BBC orders Cold War drama from Spooks producer

UK public broadcaster the BBC has ordered Legacy, a Cold War drama from UK indie Slim Film + Television.

It is the first commission for Slim, the production company set up by Simon Crawford Collins (above), who during his time as managing director of Kudos produced Spooks, Hustle and Ashes to Ashes.

The one-off TV movie is based on a Alan Judd novel set in 1970s London at the height of the Cold War. It follows a young spy as he uncovers his father’s murky past.

Crawford Collins set up Slim Film + Television in November 2011 and Legacy is its first commission. It will air on BBC Two in the UK. A spokesman told TBI that BBC Worldwide will be the international distributor of the show.

Crawford Collins said: “My two guiding principles when I set up Slim was that I would only work on projects that I was absolutely passionate about and with people who I love working with. Legacy couldn’t tick those boxes more emphatically.”

Ben Stephenson, controller of drama commissioning at the BBC, said: “Legacy is a brilliant twist on a classic genre – a Cold War spy thriller with an emotional beating heart. “