Best of British

Your complete guide to the very best thrillers, true-crime dramas and family sagas heading to our screens over the coming months…

- RICHARD MCCLURE, CAREN CLARK

DES ITV HD

The real-life crimes of Dennis Nilsen are revisited in this drama, starring David Tennant as the serial killer – known as Des – who claimed at least 12 lives in the 1980s. The three-parter is told through the eyes of Nilsen, DCI Peter Jay (Daniel Mays) and crime writer Brian Masters (Jason Watkins) and explores how the murders went undetected for five years before he was convicted.

THE DECEIVED Channel 5 HD

This four-part drama about lust, manipulation and betrayal stars Emily Reid as English student Ophelia, who falls in love with her married lecturer. But when their affair results in a shocking death, Ophelia finds herself trapped in a world where she can no longer trust her own mind. Emmett J Scanlan plays charismatic lecturer Dr Michael Callaghan, with Catherine Walker as his wife Roisin. Other co-stars include Eleanor Methven as Roisin’s overbearing mother, and Ian McElhinney is Michael’s father.

US BBC1 HD

Douglas Petersen (Tom Hollander) is stunned when his wife Connie (Saskia Reeves) tells him that she’s not sure she wants to be married to him any more. When Connie agrees to still go on a grand tour of Europe together, Douglas vows to win back his wife and repair his troubled relationship with their son Albie (Tom Taylor). The four-part drama is adapted by David Nicholls from his hit novel of the same name.

LIFE BBC1 HD