Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Fiona Campbell, Controller of BBC Three announced a number of new titles that are heading to the digital channel over the next few months as well as the hotly anticipated start date for RuPauls’s Drag Race UK.
RuPauls’s Drag Race UK will start on Thursday 3rd October and will be exclusively available on BBC Three with subsequent episodes following every Thursday on BBC iPlayer.
The new titles announced in Edinburgh include Red Rose, an original horror drama series from The Clarkson Twins and new coming of age autobiographical drama written by newcomers Michael Patrick and Oisín Kearney, My Left Nut.
New factual titles include the Reggie Yates written factual drama about reality TV, Killed By My Fame, a six-part series called Skin which looks at troublesome skin conditions that affect the appearance, confidence and lives of individuals.
The Season: Breaking Ibiza (WT) follows an ambitious group of young Brits as they embark on a transformational coming-of-age summer: living, working and playing on Ibiza whilst award-winning stylist and entrepreneur Sophia Hilton opens the Misfits Salon and Fight Dirty pits two messy households against each to battle for the cleanest house.
Houseshare is a shortform docuseries where six big characters from different backgrounds and parts of the UK with ambitions of moving to London try out communal living where they’ll not only be sharing a roof, but also by sharing all the money they earn.
Nudes is the first foreign language acquisition for BBC Three. Acquired from Wild Bunch TV and produced by NRK P3 and Barbosa, the youth drama is told as an anthology by three different teenagers who, each in his or her own way, are plunged deep into a life crisis due to some leaked nude images
A new comedy sitcom for BBC Three from Rose Matafeo, Starstruck was announced last week.
Speaking about her first few months as Controller for BBC Three, Fiona Campbell said “The first few months at BBC Three have been a complete blur but I’m incredibly excited for the future of the channel. We have The Rap Game beginning soon and then of course, we have the launch of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in October followed by the return of Glow Up, The Young Offenders, This Country, Man Like Mobeen and Eating With My Ex."
"For the next evolution of BBC Three, we’re building a channel that contains a family of returnable brands that are all about living a young life wherever you are in the UK. The new shows that we’re announcing are rooted in relatable experiences and subject matter which are aspirational, provide the space for expression and offer opportunities for people to be who they want to be and above all, have fun."
"We will continue to showcase and break talent such as Yung Filly in Hot Property and Oloni in My Mates a Bad Date, talent that says it like it is without boundaries. And we will continue to emphasise our voice with extraordinary documentaries and innovate with cutting edge storytelling and stories of our time right now with commissions like Red Rose and Killed By My Fame.”
Here's some more detail about those new titles...
Red Rose
An eight-part original horror series written by The Clarkson Twins, Michael & Paul, which follows a disparate group of teenagers, adrift in the long hot summer following GCSEs, hanging out on the Bolton moors with little sense of direction or purpose now that school is over.
Rumours circulate of the Red Rose app, an urban legend that blooms on the smartphones of teenagers, encouraging them to undertake a series of challenges increasingly dangerous in its demands. On the fringes of her group of friends, Rochelle Jackson downloads the mysterious app, naively inviting darkness into her life.
What she sets in motion is a series of events that take the town by storm, and bring the friends together to battle the unseen forces of a seemingly supernatural entity.
Red Rose will explore the precarious relationship between teenagers and their online lives, the seductive power of what is not real versus what is and often less exciting; but ultimately it is a story of friendship told through the prism of a classic horror-thriller.
Speaking about the series The Clarkson twins said “We’re thrilled that our first show will be with the BBC. We’ve been working in LA for a while now, so the opportunity to return to the UK for our own show is incredible. Red Rose is a love letter to our hometown and childhood. We get to explore what challenges face the bright but opportunity starved teenagers of today. Working on the Haunting of Hill House has prepared us well to undertake this genre driven challenge. We can’t think of a better home for it than the BBC. It’s gonna be well good!”
Controller of BBC Drama Piers Wenger said “In Red Rose, the rude, crude and utterly outspoken nature of Michael and Paul’s characters collides brilliantly with the chills and thrills of a very contemporary horror story. The result is a seductive mash up with a point of view and tone all of its own. We are delighted to be working with the Clarksons on their series which marks their return to British TV.”
Casting will be announced in due course.
My Left Nut
Based on the award-winning stage play, My Left Nut is a coming of age comedy drama about friendship, family, grief and testicles written by Irish newcomers Michael Patrick and Oisín Kearney in their first project for the BBC.
The three-part series is based on real life events after Michael found a swelling on his testicle when he was fifteen and will star Sinead Keenan and newcomer Nathan Quinn-O’Rawe.
The series follows school-boy Mick (Nathan Quinn-O’Rawe) and his journey after discovering a swelling on his testicle. He can't tell his dad; he died seven years ago. He can't tell his mum Patricia (Sinead Keenan); she's got a million other things on her plate. He can't tell his schoolmates; there's an upside to rumours about the bulge in your trousers...
And it’s not like it’s going to complicate things between Mick and his first girlfriend anyway, right?
Writers Michael Patrick and Oisín Kearney said“It’s a real honour to be able to share this personal story, which celebrates Michael's family and friends, while raising issues around men's health and the difficulty young people have in talking about their problems. At the same time we have had such a laugh writing it and we hope people enjoy this Belfast story in all its humour and humanity.”
Executive Producer for Rollem, Kay Mellor said “I’m thrilled to be mentoring Michael and Oisin and Exec Producing their debut television project. It’s wonderful to find new voices with fresh, authentic ideas. Mick’s problem is totally relatable to men and women alike and the series is both funny and poignant but above all, it’s entertaining.”
Whilst Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama added “Michael and Oisín have huge flair for storytelling and I wanted to give them their first television commission to make their unique voices heard. Their take on this very important and personal story will engage the BBC Three audience in a unique and heartfelt way.”
Killed By My Fame
Written by writer, director and broadcaster Reggie Yates, Killed by My Fame is a gripping and revealing factual drama which shines a light on the brutal side of reality TV, exploring the impact it has on participants, including instant fame, toxic masculinity, social media and suicide.
Reality TV has never had a higher profile and during the weeks and months these shows grace our screens, the stars of these programmes become constant companions. They are a real-life cast of people’s princesses and pantomime villains, serving up daily drama for viewers’ entertainment.
In a year when the DCMS launched an enquiry into TV company’s duty of care to potentially "vulnerable" participants, this 60-minute film takes a look at what really happens behind closed doors. It reflects on the making and breaking of a reality star and examines what we really know about these people whose fame is borne out of sharing their lives with millions of people every week.
From how these programmes are produced, to the role of the tabloid media, TV viewers and social media commentators, this coming of age story is a parable for our time and asks: what happens to reality TV stars once the cameras stop rolling?
Speaking about the series, Reggie Yates said “Growing up in television I’ve continued to be fascinated by the evolution of reality TV. I’ve often questioned how affecting whirlwind fame can become once the cameras are gone. All too often the audience sees the glamour and popularity that comes with being in the public eye, but in this drama we explore the true impact instant fame can have. I’m delighted to be partnering with BBC Three for my television writing debut and having a further creative voice as an executive producer.”
Skin
A compelling six-part series in which the UK’s leading dermatologists aim to help people whose troublesome skin conditions are affecting their appearance, confidence and lives.
Reflecting the skin complaint stories that are so widely shared on social media, the clinic will be a warm hub that welcomes patients who suffer from a variety of conditions from eczema to psoriasis to acne to alopecia.
The patients will have the opportunity to try pioneering treatments and pharmaceutical interventions. They will also be encouraged to open up about how their condition has affected them personally and to confront any feelings of anxiety, leaving them feeling empowered to move forward.
Combining deeply emotive, relatable stories with medical interventions, this series tackles one of young people’s most talked about topics head on, resulting in shockingly brilliant reveals and life-changing moments.
The Season: Breaking Ibiza (WT)
Ibiza: an island of new beginnings; the best place on earth to kick-start your dreams. Every year, thousands of young Brits arrive here from all over the UK, with fire in their bellies, to make it big in the career of their dreams. Each has taken the gutsy decision to live thousands of miles away from home. Each has their eyes on the prize of what they want to achieve before the season is over and a nuanced backstory that has brought them here.
This four-part series follows an ambitious group of young Brits as they embark on a transformational coming-of-age summer: living, working and playing on Ibiza. Seen through a fresh filmmaking lens and with a high-end visual style, we’ll track them over six weeks as they aim to break the island in a range of aspirational careers, from dancers, influencers and lifestyle gurus to iPhone repair entrepreneurs and swimming coaches.
Against a beautiful backdrop and full of high-stakes stories, this series will get under the skin of both the people and the place – in a setting where we all want to be, with people we’ll grow to love and root for across the series. Come September, will the season have supercharged our cast’s future? Or will the sun set prematurely on their dreams for something more?
Misfits Salon
Sophia Hilton is a self-confessed maverick and champion of anyone who feels like an outsider.
With her bright yellow hair and colourful outfits, the award-winning stylist and entrepreneur isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd. But it hasn’t always been that way – after a childhood of being bullied, Sophia knows what it’s like to feel as if you don’t fit in.
Now Sophia is on a crusade to provide a safe space for people to not be cool if that’s what they choose, to go against the norm and be creative with how they represent themselves, and to realise that it’s ok to be them. That safe place is her very own hair salon where everyone is welcome, and Sophia and her fabulous team strive to break the rules of image convention.
Through a series of six transformational ten-minute long films, and with the support of her staff, Sophia is going to help people change their look and find the confidence to carry off their own individual style. In Sophia’s salon it’s not about pretty or tasteful, it’s about revealing a person’s true personality, and letting it shine.
This is not the place where anyone judges. This is the place to be you.
Fight Dirty
A funny and feel-good fact-ent format that taps into the current tidying trend by challenging Britain’s most grubby and untidy young people to completely clean up their act.
Two messy households will do battle for a cash prize but neither property know the big surprise that’s in store for both of them in the process: they won't be cleaning their own homes, they'll be cleaning their rival's.
Along the way our ‘Grime Artist’ will be inspecting their properties and revealing how bad they really are, and we'll be sharing some ingenious hacks for cleaning at home. At the end of a frantic day of filth busting the winning team return home to a wad of cash whilst the losing team go home to the cleanest house!
Nudes
An exciting ten-part youth drama, told as an anthology, about leaked nudes produced by NRKP3 and Barbosa Film acquired from Wild Bunch TV.
Three different teenagers - each in his or her own way plunged deep into a life crisis due to the leaked nudes – are forced to handle the situation to regain control of their own lives.
The series seeks to make teenagers more aware of what they can do, both interpersonally and legally, if they experience the spread of intimate content of themselves or someone close to them.
Nudes aims to shift the shame from those pictured to those who share the pictures and contribute to the establishing of legal certainty for young people through amended legislation, and the promotion of a section specifically dealing with the spread of intimate content without consent.
House Share
Six young people are being given an opportunity to fulfil their ambition of moving to London and making a living in the capital in this new six part series.
For all of them it will be a rite of passage as they try to bag their dream work placement, experience the vibrant city life or reinvent themselves away from their home town. Whatever their personal reason to come to London, they have one thing in common – they wouldn’t be able to make the move on their own.
High rents, record levels of debt, a housing crisis and excessive living costs make it increasingly difficult to be able to afford to live in London. In this docu-reality series, six young people will rent a shared house as they attempt to kick start their careers in the capital.
They’ll experience the highs and lows of sharing a house with complete strangers, negotiating new careers and new friendships all at the same time. However, while they try and begin their new life in London, surrounded by people of differing backgrounds and views, we will challenge them to try a new way of managing the load… not only sharing a roof, but also sharing ALL the money they earn!
With a communal household account they all have access to they’ll have to trust each other to earn money for the house and not to blow the cash. Each of them will have a different background and career goals and will bring something different to the house.
Will sharing their earnings make their money go further and make life in London more affordable? Will their friendships or love life affect their place in the house? And at the end of the 6 weeks, will the housemates decide to carry on house sharing together and pursuing their chosen careers in London or will they realise the city isn’t for them and go back home?