Buzz
While American streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu offer an overwhelming selection of reality TV shows, you’ve likely spent an entire weekend bingeing on them already. But if you're seeking something a bit different, don't worry—there’s a whole world of reality shows beyond the U.S. that offer similar vibes, only with a twist. Imagine your favorite shows but with a charming British flair. So, grab your tea and dive into something new.
1. IF YOU LOVE CAKE WARS: THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW
While Cake Wars brings in seasoned pros, The Great British Baking Show (aka The Great British Bake Off) features a lovable crew of amateur bakers from all across England and beyond. But don't let their lack of professional credentials fool you—these bakers create mouth-watering masterpieces each week. In every episode, contestants face off in baking challenges, trying to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry with their skills in crafting everything from cakes and tarts to puddings and pies.
The show made headlines last year when Mary Berry, along with hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, left the series, which means big changes are coming in the next season when it moves to a new network. Now's your chance to catch the classic lineup of the only reality cooking show where 'spotted dick' can be said without anyone chuckling.
2. IF YOU'RE A FAN OF HOUSE HUNTERS: ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY
This beloved daytime show is perfect for anyone who loves fantasizing about living in a quaint English countryside cottage—without leaving the comfort of their own, far less British home. Each episode features a family looking to escape to a rural life, and they’re shown three potential properties that fit their budget and dream country lifestyle.
The first two options usually match their exact wishes, like en suite bathrooms, spacious kitchens, and farm-like surroundings—and maybe even a garage. But the third option is the show’s 'mystery house,' a quirky surprise property full of surprises, like bedrooms on the ground floor or expansive living rooms that were converted from a centuries-old church.
3. IF YOU LOVE JACKASS: AN IDIOT ABROAD
If you enjoy Ricky Gervais and his unapologetically bold sense of humor, this travel show is for you. It follows his seemingly clueless friend, Karl Pilkington, as he journeys around the globe, deliberately stepping outside his comfort zone—and making everyone else uncomfortable too.
An Idiot Abroad is like Jackass, but without the raunchy antics. Each episode has Gervais and his The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant sending Pilkington to various places, where he’s thrust into awkward, often hilarious situations. From meeting a gorilla in Uganda to attending a 'cuddle party' on Route 66, learning samba in Rio, and attempting to whale watch in Alaska despite his crippling seasickness, Pilkington does it all. Okay, there might be a few gross moments after all.
4. IF YOU'RE A FAN OF JERSEY SHORE: THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX
You didn’t think America was the only one capable of producing trashy reality TV, did you? If you’ve ever wondered what MTV’s Jersey Shore would sound like with thick English accents, The Only Way Is Essex is your answer.
Now in its 20th season, the series is a never-ending cycle of bartenders, club promoters, and wannabe models getting hammered, fighting, backstabbing, and doing it all over again in semi-scripted chaos. It’s so addictively awful that you just can’t look away.
5. IF YOU LOVE FLEA MARKET FLIP: DEALERS: PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS
If antiques intrigue you more than drinking games, Dealers (also known as Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is) is a must-watch. Each episode showcases expert antique dealers who scour yard sales, flea markets, and auction houses on a budget, looking for treasures to compete with their rival collectors' finds. The goal is to turn those items into a bigger profit. Will a vintage tea kettle be enough to win? Watch all the episodes to find out.
6. IF YOU'RE A FAN OF SHARK TANK: FOUR ROOMS
Imagine Shark Tank with priceless family heirlooms instead of startup business owners looking for investors. That’s Channel 4’s Four Rooms. On this show, high-profile collectibles dealers offer big money for rare items that contestants are looking to sell. The twist? Each seller pitches their item to a different dealer in one of four rooms, and once they turn down an offer, they can't go back. So, if the second room dealer offers £20,000 for a Jimi Hendrix guitar and the fourth room dealer only offers £10,000, the seller has to make a tough decision: take the lower offer or walk away.
7. IF YOU LOVE THE INCREDIBLE DR. POL: THE BIONIC VET
If you're fascinated by animal care like that seen on The Incredible Dr. Pol, but you want to witness how advanced technology is being used to save animals' lives, The Bionic Vet is the show for you. It follows veterinarian Noel Fitzpatrick and his team of over 100 vets in Surrey, as they help animals facing life-threatening conditions where euthanasia is often considered the only option. The Bionic Vet isn’t for the faint-hearted, especially for animal lovers, but it’s a unique reality series with real, heartfelt drama. And where else would you get to see a Border Collie’s pelvis rebuilt after being hit by a car, or witness the reconstruction of a barn owl's wing?
8. IF YOU LOVE COPS: MOTORWAY COPS
Bad (British) boys, bad (British) boys, what’re you gonna do? If you love police shows, Motorway Cops adds the perfect British twist to the usual law enforcement formula. This series follows highway patrol officers from various departments, like the Central Motorway Police Group, as they catch criminals involved in everything from stealing copper wire off the highways to trafficking drugs along remote backroads.
9. IF YOU LOVE WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE: HEIR HUNTERS
On the surface, Heir Hunters might seem like a show about probate researchers finding relatives of the deceased—and that might not sound too exciting. But when you think of it as a thrilling race against time, where investigators search for hidden heirs to unclaimed fortunes, it gets a lot more interesting. The show follows researchers who are determined to find long-lost family members who could inherit the estates of those who didn’t leave behind a will. If no heirs are found, the estate goes to the British Treasury. It’s a story that’s usually a small subplot in dramas, but Heir Hunters brings a human touch to this otherwise sensational topic, full of twists and often leading to heartwarming conclusions.
10. IF YOU LOVE UNDERCOVER BOSS: EXTREME APPRENTICES: SLUM SURVIVORS
This British series has a premise that rivals Undercover Boss in terms of being unconventional. Instead of focusing on bosses learning about their business from the ground up, Extreme Apprentices puts the spotlight on workers at the lowest levels of their professions. Apprentices in trades like plumbing or mechanics are sent from their usual UK jobs to take on similar roles in places like Nigeria or Mumbai, with a challenge to survive for 10 days in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable. This is no easy task—especially when you witness the nightmarish plumbing issues they face.
