BBC orders host of drama & factual titles

EDINBURGH: The BBC’s drama and factual controllers, Piers Wenger and Alison Kirkham, announced a host of new programming coming to the pubcaster at the Edinburgh International Television Festival.

New dramas include Scottish series The Cry and The Victim, as well as Jeff Pope’s new series about convicted serial killer Stephen Port, are coming to the channel.

Despite the dark theme of these shows, Wenger expressed the desire to see “more inspiring stories” that are not focused on death.

He said: “I’d love a Sunday night show that explores heroism and what it means to be a hero. Mid-week I would love to be pitched more ideas that would take us in to entertaining worlds, worlds that might even be aspirational.”

Mike Bartlett’s Press, which focuses on the highs and lows of journalism, and Abi Morgan’s The Split, focusing on divorce lawyers, are good examples of this according to Wenger. Charlotte Moore, BBC’s director of content said she wants to see more of a “mix” in this area.

Kirkham announced that the BBC has commissioned two new documentaries, one about the recent Grenfell Towel disaster in London and another about murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.

The factual controller said this is all in part of the BBC’s initiative to create content that “gives voice” to marginalised parts of society that the media often ignores.

Recently, the BBC also ordered drama’s such as the crime focused The Serpent, international thriller The Three and Suitable Boy which is set in 1950s India.