BBC Announces Three Major New Drama Series for 2024
The BBC has unveiled an exciting slate of new television dramas, with three brand-new series currently in production and set to premiere in the coming year. This announcement signals a busy and diverse period for viewers, offering a mix of political intrigue, dark comedy, and historical drama.
D-Notice: A Political Thriller from Blue Lights Creators
The first of the new series is D-Notice, a six-part political thriller created by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn, the writers behind the acclaimed policing drama Blue Lights. This marks their third project with the BBC, following The Salisbury Poisonings and Blue Lights.
Set in the world of investigative journalism, D-Notice delves into the complex relationship between truth and power. The title refers to the official requests used in the UK to ask journalists not to publish information for national security reasons, hinting at the series' focus on secrecy and governance.
Patterson and Lawn, both former investigative journalists who met while working on the BBC's Panorama, bring their real-world experience to this gripping narrative, promising a deep exploration of contemporary political tensions.
Shy & Lola: A Dark Comedy Crime Caper
Another addition is Shy & Lola, a six-part dark comedy produced by BAFTA and Emmy-winning Clerkenwell Films, known for hits like Baby Reindeer and The Death of Bunny Munro. Written by Amanda Coe of Apple Tree Yard fame, the series follows two women who become unlikely allies after a murder entangles them in a criminal underworld in a small coastal town in Northern England.
Starring Hayley Squires (The Night Manager) as Shy and Bel Powley (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) as Lola, the show explores their surprising talent for crime as they build an operation that threatens local criminals. Filming is scheduled to begin this spring in Hull and Leeds.
Coe describes the series as "a dream of a show to write, full of fun, action and emotion," highlighting the rich central relationship between the two leads.
1536: A Tudor Period Drama with Modern Relevance
The third series is 1536, a six-part Tudor period drama based on the play by Ava Pickett. Set in the heart of Tudor England, the story weaves royal scandal with rural struggle, focusing on three young women—Anna, Mariella, and Jane—in an Essex village.
Their lives are upended when news arrives that King Henry VIII has arrested Anne Boleyn, forcing them to navigate marriage, relationships, betrayals, and births in a volatile era. The BBC teases it as "a darkly comic and terrifyingly relevant story" that explores how the actions of those in power impact working-class women.
Pickett, also known for How To Get To Heaven from Belfast and The Great, expresses pride in the project, noting its relevance in today's world where political decisions ripple through everyday lives.
Looking Ahead
With these three diverse series, the BBC is set to deliver a compelling lineup of original content. Further details, including release dates and additional casting, will be announced in due course, promising an engaging year for television enthusiasts across the UK and beyond.
