Oxford News
BBC drama Monarch of the Glen being rebooted on Channel 5
Monarch of the Glen is a comedy drama that ran for seven series between 2000 and 2005.
The majority of the Scottish show told the story of young restaurateur Archie MacDonald trying to restore his childhood home in the Scottish Highlands.
Now, the show is rumoured that it is being rebooted on Channel 5, but with a big change.
BBC drama Monarch of the Glen being rebooted on Channel 5
The fresh take on the classic show will see Archie replaced with a female lead character, the Sun reports.
Alastair McKenzie played the lead on the original BBC version, starring in 43 episodes.
The series is loosely based on Sir Compton Mackenzie’s Highland Novels, set in the same location but in the 1930s and 1940s.
The BBC show pulled in more than 8 million at the peak in the first series, with millions watching each one after.
Channel 5 has yet to announce who will star in the revival, but sources told the publisher that it will be an entirely new cast.
The new story is reportedly about London lawyer Isla Campbell, back at her family’s crumbling Highland estate for her estranged father’s funeral.
Expecting to be gone in days, she discovers she has inherited a million-pound debt, a bank closing in, and a brother who refuses to let go of their ancestral home.
Under the same roof for the first time in years, brother and sister will have to find a way to save the struggling estate before time runs out and they lose it for good.
Writer Jeremy Brock has created the reboot, and told the publisher: “When I was offered the chance to re-imagine Monarch of the Glen, I leapt at it.
“I’m hugely excited by the opportunity to tell a story of family life and finding your place in our hectic world – one that celebrates the warmth, humour and eccentricities of a special community, with both optimism and authenticity.
“Hope and joy are a currency in short supply right now, and the Highlands – one of the most magical places on Earth – felt like exactly the right home for them.”
Channel 5 has been contacted for comment.
Other classic UK TV shows that are being brought back
Monarch of the Glen is not the only show that has been reimagined, with fellow Scottish show Balamory having already returned this year.
Also set in Scotland, it first aired 2002, but was cancelled three years later.
The story centres on a fictional small island community off the west coast of Scotland, dealing with community residents and their issues.
The NEW Balamory opening theme! pic.twitter.com/Aw1wSZDtKZ
— wallabywhys (@wallabywhys1) April 20, 2026
The two new series, which will include some of the original characters, will consist of 10 episodes each.
Crime drama series Dalziel and Pascoe, which aired on the BBC from 1996 to 2007, is also being recommissioned for a reboot.
The series starred Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan as Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel and Detective Inspector Peter Pascoe, but was axed in 2008 after 12 series, mainly due to a fall in viewing figures.
ITV announced that the series is now being rebooted in a collaboration with Britbox.
Other classic shows, however, are winding down, with the Up series, which began back in 1964 with 7 Up, coming to an end.
It followed the lives of ten boys and four girls in England when they were seven years old, and has followed up with them every seven years.
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The beloved ITV documentary series is set to conclude in 2026, 62 years after it first started airing.
ITV said that 70 Up will air later this year, but has not given a broadcast date just yet.
What classic TV series would you like to see brought back and rebooted? Let us know in the comments.
Oxford News
Police: Wantage rapist is a ‘dangerous sexual predator’
Najeebullah Arab, of Mayfield Avenue, Grove, was today (Friday, June 19) sentenced at Oxford Crown Court to 10 years and 11 months’ imprisonment, an extended licence period of six years, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 20 years and a lifetime restraining order for his victims.
The 40-year-old Afghan national pleaded guilty to sexually communicating with the 14-year-old child in May 2024.
READ MORE: Afghan man jailed for violent sexual offences in Wantage
He was on court bail for that offence when he sexually assaulted a woman in her 20s in January this year and, less than a week after that, sexually assaulted, kidnapped and raped a 19-year-old woman in Wantage.
Najeebullah Arab, jailed for committing violent sexual offences against women in Wantage (Image: Madeleine Evans)
Senior investigating officer detective chief inspector Stuart May of the Thames Valley Police said: “Firstly, I want to pay tribute to the victims in this case, whose courage in coming forward has been vital in securing justice.
“They were rightly described as heroes by HHJ Nott during today’s sentencing.
“Arab is a dangerous sexual predator who targeted women and subjected them to traumatic and violent offences.
READ MORE: Major A34 traffic as road partially CLOSED due to crash
“His actions have had a lasting impact on his victims, and it is right that he will now spend a significant period of time behind bars.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes and ensures he can no longer pose a risk to the public.
“I hope this outcome provides some reassurance to the victims and the wider community that offenders like Arab will be brought to justice.”
Oxford News
Home‑Start Oxford is supporting 600 Oxfordshire families
Home-Start Oxford is marking Small Charity Week, running from June 22 to 29, by highlighting the vital role small organisations play in supporting communities.
Based in the centre and west of Oxfordshire, the charity offers free, confidential support to parents and carers with young children who are experiencing challenges such as postnatal depression, isolation, bereavement, health issues or disability.
Katharine Barber, CEO of Home‑Start Oxford, said: “Small charities are often closest to the people who need them most.
“We may be small in structure, but the difference we make is huge.
“Every week, our volunteers and staff walk alongside families who are facing incredibly tough circumstances, offering practical help, emotional support and a listening ear.
“Small Charity Week is a chance to shine a light on the essential role organisations like ours play in strengthening communities and to recognise the people who make it all possible.”
Despite rising demand, higher costs and a challenging funding environment, Home‑Start Oxford has supported more than 600 families so far this year.
This impact has been made possible thanks to the dedication of its volunteers, staff and supporters.
The charity is encouraging people to mark Small Charity Week by turning short-term awareness into lasting action.
Ms Barber said: “There are so many ways to support a small charity – from volunteering a few hours, to holding a fundraiser, becoming a regular giver, or simply sharing our work with others.”
Oxford News
Jeremy Clarkson announces new venture after Clarkson’s Farm
The former Top Gear and Grand Tour host purchased Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, Oxfordshire, back in 2008.
Having taken over the day-to-day operations back in 2019, Mr Clarkson started filming for the first season of Clarkson’s Farm, which was released in 2021.
Available on Prime Video, the documentary shows life on the farm and highlights the plight of British farmers.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson bids final goodbye to Clarkson’s Farm fan favourite
The fifth series had a staggered release across this month, with fans able to now binge-watch all eight new episodes.
This time last year, series four had also just been released, and Mr Clarkson followed up the conclusion of this with an announcement on his latest venture.
The 66-year-old has written several books over the years, including multiple which have covered his farming adventures in Oxfordshire.
He announced in June of 2025 that another was set to release later on in the year called Diddly Squat: The Farmer’s Dog.
READ MORE: TV legend praises Jeremy Clarkson after meeting him at Cotswolds pub
The book covered the latest action on the farm as well as his Asthall pub, The Farmer’s Dog, becoming the fifth book Mr Clarkson has written in the series.
Having purchased the Cotswolds watering hole for around £1m, the former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter opened it to the public in the summer of 2024.
Although no confirmation has yet been made, it is expected that another book will be released this year, following on from Clarkson’s Farm series five.
It has also been confirmed that filming for the show’s sixth season is underway, with an anticipated release date in 2027.
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