BBC unveils The Hairdresser Mysteries for July 2026

A new detective series featuring a hairdresser as its unlikely sleuth is set to premiere on the BBC next month. The six-part series, "The Hairdresser Mysteries," will debut on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in July 2026, offering a nostalgic, 1970s-set take on the cozy crime genre.

The series was created by acclaimed playwright Jim Cartwright. It stars Sally Phillips, known for the "Bridget Jones" films, as Lily Petal, a high-end city hairdresser who buys a small salon in a picturesque village, seeking a quieter life. According to the show's premise, she soon becomes a confidante for villagers, using her intuition and empathy to uncover local secrets and solve mysteries.

The main cast includes several other familiar faces. Former "Coronation Street" actress Charlotte Jordan plays Clary Coombs, Lily's bright and analytical salon assistant, described as the Watson to her "Shearlock Holmes." Ben Castle-Gibb portrays PC Adam Watson, an eager young village police officer who develops feelings for Clary. Sunetra Sarker appears as the local gossip, Wincey Evans, while Clive Rowe plays the flamboyant charity shop manager Lonnie, and Guy Henry stars as eccentric antiques dealer Race Runard.