Homeland season 6: Channel 4 has confirmed UK release date

The series will focus on a President-elect in the run-up to the inauguration

Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin on set filming an episode of 'Homeland' (Rex)

Homeland is returning to Channel 4 later this month.

Season six will premiere in the US on 16 January with the British channel airing the episode just one week later on Sunday 22 January.

The Showtime series starring Claire Danes didn't air an entire episode last year; instead, it held off perhaps due to its timely subject: this season will focus on a President-elect in the run-up to the inauguration.

House of Cards actor Elizabeth Marvel will play the new US President in a season that'll reunite Danes' Carrie Mathison with Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin), Dar Adal (F. Murray Abraham) and Peter Quinn (Rupert Friend) whose fate was left in the balance in the closing moments of season five

New York is the season's setting and it will pick up a matter of months after the climax of season five, comprising the days between the election and president's inauguration.

Earlier this year, Showtime renewed the series for a further two seasons meaning Homeland will be on-air until 2019 at least although creators Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa believe season eight will most likely be the last.

Homeland season 6 - which was featured as one of our must-watch TV shows of 2017 - begins 22 January at 9pm on Channel 4.