Channel 5 Wants More Suspects

Channel 5 has renewed its home-grown crime drama Suspects starring Fay Ripley.

Broadcast reports that a third series is in the works for 2015 following its first two seasons which aired earlier this year on Channel 5. Suspects is a rare example of home-grown drama on the broadcaster as it usually relies on American imports such as CSI and Under the Dome.

Suspects is produced by Paul Marquess who served as a executive producer on The Bill from 2002 to 2005. Marquess oversaw a revamp of the long-running police drama that saw a shift in focus from crime orientated storylines to ones surrounding the personal lives, and traumas, of the regulars characters. While working on The Bill the producer also headed up Channel 5’s soap opera Family Affairs and transformed the show, raising its profile and ratings. Shortly after Marquess stopped producing the show, in 2005, it was axed in a surprise move by Channel 5.

Suspects, which is partly improvised, stars Fay Ripley as DI Martha Bellamy and Damien Molony as DS Jack Weston. The second series of the drama, which aired in August, saw 1.1 million viewers tune in – a small rise on the 1 million who tuned in for the first series in February. The third season will air in 2015 on Channel 5 and has been ordered by Ben Frow, the broadcaster’s director of programmes. The renewal comes after the broadcaster was bought by Viacom who are looking to increase the channel’s original content further than under previous owner, Richard Desmond.