Ben Miller’s Professor T Season 5 Release Date – AND Good News For Season 6!

I’m often amazed by why some shows are promoted to within an inch of their lives, and others fly under the radar, hidden somewhere in the depths of a streaming platform.

Professor T, starring Ben Miller as Jasper Tempest, is exactly that show – at least if you live in the UK.

Found exclusively on ITV, via PBS in America, Professor T has largely been ignored despite being an absolutely stand-out mystery drama series.

In fact, you have to search for it if you want to find it. Believe me, it’s worth it.

For those of you already fully invested in Jasper Tempest’s chaotic life and have already watched the first four brilliant seasons, the good news is that you don’t have to wait very long for Professor T season 5!

Professor T Season 5 Release Date

We’ve known for a while that Professor T Season 5 was coming to PBS in autumn 2026, and the channel has decided to mix things up a little.

All six new episodes are available to binge early for PBS Passport members from Sunday, August 9, 2026.

However, if you are not subscribed to PBS Passport, the season will then make its weekly broadcast debut on Sunday, October 18, 2026, airing on most PBS stations, the PBS app and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel.

There is good news for UK viewers, too. Although the UK is currently a season behind the US, Professor T Season 4 finally begins on ITV1 at 9pm on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

The six-episode season will also be available to stream on ITVX, which kind of puts UK fans a solid year behind their American counterparts, so I won’t be writing up any spoilers!!

Of course, all of that only matters if you’ve watched Professor T; if not, let me introduce you to the fascinating, flawed, and brilliant Jasper Tempest…

Ben Miller as Tempest

This show isn’t 100% cozy crime, at least not in the same way as, say, Father Brown or Death in Paradise, which, incidentally, Ben Miller also starred in as DI Richard Poole in the first three seasons.

Instead, it’s more of a drama, with the central plot in each episode revolving around a crime or an accident that has stumped the local police.

Set in and around Cambridge, we meet Jasper Tempest in the first episode when a young woman is assaulted on the University campus.

This also happens to be where the professor works as a criminology lecturer and where DI Lisa Donckers was a previous student.

The victim in question remembers nothing of her assault, so it occurs to Donckers that Tempest may be able to help retrieve her memories, given that he is a genius criminologist.

He takes a little persuading for a number of reasons. Firstly, he is autistic with severe OCD and would rather not get involved.

Secondly, he used to date Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Christina Brand, and that’s a history he doesn’t want to dig up again.

However, he also can’t resist a puzzle, so he duly obliges, and before you know it, he’s being called in to assist with all of their cases.

Some are outright crimes, others are accidents that could be crimes, others look like crimes that are actually accidents – it’s a heady mix for Professor T to sort out.

Season 5 AND 6!

The beloved cozy mystery series is not only returning for a highly anticipated Season 5 but has also been renewed for a thrilling Season 6.

This news is a double treat for enthusiasts who have fallen in love with the show’s unique blend of complex crimes, intriguing characters, and the picturesque backdrop of Cambridge University.

Season 5 will be released on PBS on August 19th 2026, and promises to deliver even more excitement as it picks up six months after the dramatic conclusion of Season 4.

It’s tricky to give a plot because I don’t want to give away anything from Season 4, but Tempest is still navigating complex new murder investigations and has a tentative romance with Helena (Juliet Stevenson), alongside subplots involving Dan’s complicated relationship with a crime boss’s daughter

Season 5 will feature six brand-new episodes, including a bloody boxing match and mysterious deaths at an upscale spa.

The stakes are higher than ever for Professor T and his team, with fan-favorite characters facing tough choices.

The cast will welcome Zoë Wanamaker as the Professor’s aunt, Zelda Radclyffe, joining returning stars Ben Miller, Juliet Stevenson, Barney White, Sunetra Sarker, and Rhian Blundell.

And, as promised, I have an update and…drum roll please…Professor T has been renewed for season 6, which Ben Miller confirmed! My guess is we’ll see it in August 2027, much in keeping with the last few seasons.

Who’s Who

Professor Jasper Tempest is the lead in this show, but he doesn’t work in isolation. More importantly, there’s a wonderful balance between work and personal life as Jasper tries to get to the root of his OCD and his relationship with his troubled past and eccentric mother.

So, who are all the colorful characters that we’ve come to know and love over the first three seasons?

Ben Miller is Tempest, and he works alongside a team of Cambridge police officers led by Juliet Aubrey as Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Christina Brand.

Next in line in the pecking order is Andy Gathergood as DI Paul Rabbit, who initially must overcome the death of his daughter.

Reporting to him are Emma Naomi as DS Lisa Donckers and Barney White as DS Dan Winters, Lisa’s colleague and on-again-off-again boyfriend.

Professor T is not without its humor and quirkiness, which largely come from the three central characters in Jasper’s personal life.

Firstly, there’s his unconventional artistic mother, Adelaide Tempest, played by the legend that is Frances de la Tour.

Alongside her is longtime friend and Tempest’s boss, Douglas Reith, as Dean Wilfred Hamilton, and best of all is his personal assistant, the hilarious and withering Sarah Woodward as Ingrid Snares.

The Cast

Ben Miller as Professor T

Ben Miller is a versatile actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles.

He’s particularly recognized for his work in British television and film, as well as his comedy partnership with Alexander Armstrong in The Armstrong and Miller Show.

Incidentally, Alexander Armstrong currently hosts the UK TV game show Pointless with author Richard Osman!

Miller has also appeared in numerous films, including Paddington 2 and What We Did on Our Holiday.

Emma Naomi as DI Lisa Donckers

Emma Naomi is a rising star in British television. Her notable roles include playing Alice Mondrich in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton as well as Chelsea Fielding in Death in Paradise.

She has also appeared in several short films and video games, including voicing a character in Forza Horizon 5.

Frances de la Tour as Adelaide Tempest

Frances de la Tour is a highly acclaimed English actress with a career spanning decades.

She’s known for her work in both theatre and screen productions, including Miss Ruth Jones in the classic sitcom Rising Damp and as Mrs. Lintott in both the stage and film versions of The History Boys.

Harry Potter fans will also recognise her from her turn as Madame Olympe Maxime in the film series.

She has won a Tony Award and three Olivier Awards for her stage work.

Barney White as DS Dan Winters

Barney White is building his career in British television and film and has previously appeared as Mike Watson in the TV mini-series Roslund & Hellström: Cell 8, with guest roles in Holby City and King Gary.

Juliet Stevenson as Dr. Helena Goldberg

Juliet Stevenson is a respected British actress known for her work in film, television, and theater.

Some of her prominent roles include Nina in Truly, Madly, Deeply, as well as playing Keira Knightley’s mother in Bend It Like Beckham.

She has received numerous awards and nominations for her performances across various mediums.

Sunetra Sarker as DCI Maiya Goswami

Sunetra Sarker is a British actress who is most well-known in the UK as Dr. Zoe Hanna in the long-running medical drama Casualty (2007-2016).

Sarker has also appeared in shows like Doctor Who, Cold Feet, and Broadchurch.

The Tempest Backstory

A lot of Jasper Tempest’s personal problems stem from unresolved issues from his childhood.

It transpires that the family was very wealthy, but his father was a destructive alcoholic who killed himself on Jasper’s birthday.

Over the course of the first three seasons, Jasper tries to unravel what really happened on that fateful day and why he formed his various disorders as coping mechanisms.

With each breakthrough, including a stint in prison – don’t worry, he’s only there for three episodes in season 3 – he comes closer to being able to live a more normal life.

That is, until the end of season three, when a tragic incident threatens to undo all of his hard work and send him hurtling back into his self-imposed protective bubble.

Adaptation

Interestingly, this is the fourth Professor T series. Like so many shows that have been adapted, this was originally a Belgian show that followed Prof. Jasper Teerlinck (2015-2018).

There was then a second version set in France that follows Prof. Julien Tardieu and a third set in Cologne, Germany, following Professor Jasper Thalheim (2017-2020).

And if, after all of that, you still fancy watching a quirky British Detective do his thing, then check out Ludwig, starring David Mitchell, on BBC.