BBC1 commissions second series of Ashes to Ashes

Published Friday 28 March 2008 at 12:00 by Matthew Hemley

BBC1 has commissioned a second series of its Life on Mars sequel, Ashes to Ashes.

The new series will again be written by Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah and will be produced by the pair’s production company, Monastic Productions, with Kudos Film and Television.

Simon Crawford-Collins, the show’s executive producer and head of drama at Kudos, said: “The eighties have had a real revival over the past few months and Ashes to Ashes seems to have captured the imagination of the nation.”

Head of drama at BBC Wales, Julie Gardner, commissioned the second series and said the show “epitomises all that is great about BBC drama with its bold, confident story telling and great characters”.

Filming on series two will begin in the summer and Ashes to Ashes will return to BBC1 in 2009.

Meanwhile, BBC1 has also commissioned a further 20 episodes of the sitcom My Family, made by DLT Entertainment.

The episodes will make up series eight and nine of the show, and will include a Christmas special.

DLT Entertainment president Don Taffner Jr said: “For the BBC to commission so many episodes is proof of its ongoing commitment to this consistently top-rated comedy. 2007 was another successful year for the show and this news is a perfect start to 2008.”