TV and Culture Guide: What to Watch, Read and Listen to in July
With the return of Wimbledon and the Olympics this month, and new releases from Northern writers, there's plenty to keep you entertained this summer
Douglas is Cancelled
ITVX
Stream Now
Episode one of this new series from Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat aired on 27th June so it’s time to catch up. Hugh Bonneville plays a respected middle-aged news anchor, but an ill-advised joke at a wedding leaves him faced with cancel culture.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
BBC Three & BBC iPlayer
1st July
We love a murder mystery and Wednesday’s werewolf roommate Emma Myers is on the case in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, based on the novel by Holly Jackson. It’s based around the murder of a high school student who was killed five years prior.
Wimbledon
Until 14th July
BBC & Eurosport
Andy Murray is facing another wait to see if he will be fit enough to play but either way Wimbledon is back so it’s time to grab the Pimms and indulge in strawberries and cream as you enjoy the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.
The Euros
BBC & ITV
Until 14th July
Despite a negative response from fans following their goalless draw with Slovenia, England finished top of their group and the game continues – but the team still need to win two knock-out games to earn a spot in the final, providing they up their game on Sunday. Here’s where to watch the Euros this summer.
Summer Olympic Games
From 26th July
The Olympics comes to Paris this month, with breaking (breakdancing) added as an official sport. We look forward to cheering on Team GB contenders including reigning Olympic mountain bike gold medallist Tom Pidcock from Leeds.
Read More: Where to Watch the Euros 2024 this Summer
We Loved
THE TOFFEE FACTORY GIRLS
Glenda Young
The first novel in a new trilogy from local author Glenda Young is a sweet read. The Sunderland-based author headed to Yorkshire to research for this new book and get insight from the toffee factory archives. In 1915, three women start work at a toffee factory in Chester-le-Street. Anne is hiding a heart-breaking secret, Elsie finds herself in trouble when she falls for the wrong man and Hetty is set to marry her boyfriend when he returns from the war, but her life changes forever when she’s sent on an errand by the factory boss. All three are strangers but they quickly form a bond of friendship and trust. This is a gripping tale of love, secrets and war with strong female characters. You won’t want to put it down.
THE NORTH WILL RISE AGAIN
Alex Niven
Covering the history of the North for the past few decades, author Alex Niven captures the unshakeable optimism and grit of a region so often overlooked and down on its luck. A native Northerner himself, Alex explores some of the big political questions of our time and argues for a revival of a pioneering Northern society. Lively and upbeat, this book asks how we can once again become one of the most dynamic and forward-looking regions in the country.
A CLOCK STOPPED DEAD
J. M. Hall
Cosy crime at its finest from the bestselling author of A Pen Dipped in Poison. Follow retired teachers Pat, Liz and Thelma as their comfortable and quiet lives are upturned when they dive head first into the surprise disappearance of a charity shop. Before long, the trio are racing against the clock to discover what secrets lie at the bottom of this mystery. A retired deputy head of a primary school himself, Yorkshire-based author and playwright J. M. Hall has a medley of cosy crime novels under his belt (including the bestselling A Spoonful of Murder).
On Our To-Read List
BREAKING THE DARK
Lisa Jewell
4th July
One for the Marvel fans, Breaking the Dark is the first book in the brand-new Marvel Crime series. Jessica Jones is a private investigator and retired superhero. A wealthy Upper East Side woman pays her a visit concerned something is wrong with her twins, but can Jessica stop the evil geniuses from wreaking destruction on a whole generation of young people?
THE LOST STORY
Meg Shaffer
16TH JULY
Two boys go missing in the woods and reappear six months later. Fifteen years later Rafe is a reclusive artist with no memory of what happened and Jeremy is a famed missing persons investigator who is helping Emilie find her long-lost sister, who vanished in the same forest. Something’s not quite as it seems.
THE SILENT KILLER
Trevor Wood
18th July
Trevor Wood is back with a Newcastle-set thriller we can’t wait to dive into. The Silent Killer sees the start of a new police procedural series and this novel explores the impact of Alzheimer’s disease, now the UK’s biggest killer. DCI Jack Parker tracks a serial killer who is haunted by his memories, whilst hiding from his loved ones that he’s losing his own.
THE BRIAR CLUB
Kate Quinn
18TH JULY
It’s the 1950s and everyone keeps to themselves at all-female boarding house Briarwood House. But when mysterious Grace moves into the attic room she hides a terrible secret of her own. The Briar Club is a thrilling novel which will leave you questioning who the real enemy is.
Celebrate 25 years of Living North with six Northern podcasts we love
NORTHUMBERLAND VOICES
Although only released intermittently, this podcast is an oral history of the region from the Northumberland Archives. We suggest starting with the episode where Hetha Butler recalls growing up in a country house in the late 1800s.
LUCY & SAM’S PERFECT BRAINS
Hosted by comedian and Hull-native Lucy Beaumont (with Aussie mate Sam Campbell) this catch-up style podcast is full to the brim with crazy anecdotes, somersaulting trains of thought and hilarious nonsense.
THE DURHAM PODCAST
Expect all things Durham from this podcast, from what’s on to independent businesses and hidden gems to visit. This is a great option if you’re visiting for the first time.
THE OFFICIAL LEEDS UNITED PODCAST
Keep up to date on the latest from the Whites in this weekly podcast hosted by four footie-mad fans, (including Harry Potter’s Matthew Lewis and former striker Jermaine Beckford).
Read More: The Hottest Outdoor Shows in the North East This Summer
THE REST IS FOOTBALL
Hosted by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer with Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, prepare for a whole host of hot takes on the latest news in the world of football.
HISTORY CITY
A podcast that traces the long, turbulent and winding history of the city of York, from the end of the Ice Age all the way to the present day.
