When Does This World Season 22 Come Out? Is It Renewed?
This World Season 22 doesn't have an official release date yet. Based on the roughly 12-month gap between previous seasons, expect it around July 2025.
TMDB
6.0
Seasons
14
Episodes
123
Diagnostics
- Network
- BBC Two
- Genres
- Documentary
- First aired
- 2004-01-04
- Last aired
- 2025-02-17
- Runtime
- 60 min
Predictive Logic Analysis
This World has a stable position in BBC Two's documentary lineup. The show has aired 123 episodes across 14 seasons since 2004, making it a well-established franchise with consistent support from the broadcaster. Documentary strands at the BBC, especially those with This World's track record and profile, tend to have longer lifespans than drama or comedy. The 18-month gap since the last season aired is substantial, but it is not unusual for documentary programming, which often operates on longer production and editorial cycles. The TMDB status of "Returning Series" reflects that the database interprets the show as active, though this alone cannot substitute for an official renewal statement.
The lack of cancellation news is itself a signal. The BBC typically announces cancellations of established documentary strands, particularly one this venerable. The absence of such an announcement, combined with the recent February 2025 air date and a modest but steady active-watcher count on Trakt (150 viewers), points toward ongoing production. However, without a published renewal confirmation or greenlight announcement, confidence remains moderate. Broad viewership for documentaries on BBC Two is smaller than on other networks or channels, and the modest Trakt engagement numbers reflect that niche positioning. This World likely operates on a long-lead production schedule, meaning renewal decisions would have been made some months ago, but no public statement has surfaced to confirm it.
What is This World about?
This World stands as BBC Two's flagship international documentary series, offering viewers an unflinching window into the most pressing social and political issues reshaping our global landscape. Each episode embarks on a different geographic and thematic journey, whether investigating humanitarian crises, exploring the human cost of conflict, examining systemic inequality, or unpacking the cultural and economic forces that define contemporary life. The series succeeds because it refuses easy answers, instead placing viewers directly into complex situations where abstraction gives way to human testimony and on-the-ground reporting that demands attention and empathy.
The programme's distinctive strength lies in its commitment to sustained investigation rather than surface-level tourism. By partnering with filmmakers, journalists, and producers who have deep ties to their subjects, This World achieves a level of access and insight that distinguishes it from more conventional news-based documentary. Its tone balances journalistic rigor with narrative intimacy, allowing personal stories and structural realities to coexist without undermining one another. The series inherits the legacy of Correspondent, its predecessor, while establishing its own identity as a vehicle for independent voices and perspectives often marginalized in mainstream media coverage.
Over two decades of broadcast, This World has earned considerable critical recognition for its editorial courage and storytelling craft. Audiences have consistently valued the programme for treating global affairs with the seriousness and nuance they deserve, while avoiding the condescension that can plague international documentary. The series has cultivated a devoted following among viewers who seek substantive engagement with world events beyond headline cycles.
As a longstanding pillar of British public service broadcasting, This World occupies a vital cultural position. It represents a commitment to documentary journalism at a moment when such investment has become increasingly rare, demonstrating that there remains an appetite for thoughtful, rigorous examination of how the world actually works. The show's longevity and recurring status affirm BBC Two's role as a platform for the kind of ambitious, uncompromising factual storytelling that commercial pressures often eliminate elsewhere.
Is This World renewed or cancelled?
Working toward renewal
TMDB status is 'Returning Series', indicating the database records the show as active
21-year run since 2004 with 14 seasons, placing the show in the BBC's established documentary portfolio
Steady Trakt active-watcher count and steady Wikipedia pageview trend, indicating stable if modest audience engagement
Documentary strand at BBC Two, a network known for long-form documentary support and patient renewal timelines
Working against it
No published cancellation or renewal signal in recent coverage
18-month gap since last episode (February 2025), a long interval but not atypical for documentary production
This World Season 22 Release Date
If renewed, the next season would most likely arrive 18 to 24 months after the February 2025 finale, pointing to late 2026 or early 2027. Documentary strands at the BBC typically follow longer production timelines than fiction, requiring research, filming, and editorial work that can stretch over 12 to 18 months. The 18-month gap observed to date is consistent with this rhythm, not an outlier. Without confirmation of a greenlight, the exact timing cannot be pinned down. If the show has been renewed but no announcement has been made yet, a formal statement and production schedule could emerge over the next few months.
This World seasons
Season 20042004 · 17 ep
- 1. Hells Angels2004-01-04
- 2. Ethiopia: A Journey2004-01-11
- 3. Football and Freedom2004-01-18
- 4. American Virgins2004-01-25
- 5. Access to Evil2004-02-01
- 6. Iran, a Murder Mystery2004-02-15
- 11. One Day of War2004-05-27
- 12. LAPD - Protect and Serve?2004-06-03
- 13. The Secret Swami2004-06-17
- 14. Child Rescuers2004-06-20
- 15. The Boy from the Block2004-07-08
- 16. Saudi: the Family in Crisis2004-07-15
- 17. The Real Bangkok Hilton2004-07-22
- 21. Dolphin Hunters2004-11-09
- 22. Guinea Pig Kids2004-11-30
- 23. Locked in Paradise2004-12-07
- 24. If ... We Could Stop the Violence2004-12-22
Season 20082008 · 13 ep
- 1. The Boys From Baghdad High2008-01-08
- 2. Baghdad: A Doctor's Story2008-01-14
- 3. Girl Racer2008-02-19
- 4. Diamonds and Justice2008-02-26
- 5. Deep South Divide2008-03-04
- 6. Miss Gulag2008-03-11
- 7. Lethal Solution2008-03-18
- 8. Bannatyne Takes on Big Tobacco2008-07-01
- 9. Battle of the Bishops2008-07-21
- 10. Murder in the Snow2008-11-10
- 11. The Man Who Armed the World2008-11-17
- 12. American Time Bomb2008-11-24
- 13. Forced to Marry2008-12-01
Season 20092009 · 7 ep
- 1. Mandela at 902009-01-31
- 2. Escaping North Korea2009-04-06
- 3. The Madoff Hustle2009-06-28
- 4. Gypsy Child Thieves2009-09-02
- 5. An Iranian 'Martyr'2009-11-24
- 6. Can Obama Save the Planet?2009-11-25
- 7. Stalin's Back2009-12-02
Season 20102010 · 10 ep
- 1. Closing Guantanamo2010-01-03
- 2. Obama and Me2010-01-19
- 3. Tsunami: Five Years On2010-01-27
- 4. Mexico's Drug War2010-02-07
- 5. Stolen Brides2010-08-11
- 6. Surviving Haiti2010-08-18
- 7. The Wounded Platoon2010-08-25
- 8. Hostage in the Jungle2010-10-20
- 9. Tea Party America2010-11-01
- 10. Pakistan's Flood Doctor2010-12-13
Season 20112011 · 9 ep
- 1. The Paedophile Hunters2011-01-30
- 2. Geert Wilders: Europe's Most Dangerous Man?2011-02-14
- 3. Nicolas Sarkozy: President Bling-Bling?2011-03-21
- 4. Chilean Miners: What Happened Next2011-03-28
- 5. The Invasion of Lampedusa2011-06-14
- 6. Italy's Bloodiest Mafia2011-07-13
- 7. Thailand - Justice Under Fire2011-08-07
- 8. Spain's Stolen Babies2011-10-18
- 9. Return of the Lost Boys of Sudan2011-12-12
Season 20122012 · 12 ep
- 1. Egypt - Children of the Revolution2012-02-03
- 2. Inside the Meltdown2012-02-23
- 3. The Fastest Changing Place on Earth2012-03-05
- 4. Interviews Before Execution: A Chinese Talk Show2012-03-12
- 5. The Mormon Candidate2012-03-27
- 6. Norway's Massacre2012-04-15
- 7. The Shame of the Catholic Church2012-05-01
- 8. Michael Portillo's Great Euro Crisis2012-05-09
- 9. Aung San Suu Kyi: The Choice2012-09-22
- 10. Obama: What Happened to Hope?2012-11-04
- 11. Cuba with Simon Reeve2012-12-11
- 12. The Great Spanish Crash2012-12-16
Season 20132013 · 12 ep
- 1. America's Poor Kids2013-03-06
- 2. A History of Syria with Dan Snow2013-03-11
- 3. Iraq: Did My Son Die in Vain?2013-03-20
- 4. South Africa: The Massacre that Changed a Nation2013-04-24
- 5. The Mafia's Secret Bunkers2013-05-01
- 6. India's Supersize Kids2013-08-13
- 7. America's Stoned Kids2013-08-24
- 8. Terror in the Desert2013-08-31
- 9. Dan Snow's History of Congo2013-10-09
- 10. No Sex Please, We're Japanese" "The Great Japanese Retirement2013-10-24
- 11. World's Busiest Maternity Ward2013-10-31
- 12. Don't Panic - The Truth About Population2013-11-07
Season 20142014 · 10 ep
- 1. The Tea Trail with Simon Reeve2014-01-12
- 2. The Coffee Trail with Simon Reeve2014-01-26
- 3. How China Fooled the World - with Robert Peston2014-02-18
- 4. Copacabana Palace2014-05-12
- 5. The Secret Life of Your Clothes2014-07-14
- 6. Clothes to Die For2014-07-21
- 7. Ireland's Lost Babies2014-09-17
- 8. Life in Solitary2014-09-21
- 9. Terror at the Mall2014-09-24
- 10. Rwanda's Untold Story2014-10-01
Season 20152015 · 9 ep
- 1. Surviving Sandy Hook2015-03-04
- 2. Secrets of Mexico's Drug War2015-03-11
- 3. Quelle Catastrophe! France with Robert Peston2015-03-13
- 4. Britain's Jihadi Brides2015-04-08
- 5. Kill the Christians2015-04-15
- 6. World's Richest Terror Army2015-04-22
- 7. Outbreak: The Truth About Ebola2015-06-01
- 8. The Bin Laden Conspiracy?2015-06-17
- 9. Don't Panic - How to End Poverty in 15 Years2015-09-23
Season 20162016 · 7 ep
- 1. Three Days of Terror: The Charlie Hebdo Attacks2016-01-06
- 2. World War Three: Inside the War Room2016-02-03
- 3. The Great Chinese Crash? With Robert Peston2016-02-17
- 4. Inside the Billionaire's Wardrobe2016-04-26
- 5. The New Gypsy Kings2016-06-16
- 6. Frat Boys: Inside America's Fraternities2016-06-23
- 7. Unarmed Black Male2016-11-02
Season 20172017 · 9 ep
- 1. Transgender Kids: Who Knows Best?2017-01-12
- 2. After Brexit: The Battle for Europe2017-02-09
- 3. Russia's Hooligan Army2017-02-16
- 4. Born Too White2017-02-23
- 5. The Attack: Terror in the UK2017-03-02
- 6. Colombia2017-04-16
- 7. North Korea: Murder in the Family2017-08-13
- 8. Calais, The End of the Jungle2017-10-24
- 9. The Balfour Declaration: Britain's Promise to the Holy Land2017-10-31
Season 20182018 · 6 ep
- 1. Murdered for Love? Samia Shahid2018-02-21
- 2. Burma (Part 1)2018-05-13
- 3. Nigeria's Stolen Daughters2018-05-15
- 4. Burma (Part 2)2018-05-20
- 5. Japan’s Secret Shame2018-06-18
- 6. Escape from Dubai2018-12-06
AI Verdict
This World is a long-running BBC Two documentary strand with 14 seasons across 21 years, and its TMDB status currently shows "Returning Series". No explicit cancellation or renewal signal has been published, but the show's longevity, established place at the BBC, and recent episode activity (last aired February 2025) suggest continuation is probable rather than a coin flip.
Live signals
150 watching on Traktsteady
Interest steady
Verdict updated 1 month ago
Updated 2026-09-04 · AI-generated analysis
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Frequently asked
- When does This World Season 22 come out?
- This World Season 22 doesn't have an official release date yet. Based on the roughly 12-month gap between previous seasons, expect it around July 2025.
- Is This World renewed or cancelled?
- This World is a long-running BBC Two documentary strand with 14 seasons across 21 years, and its TMDB status currently shows "Returning Series". No explicit cancellation or renewal signal has been published, but the show's longevity, established place at the BBC, and recent episode activity (last aired February 2025) suggest continuation is probable rather than a coin flip.
- How many seasons of This World are there?
- This World has aired 14 seasons so far.
- How many episodes of This World are there?
- There are 123 episodes of This World across 14 seasons.