The 40 most popular british family TV shows, ranked. Click any show for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


CBeebies Bedtime Stories
2009
country: United Kingdom
Join a host of different celebrities for a different story read each night just before bedtime.


Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
2002
country: United Kingdom
A gameshow hosted by Ant and Dec filled with stunts, sketches, and special guest appearances.


The Adventures of Robin Hood
1955
country: United Kingdom
The legendary character Robin Hood and his band of merry men in Sherwood Forest and the surrounding vicinity. While some episodes dramatised the traditional Robin Hood tales, most episodes were original dramas created by the show's writers and producers.


Shaun the Sheep
2007
country: United Kingdom
Shaun the Sheep thinks and acts like a person in a barnyard, which usually gets him into trouble. The farmer's sheepdog, Bitzer, tries to keep Shaun and his friends out of trouble. The farmer is oblivious to the humanlike features of his flock, who are like one big, happy family.


Blue Peter
1958
country: United Kingdom
A fun-packed and informative magazine show for younger viewers with information and reports from around the world.


PJ Masks
2015
country: Canada
Connor, Greg and Amaya are normal kids by day, but at night they activate their bracelets, which link into their pajamas and give them fantastic super powers, turning them into their alternate identities: the PJ Masks! The team consists of Catboy (Connor), Gekko (Greg) and Owlette (Amaya). Together, they go on adventures, solve mysteries, and learn valuable lessons. Watch the first six seasons of PJ Masks now on Disney+!


Fireman Sam
1987
country: United Kingdom
Follow the adventures of fireman Sam and his colleagues as they protect the citizens of the Welsh town of Pontypandy. Whenever the alarm sounds, brave Sam and his co-workers can be counted on to jump into a fire engine, hop onto a helicopter, or even launch an inflatable lifeboat to battle blazes, mount rescue missions, or provide medical attention to those in need.


The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!
2010
country: United Kingdom
The Cat in the Hat is back -- and this time, he's teaching Sally and her brother, Nick, some awfully nifty things to think about!


Tenable
2016
country: United Kingdom
Five contestants attempt to answer top 10 list questions for the chance to win a big cash prize.


Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
2002
country: United Kingdom
The animated daily trials and tribulations of clueless yet clever loner Mr Bean (aided by his best friend Teddy of course!) as he stumbles from one mishap to the next, always finding complex solutions to the simplest of problems.


Pipkins
1973
country: United Kingdom
Pipkins was a British children's TV programme. Hartley Hare, Pig, Topov and the gang were the stars of ATV's pre-school series which ran from January 1973 to 29 December 1981.


Numberblocks
2017
country: United Kingdom
Learn how much fun counting can be with the Numberblocks - a fun-loving group of numbers who work together to solve problems big and small.


Antiques Roadshow
1979
country: United Kingdom
Antiques Roadshow is a British television show in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom to appraise antiques brought in by local people. It has been running since 1979. There are also international versions of the programme.


Celebrity Catchphrase
2018
country: United Kingdom
In this entertaining series packed with laughs, celebrity contestants attempt to work out catchphrases based on fun animations. Animations include well known phrases, sayings and even film, song and book titles. The celebrities need to buzz in as quickly as they can when they know the answer and can say what they see in a chance to win money for their chosen charities.


Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go!
2021
country: Canada
In a reboot of the classic TV series, a younger Thomas The Tank Engine goes on adventures with all of his friends, as they work on the Island of Sodor.


The Monkees
1966
country: United Kingdom
Micky, Mike, Peter, and Davy are four young men in mid-1960s LA, members of a struggling country-folk-rock band looking for their big break amid madcap encounters with a variety of people straight out of TV and movie central casting, with full knowledge that their existence is part of a weekly television series.


Horrible Histories
2009
country: United Kingdom
Based on the best-selling children's books and liberally splattered with guts, blood and poo, a group of British comedians offer an anarchic and unconventional take on some of history's most gruesome and funny moments, with topics including the Stone Age, the Middle Ages, the Egyptians and the Romans, among others.


Who Do You Think You Are?
2004
country: United Kingdom
A British genealogy documentary series in which celebrities trace their ancestry, discovering secrets and surprises from their past.


That's Life!
1973
country: United Kingdom
A magazine-style television series on BBC1 which was broadcast from May 1973 to June 1994, presented by Esther Rantzen, with various changes of co-presenters. The show presented hard-hitting investigations alongside satire and occasional light entertainment.


House of Anubis
2011
country: Belgium
Strange things are happening at an English boarding school called House of Anubis. Popular student Joy goes missing, the school's cranky caretaker has a creepy stuffed crow and the school's attic may be haunted. When recent American transplant Nina gets thrust into the school during this time, she decides to investigate along with her new friend, Fabian, and housemates.


The Muppet Show
1976
country: United Kingdom
Go behind the curtains as Kermit the Frog and his muppet friends struggle to put on a weekly variety show.


Wacky Races
2017
country: United Kingdom
Wacky Races (2017) is a reboot of the classic 1968 Hanna-Barbera animated series, bringing a fresh, modern take on the original premise while retaining much of the core essence that made the original show so beloved. The 2017 version, created by Warner Bros. Animation, aired on the Boomerang network and introduced a new generation to the zany, high-speed races of the characters. In this updated series, the characters from the original Wacky Races return, but with a more contemporary style and new backstories. The vehicles are also revamped with more advanced technology and a few new additions to the roster, though the classic ones like Dick Dastardly’s Mean Machine and Penelope Pitstop’s Compact Pussycat are still present.


Robotboy
2005
country: France
Robotboy is the latest creation of the world renowned scientist Professor Moshimo. Due to fears that Robotboy would be stolen by his arch-enemy Dr. Kamikazi and his main henchman Constantine to be used to take over the world, Professor Moshimo entrusts Robotboy to 10-year-old Tommy Turnbull, his biggest fan. While being protected by Tommy and his two friends Lola and Gus, or "G-man" as he calls himself, Robotboy learns how to behave and act as if he were a real boy.


The Dumping Ground
2013
country: United Kingdom
Following the exploits and antics of children living in a care home. Growing up in a care home brings all sorts of tough challenges, but the kids know that if they stick together, they can get through anything life throws at them.


The Mr. Men Show
2008
country: United Kingdom
The Mr. Men Show was an animated television series based on the original Mr. Men and Little Miss books created in the 1970s, 80s and 90s by British author Roger Hargreaves and his son Adam Hargreaves. Adapted from the published source material into a television variety program, The Mr. Men Show features comedy sketches, pantomimes, dance numbers and music videos. The TV series is directed by Mark Risley and executive produced by Eryk Casemiro & Kate Boutilier. Original score and songs are composed by Jared Faber. Season 1 first aired on February 4, 2008 and Season 2 aired on September 8, 2009.


The Durrells
2016
country: United Kingdom
In 1935, financially strapped widow Louisa Durrell, whose life has fallen apart, decides to move from England, with her four children (three sons, one daughter), to the island of Corfu, Greece. Once there, the family moves into a dilapidated old house that has no electricity and that is crumbling apart. But life on Corfu is cheap, it's an earthly paradise, and the Durrells proceed to forge their new existence, with all its challenges, adventures, and forming relationships.


Blankety Blank
1979
country: United Kingdom
Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1979 Australian game show Blankety Blanks. The British version ran from 18 January 1979 to 12 March 1990 on BBC One, hosted first by Terry Wogan and later by Les Dawson. Regular members of the celebrity panel on this version included Kenny Everett, Lorraine Chase, Gareth Hunt, Gary Davies, and Cheryl Baker. A revival fronted by Lily Savage was produced by the BBC from 26 December 1997 to 28 December 1999, followed by ITV from 7 January 2001 to 10 August 2002. This version was produced by Grundy, then Thames.


Jungle Junction
2009
country: United States
Set deep in the heart of an unexplored, road-filled Jungle, the show features a group of fun-loving animals on wheels and aims to help preschoolers develop their pre-literacy skills, as well as encouraging them to care about the environment.


Crackerjack
1955
country: United Kingdom
Crackerjack was a British children's comedy/variety BBC television series. It started on 14 September 1955 and ran for over 400 shows, first in black and white and later in colour, until 21 December 1984. It was revived in 2020 on CBBC.


Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom
2025
country: United Kingdom
The friendship between fairy princess Holly and Ben Elf in an enchanted magical kingdom of elves and fairies.


Thunderbirds Are Go!
2015
country: United Kingdom
Remake of the hit 1960s television show. In the 21st century, Jeff Tracy, a former astronaut, amasses a colossal fortune and decides that he must use it to benefit others. His answer to this desire is to create International Rescue, a unique private emergency response service equipped with customized designed vehicles and equipment that enable the organization to react to any crisis whether it be in sea, air, land, or space. Jeff's five sons volunteer to operate as the pilots and field agents, as well "Brain" who acts as the teams engineer. In addition, Jeff's friend, Kyrano and his daughter Tanusha aka Kayo (based on the original series Tin-Tin character) agree to be the support staff. In addition to the field team, IR also maintains an intelligence network with Lady Penelope and her ex-con chauffeur, Parker as the chief agents in this arm.


The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball
2025
country: United Kingdom
Welcome back to Elmore, where the laws of reality are a joke, and family life is anything but ordinary. Whether he's battling an evil fast-food empire, facing off against a sentient AI in love with his mom, or trying to stop Banana Joe from wearing pants — Gumball Watterson drags his brother Darwin, sister Anais, and the rest of the town of Elmore along for the ride. With even wilder stories, bigger twists, and surreal humor, the show is so amazing that they had to rename it!


ChuckleVision
1987
country: United Kingdom
ChuckleVision is a long-standing British children's series broadcast from 1987 to 2009. The Chuckle Brothers' famous comedy involves slapstick, other visual gags, wordplay, and catchphrases such as "To me, to you!" and "Oh dear, oh dear!"


Planet Earth III
2023
country: United Kingdom
Journeying to the far reaches of our planet, this eight part series follows some of the world's most amazing species, telling extraordinary stories that are dramatic, thrilling, funny and sometimes heart-breaking, but always full of hope.


Danger Mouse
2015
country: United Kingdom
Danger Mouse is back saving London, saving the World and, most importantly, saving Penfold in brand new and fantastically absurd, energetic adventures.


Springwatch
2005
country: United Kingdom
Springwatch is an annual BBC television series which charts the fortunes of British wildlife during the changing of the seasons in the United Kingdom.


Something Else
2003
country: Canada
Two creatures, one named "Something", the other named "Something Else" try to co-exist peacefully despite the fact that they are complete opposites. Imagine The Odd Couple as if it were done by Dr. Suess and you've got the basic idea.


Family Fortunes
1980
country: United Kingdom
Two families go head to head as they try to name the post popular answer to survey-based questions posed to 100 people for a chance to win a jackpot prize.


Tin Star
2017
country: United Kingdom
The story of Jim Worth, an expat British police officer starting a new life with his family as police chief in Little Big Bear, an idyllic town near the Rocky Mountains. When his small town is overrun by migrant workers from a massive new oil refinery – the wave of drugs, prostitution and organised crime that follows them threatens to sweep away everything in its wake.


Blankety Blank
2021
country: United Kingdom
Bradley Walsh presents the triumphant return of Britain's blank-iest game show. Can he control his celebrity panel and help contestants win the coveted cheque book and pen?
British television's defining habit is the short series — six episodes, one writer, a finite story. That structure produced the modern prestige miniseries and a format catalogue the rest of the world keeps adapting.
Family television is built for co-viewing, balancing what works for a child with what keeps an adult in the room. The durable shows manage genuine warmth without condescending to either.