ITV visits The Bay, renews Bancroft

ITV in the UK has commissioned a six-part drama called The Bay from its production label Tall Story Pictures.

Polly Hill

The detective drama, which is written by Being Human scribe Daragh Carville, focuses on a missing person investigation in the English coastal town of Morecambe Bay, intimately linking the family of the disappeared individual and the police officer assigned to the case.

Catherine Oldfield (Trauma, Bancroft), creative director and executive producer of ITV Studios-owned Tall Story, will exec produce the show, which was commissioned by ITV head of drama Polly Hill. ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVSGE) will distribute the series worldwide.

Hill said Carville had written a “very real crime story” which rises to the challenge of giving a “fresh take on crime.”

In related news, Hill has renewed Tall Story’s detective drama Bancroft for a second season. Starring Sarah Parish (Doctor Who, W1A) in the title role, the four-part series will focus on Elizabeth Bancroft’s continuing success at work following her promotion while she grapples with issues in her personal life.

The second run, which will also be distributed internationally by ITVSGE, is written by creator Kate Brooke (Mr Selfridge), who will exec produce with Oldfield.

“In Bancroft I wanted to explore a contentious anti-heroine, a woman we love and loathe in equal measure,” said Brooke.

Oldfield, who praised both dramas for their distinctive appeal, has overseen a number of changes to Tall Story since her appointment to the top role in June last year.

In October, she hired Sophie Bicknell, formerly of Hat Trick Productions, as development producer and promoted Alexandra Arlango to senior development producer, as reported by C21.

Yesterday, UK commercial broadcaster ITV unveiled its order for The Singapore Grip, a drama based on a novel by JG Farrell to be written by Oscar-winning Atonement scribe Christopher Hampton.