The Best TV Shows on BBC One

Every BBC One Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Premiering in 1961 and 1963, Points of View and Doctor Who are among BBC One’s most celebrated shows. BBC One’s extensive portfolio includes more than 20 shows, spanning the years from 1961 to 2015. Check out the most acclaimed shows on BBC One, with a catalog of over 20 series updated for May 2025.

  • Peaky Blinders
    Peaky Blinders (2013)8.5

    A gangster family epic set in 1919 Birmingham, England and centered on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss Tommy Shelby, who means to move up in the world.

  • Doctor Who
    Doctor Who (1963)7.9

    The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.

  • Match of the Day
    Match of the Day (1964)7.5

    BBC's football highlights and analysis. "The longest-running football television programme in the world" as recognised by Guinness World Records in 2015.

  • Doctor Who
    Doctor Who (2005)7.5

    The Doctor is a Time Lord: a 900 year old alien with 2 hearts, part of a gifted civilization who mastered time travel. The Doctor saves planets for a living—more of a hobby actually, and the Doctor's very, very good at it.

  • Top Gear
    Top Gear (2002)7.5

    This fast-paced and stunt-filled motor show tests whether cars, both mundane and extraordinary, live up to their manufacturers' claims. The long-running show travels to locations around the world, performing extreme stunts and challenges to see what the featured cars are capable of doing. The current hosts are Paddy Mcguinness, Chris Harris and Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff.

  • The Graham Norton Show
    The Graham Norton Show (2007)7.2

    Each week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on around the world that week. The guests poke fun and share their opinions on the main news stories. Graham is often joined by a band or artist to play the show out.

  • Have I Got News for You
    Have I Got News for You (1990)7.1

    Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so, that leaves no party, personality or action unscathed in pursuit of laughs.

  • Have I Got a Bit More News for You
    Have I Got a Bit More News for You (N/A)7.0

    Based on the week’s news and fronted by guest hosts, this extended version of the satirical news quiz features more of the stuff that wouldn't fit into the regular programme.

  • Match of the Day 2
    Match of the Day 2 (2004)6.9

    A light-hearted look at the United Kingdom's Premier League action, rounding-up the weekend's football action.

  • Top of the Pops
    Top of the Pops (1964)6.6

    The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.

  • Play for Today
    Play for Today (1970)6.3

    Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted. The individual episodes were between fifty and a hundred minutes in duration.

  • Strictly Come Dancing
    Strictly Come Dancing (2004)5.9

    A dance competition where celebrities compete to be crowned the winner. Who is kicked out of the competition each week is decided by the judges scores and viewer votes. Are today's celebrities fleet of foot or do they have two left feet?

  • Bob the Builder
    Bob the Builder (1999)5.8

    Bob the Builder and his machine team are ready to tackle any project. Bob and the Can-Do Crew demonstrate the power of positive thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and follow-through. The team always shows that “The Fun Is In Getting It Done!”

  • Holby City
    Holby City (1999)5.7

    Drama series about life on the wards of Holby City Hospital, following the highs and lows of the staff and patients.

  • Escape to the Country
    Escape to the Country (2002)5.3

    The property show that helps prospective buyers find their dream home in the country.

  • Celebrity Big Brother
    Celebrity Big Brother (2001)4.8

    Celebrity Big Brother is a British reality television game show in which a number of celebrity contestants live in an isolated house trying to avoid being evicted by the public with the aim of winning a large cash prize being donated to the winner's nominated charity at the end of the run.

  • Wogan
    Wogan (1982)4.5

    Chat show hosted by Terry Wogan, featuring live studio interviews with famous and notable personalities.

  • Money for Nothing
    Money for Nothing (2015)3.4

    Entrepreneur Sarah Moore saves things from being dumped and transforms them into valuable pieces, making money for people who had no idea there was cash to be made from their trash.

  • Points of View
    Points of View (1961)N/A

    Points of View is a long-running British television series broadcast on BBC One. It started in 1961 and features the letters of viewers offering praise, criticism and purportedly witty observations on the television of recent weeks.

  • Ready Steady Cook
    Ready Steady Cook (1994)N/A

    Talented chefs battle it out against the clock, creating delicious dishes in 20 minutes