Rare TV Lands U.K. Commission for True-Crime Series

5STAR in the U.K. has ordered the true-crime series Body of Evidence (w/t), marking the first U.K. commission for Rare TV.

Body of Evidence is a returnable series that examines British murder investigations that ran cold, only for detectives to crack them and catch the killers years later. The six-part series makes use of innovative timeline graphics to highlight the key events of each murder investigation, as well as police interrogation footage and crime-scene photos. It is also interspersed with testimonies from detectives, family members and crime journalists.

Body of Evidence will be represented internationally by BossaNova Media.

In other Rare TV news, Susannah Zeff has been promoted to head of U.K. development.

Rory Wheeler, creative director for U.K. for Rare TV, said: “Rare TV is expanding its factual output to include true crime and Body of Evidence is a bold re-imagining of the genre and one in which we take great pride. We enable the viewer to step through the timeline of some of the U.K.’s most complex murder cases, while showing how dogged determination by the police and the victims’ families can eventually uncover evidence that stops evil in its tracks, no matter how long the wait.”

Alexander Gardiner, CEO of Rare TV, said: “This company has become synonymous with diversity and quality of output. With Body of Evidence, not only are we expanding into true crime, but we are taking a fresh and innovative approach to an enduringly popular genre. Now Susannah is at the helm of our development efforts, the range and quality of our programming is about to become better still. The strength of her ideas is breath-taking. With Susannah leading our creative direction, our future growth feels more assured.”