BBC Studios and ITV have announced the BritBox May 2022 titles, which include everything from new BritBox Originals to classic British fare. BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada.
The BritBox May 2022 schedule includes the premiere of The Responder, a BritBox Original crime drama based on the real-life experiences of former police officer and writer Tony Schumacher. Starring Emmy and BAFTA awards winner Martin Freeman, the series is inspired by true events.
The plot follows a crisis-stricken officer who comes face to face with crime, violence, and addiction on a nightly basis in his role driving a frontline response vehicle. All the while, he is battling personal demons that threaten to destabilize his work, his marriage, and his mental health.
The BritBox May 2022 lineup also includes the 11th season of Death in Paradise, featuring more murder mysteries on the scenic island of Saint Marie. Comedy series Kate & Koji, starring award-winning talent Brenda Blethyn, returns for a second season as well.
BritBox is available for $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year — after an introductory free trial period — on Roku, Amazon Fire TV stick, Apple TV 4th Gen, Samsung, LG, and all iOS and Android devices, AirPlay, Chromecast, and online at BritBox.com. BritBox is also available on Amazon Channels for Prime members and on Apple TV Channels on supported devices.
Created by two British content powerhouses — BBC Studios, the subsidiary arm of the BBC, and ITV, the UK’s biggest commercial broadcaster — the service features iconic favorites, exclusive premieres, and current series and soaps – most available within 24 hours after their UK premiere. BritBox also offers expert curation and playlists that enable fans to find programs they know easily and discover new favorites via the web, mobile, tablet, and connected TVs.
BRITBOX MAY 2022 SCHEDULE
May 3, 2022: Death in Paradise Season 11 | North American Premiere, BritBox Exclusive | 8 X 60 | 2 Episodes Weekly
The sun-soaked, smash-hit whodunnit returns for more murder mysteries with a light touch and a warm heart. DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little, “The Cafe”) has more crimes to solve on the blissful island of Saint Marie while also dealing with the emotional complications of working at close quarters with DS Florence Cassell (Josephine Jobert).
May 10, 2022: Kate & Koji Season 2 | North American Premiere, BritBox Exclusive | 6 X 30
We return to the seaside café of the inimitable Kate Abbott (Brenda Blethyn, “Vera,” “Secrets & Lies”). Although, like many, Kate has been buffeted by the COVID pandemic, she remains as opinionated, defiant, cussed, and impulsive as ever.
Her café is now in deep money trouble, and she adopts various strategies across the season, including luring birdwatchers with falsified sightings of rare birds and informing her bank that she is dead. But the bills keep coming, usually delivered by a very frightened postman.
She still provides free food and drinks to the asylum-seeking doctor, Koji (Okorie Chukwu), in return for which Koji gives free medical advice if requested, to her customers.
The friendship between Kate and Koji has blossomed, and although he is often subject to unpleasant experiences in the dead-end town of Seagate, he has come to regard Kate’s café as a safe space where he can unwind and try to forget his troubles.
May 24, 2022: The Responder Season 1 | BritBox Original, US Premiere, BritBox Exclusive | 6 X 60
This distinctive new drama, inspired by the real-life experiences of former police officer and writer Tony Schumacher, offers a rare glimpse into the heart of society’s dark and gritty underbelly.
Night after night, Chris (Martin Freeman, “A Confession,” “The Hobbit” film trilogy) drives a frontline response vehicle in his fragmented hometown of Liverpool, where he faces crime, violence, and addiction on the streets.
All the while, he is battling personal demons that threaten to destabilize his work, his marriage, and his mental health. When Chris is forced to take on new rookie partner Rachel (Adelayo Adedayo, “The Capture”), both soon discover that survival in this high-pressure, relentless, twilight world depends on them either helping or destroying each other.
The action plays out over one week of increasingly tense, life-changing night shifts. From the depths of helplessness and despair, with his own family slipping away from him, Chris clings to the idea of saving the life of a young addict trapped in a deadly dilemma. If he can save her, maybe he can save himself and rediscover what it means to be a police officer.
May 27, 2022: Still Open All Hours Seasons 1-6 | New to BritBox | 36 X 30
This warm-hearted sitcom updating Roy Clarke’s classic comedy “Open All Hours” is back with a full series and a mix of memorable new and returning characters. “Still Open All Hours” sees David Jason reprising his role as shopkeeper Granville, who has inherited the small corner shop from his beloved but miserly Uncle Arkwright.
Now running the business with his cheerful and good-looking son, Leroy – the result of a brief romantic encounter a couple of decades ago – Granville continues to serve the local community in his own inimitable fashion!
With a keen eye on making a profit, Granville comes up with all kinds of hair-brained schemes to encourage his customers to part with their money, but things rarely turn out as he expects.
And while Leroy has no shortage of female attention, Granville’s pursuit of old flame Mavis is repeatedly thwarted by her fiercely protective sister, Madge – and by the constant hovering presence of the Black Widow, who also seems to have her eye on Granville.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to cover the latest streaming, movie, TV, and game news.