ITV commiions new episodes of Scott & Bailey

ITV commissions new episodes of Scott & Bailey from Red Production Company starring Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp

ITV has commissioned a three-part special series of Scott & Bailey featuring a single crime story to be produced by award winning independent producers Red Production Company.

The three-part format will allow the story to unfold with scale and ambition as Scott & Bailey tackle one of the biggest and darkest cases they have ever had to face.

Both Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp return to the roles of super cool Scott and her hotheaded partner DS Bailey; the crime-fighting partnership forged over four previous series following the drama's successful critical and ratings launch on ITV in 2011.

With DCI Gill Murray in retirement, ever-ambitious Rachel (Suranne Jones) returns from her Vice secondment fired up and full of new ideas and initiatives. She's gained valuable experience and really wants to make her mark as she returns to Syndicate 9's Murder Squad.

Exhilarated to step up to the plate, Rachel is exactly who Janet (Lesley Sharp) and the Squad need to move forward with a terrifying and sinister Internet crime investigation of epic scale and unrelenting horror. Using her Vice authorisation, Rachel accesses a disturbing world where people brag about committing murder and lay down the gauntlet for the next victim. A game of ruthless life or death daring develops, as Scott & Bailey investigate multiple killers with horrifying and everlasting consequences. They will be changed forever and the investigation will take a devastating toll on their private, professional and personal lives.

The drama will be executive produced by Nicola Shindler (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Banana, Cucumber) founder of the Red Production Company and produced by Michaela Eccleston, Red's Head of Production.

Suranne Jones, who conceived the idea for the drama with fellow actress Sally Lindsay, will also executive produce alongside Nicola. Sally Lindsay also returns to the drama playing Rachel's sister Alison.

I'm very excited to be returning to the series as Rachel Bailey and this time to be working alongside Nicola Shindler as an Executive Producer, said Suranne.

The characters of Scott & Bailey were created by BAFTA and RTS award winning writer and playwright Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Unforgiven) and retired detective Diane Taylor who helped shape the series from her experiences of working within the Greater Manchester Police Force.

Writer Lee Warburton, who penned episodes for the last series of Scott & Bailey, will write the new episodes with writer Paul Logan. The drama will be filmed in Oldham, Manchester and surrounding areas from September 2015.

Two new police advisors, Samantha Manning and Lisa Farrand join the series, as consultants, and a director will be appointed shortly.

We're delighted to be returning to Scott & Bailey with an investigation that will have everlasting consequences for the characters, said Nicola. This series is more ambitious and sinister than ever before and the concept of a three part story allows us the opportunity to tackle a story of epic scale and ambition, she added.

Scott & Bailey has been commissioned for ITV by Director of Drama Commissioning Steve November and Controller of Drama Victoria Fea.

Scott & Bailey is a firm favourite with ITV viewers who relate to the characters' busy professional and working lives, said Steve. We're thrilled Red are reuniting Suranne and Lesley to play the iconic characters so deftly created by Sally Wainwright and Red's production team, said Steve.

LINK:	http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-commissions-new-epis...
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