Channel 5 unveils 2023 slate headed by Ross Kemp thriller, Tim Peake doc
Paramount-owned Channel 5 in the UK has added multiple new series to its 2023 slate, including a thriller fronted by former EastEnders actor Ross Kemp.
Announced at Channel 5’s Upfront on Wednesday, Blindspot (4×60′) sees Kemp return to acting for the first time in 15 years to star as an apathetic and possibly corrupt detective working on the case of a missing woman.
Blindspot is written by Rob Kinsman and Jordan Hogg, and produced by Clapperboard, whose MD, Mike Benson, exec produces with Andy Morgan. Newen Connect is distributing the series internationally.
C5 has also lined up 4×60′ drama The Inheritance, about three siblings who, after discovering they were not included in their father’s will after he dies unexpectedly, embark on a dangerous journey to find out whether his death was truly a tragic accident or whether it was murder.
The Inheritance is written by Aschlin Ditta and directed by Aku Louhimies. Lonesome Pine Productions, Peer Pressure and Night Train Media’s Eccho Rights are the production companies. Robert James-Collier, Gaynor Faye, Jemima Rooper and Larry Lamb star.
Exec producing are Ditta, Lonesome Pine’s co-founder Lesley Douglas, Peer Pressure’s co-founders Richard Cook and Angela Squire, Night Train Media’s CEO Herbert L Kloiber and head of development and coproduction James Copp, plus Eccho Rights’ director of coproductions, acquisitions and development Adam Barth.
In factual, C5’s slate includes Tim Peake: Secrets of Our Universe (3×60′), a Viacom International Studios UK production in which the British astronaut shares his personal experience and takes viewers into space on a mission to uncover the mysteries of the universe.
The series is joined by Alexander Armstrong in Sri Lanka (3×45′), which follows on from Alexander Armstrong in South Korea and sees the TV personality explore the south Asian island. Burning Bright Productions is the prodco, whose MD, Clive Tulloh, exec produces with Louise Quayle.
Also from Burning Bright is Ruby Wax Castaway (working), a 2×60′ series following the comedian as she experiences life as a true castaway on a remote uninhabited island off the coast of Madagascar, documenting her experience using her own hand-held camera and body cams. Tulloh and Quayle exec produce.
Elsewhere in factual, Jay Blades: History of the East End (3×60′) sees the TV presenter explores the history of his neighburhood – the east end of London. The series is produced by Blades’ Hungry Jay Media and exec produced by the prodco’s MD, Dan Baldwin, and Mel Smith.
From ITN Productions comes observational docuseries Forensics: Murder Scene (6×60′), which follows the forensics and homicide investigation teams of West Yorkshire Police. Each episode will feature one case and follow the investigation from the 999 call to conviction of the killer. ITN Productions head of regions Caroline Short exec produces.
Traffic Cops: Crash Scene Investigation, from Mentorn, is a 3×60′ series revealing the challenging and painstaking work of the North Yorkshire Police crash investigation team. Each episode covers the entire investigation, from the life-saving attempts at the crash scene to the final coroner’s decision. Mentorn director of programmes Tayte Simpson exec produces.
The final new series is Wife on Strike (6×60′), which comes from Proper Content and is exec produced by the prodco’s creative director, David DeHaney. The show examines domestic modern life as live-in partners who’ve had enough hand over the running of the house to their unwilling and ill-prepared other halves.
Series returning to C5’s slate include Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out, The Yorkshire Vet, Motorway Cops, Cause of Death, All Creatures Great & Small, Dalgleish and The Madame Blanc Mysteries.
Previously announced new series coming to C5 this year include dramas The Catch, Black Cab and The Good Friend, and unscripted shows The Pet Psychic, Challenge Anneka, Nick Knowles into Death Valley and Endurance: Race to the Pole, the latter of which is fronted by Ben Fogle and was announced on Tuesday.
Ben Frow, Paramount’s chief content officer in the UK, said: “Our aim is to deliver an exciting, diverse and eclectic schedule of originated content for our viewers that reinforces our public service remit, whilst demonstrating how the creative and commercial can work hand-in-hand to make exciting and rewarding television. Of course, it always helps to be working with such stellar talent.”
