TV and Culture Guide: What to Watch, Read and Listen to in August
We've got your summer entertainment sorted
Love is Blind: UK
Netflix
7th August
If you’re feeling lost without Love Island, don’t worry – this is the next best thing. The UK version of hit reality show Love is Blind premieres on Netflix this month, presented by Matt and Emma Willis, so the summer of love continues.
Emily in Paris
Netflix
15th August
The Olympics isn’t the only big thing in Paris this summer. As with the most recent series of Bridgerton, this new season of popular rom-com Emily in Paris will premiere on Netflix in two parts, so be careful how quickly you binge-watch the episodes.
The Hundred
Sky Sports
Until 18th August
If they haven’t already been glued to their screens, cricket fans will be keen to hear that Sky Sports is continuing to show all The Hundred games live this month.
Only Murders in the Building
Disney Plus
27th August
No spoilers if you haven’t caught up yet (act fast), but this new season of Only Murders in the Building picks up from a dramatic finale. This time the trio travel to LA, where a studio is making a movie based on their podcast.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Prime Video
29th August
Set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, fans of the books loved The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and have high hopes for this second season.
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We Loved
TOO MUCH IS NOT ENOUGH
Andrew Rannells
Andrew Rannells has spent his acting career in the orbit of some of the most game-changing cultural moments of the past 20 years, from being the original Elder Price in The Book of Mormon and delivering an outrageous King George III in Hamilton, to a recurring role in HBO’s Girls and voicing Matthew in the hit show Big Mouth. A pop culture icon in his own right by now, this memoir hilariously recounts his days before fame when he was a naive (but plucky!) young actor in New York, with big dreams and no clue how to achieve them.
THE MINUTE I SAW YOU
Paige Toon
An uplifting, warm, and passionate romantic read, when Hannah and Sonny first meet by (quite literally) staring into each other’s eyes, the attraction is instantaneous. Sonny, cool and confident, and Hannah, warm and compassionate, share undeniable chemistry, but their second encounter shifts the mood, revealing a different side of Sonny. Despite this, Hannah’s curiosity about him only deepens and as their paths continue to cross unexpectedly, they uncover more reasons why they can’t and shouldn’t be together. What begins as a fleeting attraction slowly transforms into love. Can Hannah and Sonny overcome their troubled pasts, or have they lost their ability to trust and love forever?
THE PIRATE’S DRAGON
Liz Flanagan
The perfect pick for kids this summer, this thrilling dual-narrative follows Serina and Raff, members of rival island villages who are forced together under dramatic circumstances. Gradually, they become friends and nurture their young dragons together, and when Serina’s whole community comes under threat, they must work together before all of the dragons of Arcosi are lost. The thrilling final instalment in Liz Flanagan’s Legend of The Sky fantasy series, this is not one to be missed. Based in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, Liz has also penned the popular Wildsmith series and spends time teaching at York St John University.
On Our To-Read List
MUCH MORE TO COME
Eleanor Mills
Eleanor thought life was going swimmingly until she had to start again from scratch. Much More to Come is the guide she needed for those dark times. She shares stories of resilience – not just her own but also those of women who have thrived in midlife.
AND SO I ROAR
Abi Daré
Teenager Adunni is enrolling in a school in Lagos having found refuge with Tia. But the night before the first day, Adunni is beckoned back to her home village. Now she not only needs to save herself, but all the young women in her village.
THERE ARE RIVERS IN THE SKY
Elif Shafak
Set between the 19th century and modern day, this new novel from Elif Shafak is about love and loss, centred around three characters living on the banks of the River Thames and the River Tigris.
Fun-filled Summer Podcasts
HELP I SEXTED MY BOSS
Join two unlikely best friends (one an expert on etiquette, the other an expert on the common man) as they retell shocking and hilarious listener tales as well as give advice on every problem the 21st century can throw at a person.
OFF MENU WITH ED GAMBLE AND JAMES ACASTER
Comedians, friends and connoisseurs of good food, join Ed Gamble and James Acaster as they invite guests to discuss their favourite dishes, desserts and drinks.
TRASHY DIVORCES
Labelled the ‘good podcast about bad relationships’, this twice-weekly podcast takes a hilarious journey through tales of marital misconduct and love gone wrong.
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Your Soundtrack to Summer
THIS IS HOW TOMORROW MOVES
Beabadoobee
The third studio album by Filipino-English singer and songwriter Beabadoobee will be released on 9th August, featuring the singles Take a Bite, Coming Home, and Ever Seen.
LIGHT IT UP
Will Young
Multi-award winning pop star and actor Will Young is back with this 10-track album on 9th August with new collaborations and an accompanying tour that fans won’t want to miss.
SHORT ’N’ SWEET
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter’s sixth studio album is scheduled for release on 23rd August with Island Records and a European tour will follow next year (although you’ll have to travel to Manchester or Glasgow if you want to see her live).
