jam-packed drama
Channel 5 in major shake-up as it unveils SIX brand new dramas – but there’s a twist
The new strand is a nod to one of the Beeb's most popular outputs of the 1970s
CHANNEL 5 has revealed that a whopping six new dramas will be making their way to the channel.
The broadcaster has seen success with its drama output in recent years and has managed to sign up a slew of stars to take on the roles.
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Now, fans can look forward to plenty more action with the commissioning of six new programmes.
But in a twist, the six shows will all be standalone dramas that run for just one episode each.
It means fans will have little to no commitment to the programmes as well as the ability to watch and catch-up at their leisure - a game-changer in the streaming era.
The single drama strand will be known as Drama of the Week and is a nod to the iconic Play for Today series which ran on the BBC between 1970 and 1984.
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The new strand is also understood to focus on giving opportunities to rising stars both on and off-camera as well as welcoming in low-income talent in writing, direction and production.
Sebastian Cardwell, head of drama and Channel 5’s deputy chief content officer stated: “The launch of this new drama strand is our response to an increasingly worrying and wider economic situation impacting our industry.
“From well-loved soaps closing to funding disappearing, it’s becoming even more difficult for people from low-income backgrounds to break through via traditional methods.
"We’ve specifically selected to work with Allan Niblo and Nathalie Peter-Contesse (Vertigo Films) and Colin McKeown (LA Productions) as they have a track record in supporting and nurturing this incredibly talented pool of people who need to be given the opportunity to step up.”
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Vertigo Films and LA Productions will produce the first episode in the strand with the pilot set to run before 2026 when all six dramas are likely to be in the works.
Channel 5 bosses also hope that other production companies will jump at the chance to get on board following the pilot.
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It is also understood that if any of the one-off dramas perform particularly well, there is scope to turn them into a full-length series later down the line.
Ben Frow, Channel 5’s chief content officer said of the new innovative commissions: “As a public service broadcaster, reflecting the lives of our audience is a huge priority for us.
"This new strand, in the vein of ‘Play for Today,’ will help bring some of the important issues that affect our viewers to life, whilst also giving talented individuals from low-income backgrounds the chance to shine as part of the productions.”
Further details are expected to be announced in due course.
Top Channel 5 dramas
Channel 5 has become a hub for gripping drama, these are some of the best My5 has to offer.
- All Creatures Great and Small - Based on the best-selling novels by real-life vet Alf Wright, the show revolves around a trio of vets working in the Yorkshire Dales in the late 1930s. Eccentric Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) hires James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) for his veterinary practice at Skeldale House alongside himself and his younger brother Tristan (Callum Woodhouse). There James settles into his new life and even finds love with local farmer's daughter Helen (Rachel Shenton).
- The Ex-Wife - New parents Tasha (Céline Buckens) and Jack (Tom Misson) seem to have the perfect life, but the constant presence of Jack's overly friendly but suspicious ex-wife Jen (Janet Montgomery) puts pressure on the couple. But as the series progresses it becomes less clear who the bad guy really is and how far everyone will go to get the life they think they deserve.
- Heat - EastEnders alum Danny Dyer leads this four-part action thriller, set in Australia, which sees two families holidaying together during bushfire season. But instead of rest and relaxation, secrets and lies start to unravel — and not everyone will make it out alive…
- Lie With Me - Another soap legend jets off to Australia, this time its EastEnders alum Charlie Brooks who takes as a married woman trying to saving her marriage by moving halfway around the world after her husband had an affair. However it's far from plain sailing, as a young and attractive live-in nanny comes to work with the Fallmont family, and tensions soon build and eventually, someone ends up dead.
- The Drowning - Jill Halfpenny plays Jodie, a woman whose life is shattered following the disappearance of her beloved four-year-old son, Daniel. However, ten years later, the grieving mother thinks she's finally found her missing child, and embarks on a journey to discover the truth about him. But has she really just found the son she has been missing for so long?
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