BBC ready to put on The Uniform thanks to deal with Fremantle for DR police drama

The Uniform (Uniformen) claimed a 47% viewing share on DR

The BBC has picked up The Uniform, a Danish crime drama that exposes the cost of loyalty and corruption within the country’s national police academy, through a deal with distributor Fremantle.

Known locally as Uniformen (6×60’), the series is produced by Miso Film for DR, where it debuted in February and became one of the public broadcaster’s strongest premieres in recent years, drawing a launch audience of more than 1.5 million and capturing a 47% share of TV viewing in Denmark. It will air in the UK on BBC Four and join iPlayer.

The series opens with one man dead after a young trainee fires his weapon, leaving Denmark’s police academy to face an immediate and explosive fallout. As the story makes headlines, public outrage and political pressure ignite a war over who controls the future of policing.

The cast includes Soheil Bavi as Youssef, a rising star whose dream of becoming an officer is shattered by the shooting; Marco Ilsø as fellow trainee Daniel; Clara Rosager as first-year trainee Freja; and Lene Maria Christensen as Sanne Hammerby, the academy’s new principal brought in to clean house.

Nick Lee, head of BBC programme acquisition, said: “With its moral complexity and depth of character The Uniform is a confident and deeply engaging drama. Audiences will be drawn into the world of elite rookie cops, all with that trademark Scandinavian prestige our viewers love.”

Jamie Lynn, executive VP, coproduction and distribution for EMEA, International at Fremantle, added: “The Uniform delivers everything you’d want from a standout crime drama: complex characters, a tense coming-of-age story and a fresh take on law enforcement that really sets it apart.”

The Uniform is produced by Sofie Bergstein, Jonas Allen and Peter Bose for Miso Film. It is written by Oscar Giese (2 Days) and Anders August (The Quiet Ones, A Fortunate Man) and directed by Jonas Alexander Arnby.

To read Drama Quarterly’s interview with writers Giese and August and director Arnby, click here.