“Better Than Unforgotten”: Nicola Walker’s Brilliant BBC Drama Last Tango in Halifax Deserves a Place on Your Watchlist

If you love character-driven British dramas filled with romance, family secrets, sharp humour and unexpected twists, Last Tango in Halifax is a series worth discovering. Led by Nicola Walker, Sarah Lancashire, Anne Reid and Derek Jacobi, this BAFTA-winning BBC drama explores the surprising ways love and family can reshape people’s lives, even when they are well into their seventies.

First arriving on television more than a decade ago, the series begins with two former childhood sweethearts finding their way back to each other after decades apart. But their reunion is only the beginning. As Alan and Celia fall in love again, their very different families become entangled in a story that moves effortlessly between heartwarming moments, painful revelations and wonderfully messy situations.

For fans of Nicola Walker’s work in Unforgotten, it offers another opportunity to see the actress in a compelling role, this time as part of a warm yet emotionally unpredictable family drama.

With all five series available on BBC iPlayer, here’s why Last Tango in Halifax deserves your attention.

What Is Last Tango in Halifax About?

Created and written by Sally Wainwright, the acclaimed writer behind Happy Valley, Gentleman Jack and Riot Women, Last Tango in Halifax centres on Alan (Derek Jacobi) and Celia (Anne Reid), two widowed people in their seventies who reconnect after more than 60 years apart.

Their unexpected reunion comes about thanks to their grandsons, who help them find each other on Facebook. What begins as a rediscovered connection soon develops into a passionate romance, giving both Alan and Celia the chance to experience love again later in life.

The premise has a personal connection to Wainwright. Her own mother reconnected with a former schoolfriend through Friends Reunited when she was in her seventies. Although the pair had not seen each other since they were 16, they eventually married. That real-life experience helped inspire the central relationship in the series.

However, the story is far from a straightforward romance. Alan and Celia’s decision to build a life together has consequences for their grown-up daughters, Gillian (Nicola Walker) and Caroline (Sarah Lancashire), whose personalities and circumstances could hardly be more different.

Gillian runs the family farm with her teenage son, Raff. Her life is often chaotic, and she finds herself caught up in complicated personal relationships and difficult family situations.

Caroline, meanwhile, is a successful school headmistress whose apparently settled life begins to unravel following her academic husband John’s affair.

As the story develops, both families face an array of challenges, including bereavement, divorce, illness and heartbreak. Through it all, Alan and Celia’s relationship remains the emotional centre of the drama.

Anne Reid once described Celia’s transformation after meeting Alan as a kind of rebirth. His love allows her to become more fully herself, bringing out a happiness she had not experienced before.

A Family Drama Full of Surprises and Emotional Twists

One of the show’s greatest strengths is its ability to move between comedy and serious emotional drama without losing its sense of authenticity.

Although Alan and Celia’s romance provides the starting point, the lives of Gillian and Caroline give the series much of its depth. Their contrasting personalities, complicated relationships and personal struggles create plenty of opportunities for both humour and heartbreak.

Nicola Walker has praised Sally Wainwright’s storytelling for its unpredictability. Just when viewers think they understand where a character’s journey is heading, the plot takes another turn. As more details about the characters emerge, their lives become increasingly complicated, revealing moments that can be funny, uncomfortable and deeply affecting.

Across five series, the drama allows its characters to evolve while exploring the difficult realities of relationships and family life. Its emotional impact comes not from presenting perfect people, but from showing how flawed individuals try to navigate the unexpected challenges that come their way.

Who Stars in Last Tango in Halifax?

The series features a distinguished cast of British television and film performers, including:

• Nicola Walker as Gillian
• Sarah Lancashire as Caroline
• Anne Reid as Celia
• Derek Jacobi as Alan
• Tony Gardner as John
• Dean Andrews as Robbie
• Nina Sosanya as Kate
• Ronni Ancona as Judith Tyzack
• Louis Greatorex as Lawrence Elliot

The performances are central to the show’s appeal. Jacobi and Reid bring warmth and tenderness to the relationship between Alan and Celia, while Walker and Lancashire add complexity to the story through their portrayals of two very different women navigating their own personal struggles.

Is Last Tango in Halifax Worth Watching?

Absolutely, particularly if you enjoy British dramas that balance emotional storytelling with genuine humour.

The series never relies on a single storyline to keep viewers interested. Instead, it builds an interconnected picture of two families whose lives become increasingly intertwined. Romantic happiness sits alongside family disagreements, unexpected revelations and difficult decisions, giving the story a natural sense of unpredictability.

Its greatest appeal is the way it treats love and personal reinvention as possibilities at any age. Alan and Celia’s relationship offers a hopeful starting point, while the experiences of their daughters show that family life rarely follows a simple path.

For viewers who appreciate the emotional complexity of Unforgotten but are looking for something with more romance and domestic comedy, Last Tango in Halifax offers a very different side of Nicola Walker’s work.

How to Watch Last Tango in Halifax

All five series of Last Tango in Halifax are listed on BBC iPlayer, making it possible to follow Alan, Celia and their families from the beginning. The programme comprises 24 episodes in total.

What Else Can You Watch Starring Nicola Walker?

If Last Tango in Halifax leaves you wanting more of Nicola Walker, there are other series worth adding to your list.

For fans of crime drama, River offers a darker change of pace. The series follows Detective Inspector John River (Stellan Skarsgård), who is haunted by memories of his former colleague, Detective Sergeant Jackie “Stevie” Stevenson, played by Walker. The show is available on ITVX.

For something lighter, Heading Out is another option. Walker plays Justine, a loyal friend to Sara (Sue Perkins), who is struggling to tell her parents that she is gay. Justine decides to help her friend face the difficult conversation. The comedy series is available on Prime Video.

Whether you know Walker from her crime dramas or are discovering her work for the first time, Last Tango in Halifax showcases her talent in a story filled with warmth, wit and emotional complexity. With five series of family drama and an unconventional love story at its centre, it is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for their next BBC binge.