'Unforgotten's Season 6 Trailer Digs Up a Fresh Case

PBS and Masterpiece are on a roll now that the end-of-year pledge drive has wrapped up and the first debuts for the 2025-2026 television season have arrived. Patience Season 1 has rolled out to solid enough reviews and an already greenlit Season 2, and Grantchester Season 10 is bubbling along happily with its new Hot Vicar. Meanwhile, the network is already looking ahead to mid-August, when the next batch of Sunday British offerings arrives, featuring Professor T Season 4, The Marlow Murder Club Season 2, and Unforgotten Season 6, all airing back to back. On Tuesday, June 17, Masterpiece debuted the trailer for Marlow Murder; one day later, it's Unforgotten's turn.

The series is riding a major high as it returns to PBS for 2025. Season 6 aired and streamed on ITV earlier in the year in the U.K.. The reviews, which I will not link to due to a significant season premiere spoiler (which American fans should get to experience cold if they want), reached a new level of critical praise despite the show's longevity. Part of the reason for this is the new life breathed into it by the change of guard from Nicola Walker as DCI Cassie Stewart to Sinead Keenan as DCI Jessie James.

Unforgotten's producers should be proud of their accomplishments. Despite how easy Doctor Who makes it look, changing out lead actors is not for the faint of heart; Death in Paradise and Grantchester have both now done it multiple times, and it never goes as smoothly as one might hope. Season 5 had its share of awkward moments, trying to cram in all the necessary plot beats of a changeover and a complex case. But even with the sometimes rushed moments, fans could see that the new duo was going to make a great team, and the first trailer for Season 6 confirms it.

As always, PBS's version of the Unforgotten season synopsis is light on details, especially compared to ITV's version:

Detective Chief Inspector James and Detective Inspector Khan return for Season 6 of Unforgotten. We follow as they uncover the truth behind a dismembered body found in Whitney Marsh and the series once again examines the lives of a disparate group of people linked to the victim.

Keenan and Bhaskar lead the series' regular ensemble, which includes Carolina Main as DC Fran Lingley, Jordan Long as DS Murray Boulting, Pippa Nixon as DC Karen 'Kaz' Willetts, and Georgia McKenzie as Leanne Balcombe. Season 5 additions Kate Robbins and Andrew Lancel also return as Jessie's mother and husband, respectively. 

This season's main guest stars/suspects will be played by British A-listers MyAnna Buring (The Responder), Victoria Hamilton (COBRA), Jan Francis (The Duchess of Duke Street), Damien Molony (Bergerac), Elham Elas (Young Wallander), plus newcomer Max Fairley. 

Supporting cast includes Adrian Rawlins (Moonflower Murders), Pixie Davies (The White Princess), Michele Dotrice (A Very English Scandal), Emmett J. Scanlan (The Tower), Oliver Lansley (Doctor Who), Lisa Davina Phillip (The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin), and David Witts (Manhunt).

Series creator Chris Lang (I, Jack Wright) penned all six episodes, with director Andy Wilson returning to helm all installments. Lang executive produces with Sally Haynes and Laura Mackie. The series is co-produced by Mainstreet in association with Masterpiece and BBC Studios, with Huw Kennair-Jones overseeing the production on behalf of ITV. 

Unforgotten Season 6 premieres on most local PBS stations, the PBS app, and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel beginning Sunday, August 24, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET, directly following the premieres of Professor T Season 4 at 8 p.m. and The Marlow Murder Club Season 2 at 9 p.m. All six episodes of Season 6 will be available for members on premiere day via PBS Passport. As always, check your local listings. Unforgotten Seasons 1 through 5 are available to stream on PBS Passport for members.