C4 calls at Baghdad Central

Channel 4 (C4) in the UK has commissioned a raft of new dramas, including a crime seriesset in Iraq in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein’s demise.

Based in the city from which it takes its name, Baghdad Central (6×60’) is from Bafta-nominated writer Stephen Butchard (The Last Kingdom).

It will begin shooting later this year, to air on C4 in 2018. The series is produced by Euston Films, which is part of FremantleMedia UK, and FremantleMedia International will act as the global distributor.

Following the life of ex-policeman Muhsin al-Khafaji, Baghdad Central focuses on Khafaji’s task of locating the daughter of his brother-in-law, who has gone missing, while trying to keep his own daughter safe in a broken world.

C4 is also involving itself in another US coproduction, following the success of Humans with AMC, Indian Summers with PBS and Kiss Me First with Netflix.

Kiri, a four-part drama starring Sarah Lancashire from National Treasure writer Jack Thorne, is being produced with The Forge in association with US streamer Hulu.

The plot focuses on the abduction of a young black girl just as she is about to be adopted by a white foster family.

The slate of new commissions is completed by 6×60′ comedy drama Pure, produced by Drama Republic about a 22-year-old student who is plagued by explicit sexual thoughts at inappropriate moments.

The commissions are from Beth Willis, who replaced Piers Wenger as C4’s head of drama when he left for the BBC last year. Willis has also greenlit a third run of Paul Abbott’s Police series No Offence.