Channel Ambition

Drama is a channel dedicated to broadcasting iconic high-end dramas, both in commissions and acquisitions. Our target audience is 55+ year olds who watch linear TV and love 'repeated' drama. They are drawn in by familiar topics, faces and stories.

In commissioning, we are looking for exciting new writing in which to expand upon this tradition. Our core values are well crafted plots, good hooks, warmth, and optimism: characters and stories that audiences will connect with and return to, as well as be entertained by.

Core Areas

Sunday 8pm drama with some scale, style and IP, in the style of Sherlock, Granchester, The Durrells, Downton Abbey and Call The Midwife: warm and character-driven, anchored in distinctive periods of history but not stuffy period drama. Projects that are rooted in IP are ideal because they so often provide strong settings, with an authentic and potentially classic and comfortable genre stories.

• Story of the Week (6x60')

These characters and settings could be returnable. As much as episodes will have distinctive, self-contained stories with guest characters, our audience should feel connected to the warmth of the core cast. However, this does not negate the exploration of serious themes. As much as characters will be imbued with optimism, this will be met with challenging, thought-provoking plots.

• Closed Serial (4x60'-6x60')

These stories should be iconic, they can be original or based on IP. Exquisite writing and "must-see" subject matter.

Entertaining, warm bath, crime series (6x60', 8x60')

With unconventional and charismatic detective characters, and strong story of the week plots. We'd like to see protagonists and settings who an audience will want to return to in an episodic structure.

The setting is significant, and we would prefer clever invention rather than copying previous, long-running series in this genre. The plots must be well crafted and combine mystery, puzzle and entertainment. Each episode should have an escapist, immersive quality, with the audience going on a new journey at the opening credits and concluding with a feeling of resolution. The tone is lighter but not insincere. These stories should avoid darkness and grittiness, but not at the expense of characters who are affected by their work and feel a range of emotions: not tragic, but human. Key references for tone are Death in Paradise, Sister Boniface and Jonathan Creek.

Commissioning process

To ensure your idea is logged and tracked, please submit your idea to submissions@uktv.co.uk.

Please only send an idea in if you are affiliated with or from an independent production company.