River City announces big change as new series comes to BBC

BBC Scotland has announced a big change for its acclaimed drama River City.

The hot show will move to a new multi-series format on BBC iPlayer, BBC Scotland, and BBC One Scotland after the summer.

Starting from Monday, 23 October, the show will be presented in three distinct series each year, with breaks of six weeks in between. Each series will run for 11 weeks, airing twice-weekly, with new episodes premiering every Monday on BBC iPlayer.

The current run of River City will come to an end on Wednesday, 9 August, leaving one character’s life hanging in the balance after a dramatic showdown gone awry. The series will then take a ten-week on-screen break over August and September before returning in its new multi-series format from October.

This format change offers the production team the opportunity to delve deeper into storylines and create more captivating and must-see moments, for which River City has become renowned. With the return in October, Montego Street will have undergone a mini makeover, and viewers will be introduced to the first of three new characters, promising plenty of excitement for fans of the show.

Gavin Smith, Commissioning Executive, BBC Scotland said: “This new format allows the production team the chance to delve deeper in to storylines and create more ‘must-see’ moments, which River City has become renowned for.

“When the series returns in October, Montego Street will have had a mini makeover and we’ll be introducing the first of three new characters so there will be lots for the River City fans to look forward to when it returns in the Autumn.”

The first of the new series will run from 23 October 2023 – 3 January 2024. Further series will broadcast from February – May 2024 and then from October as before.

River City first debuted on BBC One Scotland on 25 September 2002 and has grown to become one of the broadcaster’s most-loved dramas.

Catch up on the most recent episodes by watching online via BBC iPlayer here