Bookish fans get update on whether Mark Gatiss show will be coming to a free channel soon
The series has been airing on U&Alibi, and is available to stream on Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk.
Fans of Mark Gatiss, detective dramas and period dramas have all found something to enjoy recently, with the release of new U&Alibi show Bookish.
The series sees Gatiss play Gabriel Book, an antiquarian bookshop owner in 1946 who helps the police to solve crimes. He is joined in the series by a cast including Polly Walker, Elliot Levey and Connor Finch.
However, some fans have been wondering how they can watch Bookish if they don't have U&Alibi, as it is a channel that's not currently available on Freeview.
One wrote in to this week's issue of Radio Times magazine with this very question, and, when it was put to UKTV, a response was given.
A spokesperson for UKTV told Radio Times: "It's heartening how the series has struck a chord. At present, Bookish is part of the line-up on U&Alibi, which is our pay channel.
"While there aren't any immediate plans to bring it to our free channels yet, your feedback is invaluable, and it genuinely helps shape the conversations around what comes next. Thank you - it's always a pleasure hearing from viewers who love our shows."
Fans who haven't been able to watch the show will no doubt be disappointed at this news.
However, it is worth noting that some U&Alibi shows, such as Annika, have subsequently aired on BBC One at a later date - the same could happen with Bookish, so viewers without U&Alibi, Sky or Virgin may still be able to watch it down the line.
Another viewer who had been able to access Bookish also wrote into Radio Times magazine to note that they are partially deaf, and therefore couldn't hear much of the dialogue. As they were watching on demand, there were no subtitles available.
The UKTV spokesperson said in response to this: "Accessibility is incredibly important to us. We're working hard to enable subtitles on U&Alibi content that's downloaded and watched on demand through our partners Sky, Now and Virgin Media, and we anticipate this will be in place in the next few months.
"We do provide 100 per cent subtitling on U&Alibi when watching live. We appreciate this isn't ideal and apologise for the inconvenience."
Thankfully, for those who have been able to watch and enjoy the show, it has already been renewed for a second season, meaning there will be plenty more cases for Gabriel Book to crack.
Bookish airs weekly on Wednesdays on U&Alibi. The series is available to stream in full on demand on Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
