Forget Valentine's Day — BBC has just dropped first look clip for the deranged romantic crime drama I'm most excited for this year

A man laughs while half a woman's face can be seen in the background — Even this image is full of mystery. (Image credit: BBC)

BBC drops first look clip for Mint, a romantic crime drama created by Scrapper director Charlotte Reagan
Stars Emma Laird, Ben Coyle-Larner, Sam Riley, Laura Fraser, Lewis Gribben and Lindsay Duncan
Airs on BBC iPlayer sometime between April and May, exact release date TBC

If you thought Valentine's Day was a hotbed for romantic TV, think again. Sometime between April and May, BBC iPlayer will become the home of Mint, a self-proclaimed romantic comedy drama from the mind of Scrapper director Charlotte Regan.

This is enough information alone to have me seated, but the stacked cast – led by Emma Laird, Ben Coyle-Larner, Sam Riley, Laura Fraser, Lewis Gribben and Lindsay Duncan – means Mint is on track to be an absolute smash.

While we still have to wait to binge it (an official release date has yet to be confirmed), the BBC has released a first-look. Combine the playful mystery of it with the gritty, vulnerable realism Regan always delivers, and Mint easily becomes one of my most-anticipated TV shows of 2026.

Exclusive First Look | Mint - BBC - YouTube

Watch On

Mint on BBC iPlayer could be the crime drama version of Romeo and Juliet

Two groups of boys lunge towards each other with swords — Even this is like a classical painting. (Image credit: BBC)

Here's the full synopsis: "At the heart of Mint is Shannon, the daughter of her area’s dominant crime family, who is desperately searching for romance in the shadow of her father, Dylan.

"We’ll experience the obsession of first love as Shannon falls hard for Arran, a member of a rival crime family who has newly arrived in town. Their love story presents an undeniable connection that changes both of their lives for good, but not everyone in their lives sees it the same way.

"While Shannon and Arran are navigating their forbidden romance, elsewhere things are imploding for Shannon’s family. Early in our series, Dylan decides to step down as the head of the family for mysterious reasons. Sam, Dylan’s second in command, steps up to take over, though his diverging tactics start to raise alarm across our series.

"In the wake of Dylan’s decision, instead of focusing on the crime world or the politics of succession, we’re swept into the distinct emotional worlds of Shannon’s family – her parents, Dylan and Cat, her older brother Luke and her indomitable grandma Ollie."

Tell me that isn't Romeo and Juliet with a distinctly British twist. Even the above image on its own could be a renaissance painting. The BBC never shies away from a TV show that feels completely unique, and I'm feeling hopeful that Mint could push the boundaries of genre. I mean, who even puts romance and crime together in the first place?

If you can't wait, I highly recommend watching Regan's debut movie Scrapper to get in the zone – which you can buy or rent on Apple TV in the US, UK and Australia.

The best TVs for all budgets

➡️ Read our full guide to the best TVs
1. Best overall:
LG C5
2. Best under 1000:
US: Hisense U8QG
UK: TCL C7K
3. Best under 500:
US: Roku Plus Series
UK: Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.