BBC, BBC America order horror series from Life on Mars Team

BBC1 and BBC America are coproducing The Living and the Dead, a new period ghost-hunter drama from the writing team behind Life on Mars (pictured) and Ashes to Ashes.

The six-parter from Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham will be produced by BBC Wales Drama and BBC America. It will air on the BBC’s flagship entertainment channel BBC One in the UK and on BBC America, the US cable channel owned by the UK pubcaster’s commercial arm BBC Worldwide.

The series is set in 1888 England and follows a farmer who is intent on proving the existence of the afterlife and sets about investigating hauntings and paranormal happenings.

Writer-creators Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham says: “We are as excited about this show as anything since Life On Mars and Ashes to Ashes – we want it to be moving, tender, sensual… and very, very scary.”

Richard De Croce, senior VP Programming, BBC America adds, “We look forward to teaming up once again with Ashley Pharoah, Matthew Graham and our colleagues in the BBC on a drama that will haunt and thrill our Supernatural Saturday audience.”

The series will go into production next year and BBC Worldwide will handle international sales of the finished product.