BBC, France Television to coproduce cop drama

British public broadcaster the BBC and French public broadcaster France Televisions are launching an ambitious international coproduction produced by Life on Mars’ Tony Jordan.

Death in Paradise, which reportedly has a budget of UK£9 million, is produced by Jordan’s Red Planet Pictures, Atlantique Productions, the French production company owned by Lagardere Entertainment, in association with BBC Worldwide, the international arm of the British broadcaster.

The eight part drama was written by Robert Thorogood, who was discovered by Tony Jordan through Red Planet’s annual writing competition. It tells the story of an English cop posted to the Caribbean island of Sainte Marie.

This is the first time that France Televisions has coproduced a series with the BBC. Production will start next spring.