though, will be entirely new. Just like the first season, this seven-parter will focus on a luxurious resort – this time in Sicily rather than Hawaii – following a group of wealthy visitors over a week-long period. 

UK release date TBC

Suspect

From the producers of Line of Duty comes new thriller The Suspect, starring Poldark’s Aidan Turner as a doctor with a dark secret, based on Michael Robotham’s novel of the same name. The five-part drama will follow Dr Joe O’Loughlin, a clinical psychologist who appears to have the perfect life. But when a young woman is found in a shallow grave in a London cemetery, we begin to ask: does Joe have a secret other life?

New episodes released each Monday, ITV Hub

See How They Run

See How They Run is an exciting new comedic murder mystery starring Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan, which takes audiences back in time to 1950s London, where a popular play is in the midst of being adapted into a Hollywood blockbuster by film director Leo Köpernick. Unfortunately for Köpernick, his plans come to a grinding halt when he is found dead in the West End theatre from which the play is being performed.

In cinemas from 9 September 2022

Funny Woman

There are plenty of reasons to be excited about Funny Woman, the new Sky series dropping this autumn. Firstly, the brilliant Gemma Arterton – former Bond girl and St Trinian’s star – is taking on the lead role. There’s also the fact that it’s adapted from Nick Hornby’s bestselling 2014 novel, Funny Girl. And to top it all off, it’s set in the sixties, which means killer outfits and all the nostalgia.

Sky Max, October 2022

Yellowstone

Succession meets Dallas in Yellowstone, the hit US series which recently returned for season five. Kevin Costner battles to keep his gazillion acre ranch for his children (all of whom are variously damaged) against City industrialists, who want to concrete it as a playground for the rich, and the nextdoor Native Indian Reservation, who believe they have ancient rights to his land.

Paramount

Don’t Worry Darling

Harry Styles and Florence Pugh star in Don’t Worry Darling, the much-anticipated film directed by Styles’ real-life girlfriend Olivia Wilde. Set in the 1950s, the film follows a utopian community called Victory, where husband and wife Jack (Styles) and Alice (Pugh) live. A group of men living in the town are taking part in the mysterious Victory Project, led by CEO Frank (Chris Pine) – but Alice begins to question whether there’s something sinister going on beneath the surface.

In cinemas from 23 September 2022

Emily

Fans of a good historical drama can sink their teeth into Emily, a new film directed by Frances O’Connor which biographically documents the life of English author Emily Brontë – in particular, it maps out the moments that led to the author writing her iconic novel, Wurthering Heights. The film has a stellar cast, including Sex Education‘s Emma Mackey, Dunkirk‘s Fionn Whitehead and Game of Thrones‘s Alexandra Dowling, as well as acting icons Adrian Dunbar and Gemma Jones.

In cinemas from 14 October 2022

WATCH

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has had fans eagerly buzzing for news since it was announced back in July. It’s expected to take a new direction from the first film, following the tragic passing of former lead Chadwick Boseman, but many of the finer details are shrouded in mystery – specifically, who will be picking up the mantle of Black Panther now – meaning fans will have to wait for its release to know just what will happen. The plot teased in the film’s trailer hints at Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje embarking on a new chapter after the death of King T’Challa (Boseman), building the kingdom back up and meeting a new foe in the form of the hidden undersea nation of Talokan.

In cinemas from 11 November 2022