Channel 4 commissions first digital original drama with sci-fi series Beth

Beth stars Nicholas Pinnock and Abbey Lee

UK pubcaster Channel 4 has commissioned its first digital original drama to be launched on its YouTube channel, as well as Channel 4 Streaming and linear TV.

Beth is a 3×15’ science-fiction drama written and directed by Uzo Oleh (Edicius), exec produced by Anna Higgs and produced by Dark Pictures and GroupM Motion Entertainment. On the linear channel, it will be broadcast as a 1×45’ episode.

Starring Nicholas Pinnock (This Town) and Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road) as the lead characters, the story follows a mixed-race couple desperate for a child. After years of trying, their dreams come true when they finally fall pregnant, but when the baby is born, she is as Caucasian as can be, with no resemblance to her father. A shocking truth is soon revealed, which must be kept secret in order to protect the family.

Thomas Pullen, digital commissioning executive for Channel 4, said: “This project is truly groundbreaking for us, showing that short, episodic drama can attract incredible talent both in front of and behind the camera.

“It’s been a privilege to work with Uzo Oleh and Dark Pictures to bring this shocking love story to life, which asks difficult questions at the same time as reflecting society right back to us – everything a great science-fiction story should do.”

Beth was funded by Channel 4 and GroupM Motion’s Diverse Indies Fund, set up to support small and medium-sized ethnically diverse-led independent production companies to produce new projects.

Exec producing alongside Higgs are Dark Pictures’ Yaw Basoah and GroupM Motion’s head of creative diversity and exec producer Deep Sehgal.