The Stage

ITV drama first for Kudos

Published Tuesday 7 June 2005 at 13:10 by Liz Thomas

Kudos, the independent production company that makes BBC1 hit dramas Spooks and Hustle, has won its first commission for ITV.

Psychological thriller Child of Mine is a two-hour single drama starring Joanne Whalley and Adrian Dunbar. Penned by Caleb Ranson, who also wrote Distant Shores and Heartless for the broadcaster, the commission is part of ITV’s plan to increase its commitment to drama.

At last month’s annual general meeting ITV chief executive Charles Allen said he was hopeful its list of one-off quality dramas featuring high-profile television stars lined up for coming months would bring the more-affluent ABC1 viewer to the channel.

Upcoming dramas include Jericho, starring My Family actor Robert Lindsay, Vincent with Ray Winstone, and All About George with Rik Mayall. The network also revealed it is to make a drama tackling the life of British executioner Albert Pierrepoint, starring Timothy Spall and it had secured Casanova star David Tennant for a thriller adapted from Nicci French’s novel Secret Smile.

The broadcaster has come under fire for the quality of its programming in recent months as a host of reality television shows such as Celebrity Wrestling and Celebrity Love Island have so far failed to woo audiences.

• Channel 4 is launching its new digital station More4 in October with a satire about the life of David Blunkett entitled A Very Social Secretary. The 90-minute drama made by indie Mentorn will tackle the former Home Secretary’s affair with publisher Kimberley Quinn and the effect on his political career.