Culture19 of the best TV shows of 2026 so farFrom a surprise horror-comedy hit to a suburban whodunnit with a difference and the latest runs of Rivals and Ted Lasso, we pick the year's greatest programmes to stream right now.'Put your phone down': K-pop band weighs in on concert etiquetteCortis's plea has drawn mixed reactions in a fandom that's obsessed with capturing every moment.How The Dark Knight Returns reinvented BatmanFirst published 40 years ago in 1986, Frank Miller's graphic novel changed the Caped Crusader from camp and comical to an ultra-violent figure.Madonna pays tribute to 'genius, otherworldly' producer William OrbitThe Queen of Pop worked with Orbit several times over the years, most notably on her genre-bending, Grammy Award-winning album Ray of Light.Miss North Carolina USA stripped of title after 'information' surfacesPageant organisers say they made the decision after "a thorough review of recently surfaced information".Desert Island DiscsDesert Island DiscsNorman Cook, DJ and musicianSaveDesert Island DiscsJo Nesbø, writerSaveDesert Island DiscsAnna Maxwell Martin, actorSaveDesert Island DiscsPeter Layton, artistSaveDesert Island DiscsGuy Martin, presenter and former motorcycle racerSaveDesert Island DiscsEmily Watson, actorSaveDesert Island DiscsGary O'Donoghue, journalistSaveDesert Island DiscsDavid Morrissey, actorSaveDesert Island DiscsSi King, cookSaveDesert Island DiscsSara Pascoe, comedian and writerSaveEntertainment newsStrictly dancers Ola and James Jordan separate after 23 years of marriageDigital cameras and wired earphones are back - and 'a bit more real'Madonna and Blur producer William Orbit dies aged 69Lauryn Hill and Wyclef ‘in an amazing place’ as fans hope for new Fugees album after 30 yearsWatch list10 of the best TV shows to watch this AugustFrom the comeback of Apple TV's hit football comedy to a dark teen thriller from Ryan Murphy, and new DC superhero series Lanterns – these are the best series to watch and stream.10 of the best films to watch this AugustFrom Jacob Elordi in Ridley Scott's post-apocalyptic thriller, to a wacky NYC romcom, here are the films to watch at the cinema and stream at home this month.From our Culture editors'Movies are getting horny again': Why Hollywood is no longer a sex-free zoneFor a while, mainstream cinema was seen to be shunning sex and sexuality. But a wave of films, from I Want Your Sex to The Invite, are now exploring it in bold and provocative ways.‘It fills you with joy': The story of 96 Tears, the US's unlikeliest one-hit wonderIn 1966, a Mexican-American teen band made one of the great smash-hit singles and helped invent garage rock, a genre that has inspired artists for decades.The bold mission to smuggle Hitler's 'wonder weapon' out of Nazi-occupied PolandIn 1977, the BBC looked back at the summer of 1944, when Allied agents smuggled pieces of Hitler's V2 rocket by hiding them in the apartment of a German officer.How the Nordics have perfected the summer cabinIn this region, summer is all about retreating to a countryside timber dwelling. Here are some of the best, from a mid-Century home to a modern cabin overlooking the ocean.The New Normal with Katty KayWhy divorce is skyrocketing among older AmericansDivorce is falling across America, except among people over 65. A sociologist explains what's driving the split.Boys and men are obsessing over muscle. Doctors are worriedA doctor who has studied the issue for 30 years says social media is making things worse.How companies could end up firing their customersResearchers modelled AI job losses and found a seemingly unavoidable trap that every company could see coming.In HistoryThe British double agent who defected to Russia and taught enemy spiesKim Philby's defection to the Soviet Union was made public on 30 July 1963. In 2016, the BBC broadcast previously unseen footage of a lecture he gave to the Stasi.The macabre kidnapping of Eva Perón's corpseArgentina's iconic first lady died in July 1952. Sixty years on, the BBC looked back at her cadaver's bizarre disappearance – and its 16-year journey around the globe.The Soviet nuclear submarine wreck that is a 'ticking time bomb'In 1989, the Komsomolets sank off the Norwegian coast. Four years later, the BBC reported on plans to seal in its torpedoes' toxic plutonium.How J Paul Getty became the world's richest manThe US oil billionaire's 16th-Century English mansion was home to a stunning art collection and a lion named Nero. In 1963, the BBC visited him there to discuss his "great success".Arts in MotionMarina AbramovićMarina Abramović discusses art, creativity, and why she is still pushing artistic boundaries at 79.Arts in MotionKarl Ove KnausgårdKarl Ove Knausgård on the bridge between vulnerability and unbound literary freedom.Arts in Motion(LA)HORDEDesire, revolt and refuge: (LA)HORDE shapes a visceral world through daring choreography.Arts in Motion'I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't paint'Rising artist Shaqúelle Whyte on why painting for him is all about process, repetition, and doubt.Arts in MotionFrancesca Chiejina: Opera saved my lifeThe Nigerian-American soprano on how the stage allowed her to feel everything she was taught to hold back.Arts in MotionCecilia BartoliCecilia Bartoli has spent 40 years at the pinnacle of classical music, a feat few artists ever achieve.Arts in MotionNational Film and Television SchoolIt takes a village to make a film, with dozens of hands collaborating under pressure to turn vision into reality.Arts in MotionInside the school teaching students to slow down and observeAt the Royal Drawing School, students rediscover drawing as a powerful way to see and experience the world anew.Arts in MotionNFTS: Inside one of the world's most elite film schoolsThe NFTS opens its doors to the BBC to share what it takes to shape and train award‑winning filmmakers.Arts in MotionMarina Abramović is done with the pastWidely seen as the queen of contemporary performance art, Marina Abramović speaks to the BBC about her legacy.Arts in MotionEs Devlin's powerful art invites a closer look at strangersThrough intimate encounters with 50 Londoners, influential artist Es Devlin reimagines how we see home.Arts in MotionLina GhotmehFrom war-scarred Beirut to the British Museum, architect Lina Ghotmeh creates spaces that draw on history.Arts in MotionKarl Ove Knausgård: The writer who broke the rulesThe Norwegian author's raw honesty and fearlessness has made him one of literature's most compelling voices.Arts in MotionCecilia Bartoli: See the magic of Opera's 'last diva'Renowned for her astounding range, the Italian mezzo-soprano's singing is a source of joy for adoring Opera fans.Arts in MotionThe daring dance collective rewriting the rules of balletMeet the dance trio, La(Horde), leading the National Ballet of Marseille and reinventing ballet for a new era.Arts in MotionElif Shafak says her writing style is 'a little bit drunk'British-Turkish novelist Elif Shafak tells the BBC her writing is guided by intuition rather than a rigid plan.Arts in Motion'Architecture is about allowing the extraordinary to happen'Beirut-born architect Lina Ghotmeh's vision for every structure is to honour their surroundings and history.Arts in MotionArchitects unveil future of design at Venice Biennale 2025As the Venice Biennale closes, curator Carlo Ratti calls on architects to face a burning world with courage.Arts in MotionA masterclass with French tenor Benjamin BernheimFrench tenor Benjamin Bernheim mentors young singers in the delicate art of French opera.Arts in MotionA masterclass with renowned sculptor Antony GormleyBritish sculptor Antony Gormley guides young artists in the expressive medium of clay and creative instincts.Arts in MotionMore culture1 hr agoIn pictures: Belfast hosts Fleadh for the first timeMore than 200 events are planned, alongside competitions, concerts and street performances.1 hr ago2 hrs agoThe people using music at the Fleadh to bring others together On Saturday the group Tunes Translated hosted a concert and its organiser Catherine Crean said there were 22 different nationalities performing in the band.2 hrs ago2 hrs agoMusicians to perform by eye movements at BBC PromsThe National Open Youth Orchestra will play at the BBC Proms in Bristol for the first time.2 hrs ago6 hrs agoRecord delegation honoured at Interceltic FestivalCornwall is named the honoured nation at the Interceltic Festival in France.6 hrs ago6 hrs 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ensemble.20 hrs ago23 hrs agoBook hidden in fireplace returned to Australian library 150 years overdueIt is thought an apprentice stonemason who worked on the Houses of Parliament in London borrowed it.23 hrs ago1 day agoIrish music takes over as Belfast welcomes the FleadhFleadh Cheoil is an annual Irish arts festival and competition run by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCE) - the society of the musicians of Ireland.1 day ago1 day agoCampaigners call for Jared Leto's concerts to be cancelled after criminal sexual conduct claimsThe musician - who denies the claims - is due to perform with his band at two of the UK's biggest arenas next year.1 day ago1 day agoCarer 'grateful' after making talent show finalKeeley Bayley says she cannot believe she has made the final of the contest for a second time.1 day ago1 day agoBirmingham's only dedicated K-pop store draws crowdsFans gathered in the Mailbox in Birmingham city centre to visit the newest K-pop store in the city.1 day ago...
