Yahoo News The most searched for TV shows of 2023
From soaps to high-end drama, there was a lot to look up this year
2023 has been another busy year on television, and even with a writer's and actor's strike taking place this year there's been a lot of shows that interested viewers.
From thrilling shows coming to an end, to breakout hits and drama-filled soaps, people have been looking up all their favourite shows and stand-out TV moments.
Read more: The most searched for actors of 2023
The results, which were pulled from hundreds of millions of searches on Yahoo UK in the past 12 months, reveal that these are the ten shows viewers have been looking up the most.
10 | Death in Paradise
BBC's murder mystery series returned for its twelfth season in January, with DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) on the case in the Caribbean. The new episodes led into a spin-off titled Beyond Paradise that marked the return of Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman, while the show and its spin-off are also set to return for Christmas specials. Given its continued success, it's no surprise it was one of the most-searched for shows of the year.
9 | Neighbours
2023 was a year of celebration for Neighbours because it marked the Australian soaps return after it was cancelled in 2022. The series returned triumphantly in September and has been delighting audiences with the next chapter in the story, as well as the return of some familiar faces.
8 | The Long Shadow
True crime has always been a fascination for many viewers, particularly if they are focused on a notorious serial killer. ITV's drama The Long Shadow is about the investigation into the deaths of several women in Yorkshire and the five-year manhunt for Peter Sutcliffe, aka The Yorkshire Ripper. The limited series starred Toby Jones, David Morrisey, and Daniel Mays amongst others, and put the focus onto the women who were harmed by Sutcliffe, rather than the killer himself.
7 | Yellowstone
Taylor Sheridan has become the king of TV in the US thanks to his hit show Yellowstone and its many spin-offs for Paramount+, and it seems Sheridan-fever has hit the UK as well as the creator's Western has become an important search topic. Though Yellowstone's search interest this year can also be traced to the drama around Kevin Costner's departure from the series, and the subsequent news that the series will come to an end with its fifth season.
6 | Wednesday
Combine a beloved brand with an irresistible dance number and you've got yourself a hit show on your hands, at least that's what Wednesday proves. The Netflix series reimagined the Addams Family in a different way, by focusing on the original Goth Girl herself Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) and her exploits at her new school of gifted individuals.
5 | Happy Valley
BBC's hit crime drama Happy Valley returned for its third and final season in 2023, which saw Sarah Lancashire's Sergeant Cawood go up against James Norton's Tommy Lee Royce for the last time. Fan theories around the show consumed viewers in the lead up to its finale, making the show one of the most searched for programmes of the year.
4 | The Last of Us
2023 got off on a great start in the TV landscape thanks to The Last of Us, HBO's live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog's game of the same name. The series stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, two characters thrust together ten years after a deadly virus took over the planet and infected much of humanity until they became mindless, flesh-eating creatures. Recreating the game with stunning accuracy, it's no wonder the series was one of the most searched for programmes of the year.
3 | Emmerdale
Soaps are always full of drama, so it comes as little surprise that they have been the most searched for shows of the year. 2023 was a busy one on Emmerdale from drama with the Dingles to Mack's kidnapping, and the forthcoming Christmas special will likely also be of interest for the shocks it will likely have in store for viewers — and a cameo from Torvill and Dean.
2 | EastEnders
EastEnders has been making some big changes this year, bringing a number of fan favourites back (some from the dead) in order to reinvigorate the soap. It has worked because the BBC series is one of the most searched for shows of the year, and its success will likely to continue with its Christmas special which centres on a big murder plot that has been teased as The Six.
1 | Coronation Street
There was only one soap to come on top this year though: Coronation Street. The ITV soap has given the citizens of Weatherfield a lot to contend with this year, including serial killer Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce). And the series will culminate in an explosive Christmas special which will see a beloved fan favourite depart the series at the end of the year.
