[michael21]

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/c...&contentID=828

ITV1’s first daytime drama in nearly four years will be an innovative police procedural from the indie and key creatives behind The Bill.

The broadcaster has commissioned a 20 x 60-minute run of True Crime, which will be recorded at The Bill’s former home at Wimbledon Studios and will focus on two police officers tackling cases inspired by real events.

It was created by Paul Marquess – who executive produced The Bill for three years – who will oversee the show through Newman Street, a newly created drama division at FremantleMedia UK.

True Crime will be shot in a documentary style and will contain footage made to look like CCTV to give it an authentic edge.

The drama will aim to provide an insight into the working methods of experienced detectives during investigations.

German lessons

Although FremantleMedia UK chief executive Sara Geater would not go into detail on any of the real storylines or production techniques, she said the show would “learn lessons” from the group’s German indie UFA.

The firm uses “honed down” production methods to make popular daily soaps, such as Das Erste’s Forbidden Love.

Alison Sharman, ITV’s director of factual and daytime, hinted that some elements of True Crime will be unscripted and said that it would be ambitious in scale despite “challenging daytime budgets”.

“It’s very confident and sassy, and there’s definitely some grit in the oyster,” said Sharman, who ordered the show after it was piloted by Newman Street earlier this year.

“We tested the pilot with our viewer panel and we came back with positive responses from younger and older viewers. We know that drama repeats fare well on ITV1 in the afternoon, but there’s the opportunity to do something fresh and challenging.”

The first series will be stripped on ITV1 in an afternoon slot later this year and was co-commissioned by Katy Thorogood, the broadcaster’s commissioner for factual and daytime.

The executive producer is Marquess, while Steve Hughes (The Bill, Hollyoaks) and Darren Fairhurst (Shameless) are the co-creators and writers.

Newman Street will become the sixth “label” in the FremantleMedia UK stable, sitting alongside the likes of Thames, which makes The X Factor, and factual entertainment brand Boundless.

Geater said a drama division had been “lacking” from the company’s portfolio and installing Marquess as managing director was sensible given his experience on shows such as The Bill.

He was most recently employed by Lime Pictures, where he series produced Hollyoaks, and will have the job of creating “great, returning, profitable” drama series.

Geater also said that FremantleMedia UK has the ambition to create another drama label, focusing more on high-end international co-productions.

It would go up against the likes of Left Bank Pictures and Kudos Film and Television, although the plans are at an early stage.

ITV1’s last daytime drama was The Royal Today, which was axed after 50 episodes amid budget cuts in 2008.

ITV cancelled Talkback Thames-produced The Bill in 2010 after 26 years on air.

your nick