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Following on from the innovative and era-defining hits Spooks, Hustle and Life On Mars, Kudos Film & TV is moving into another new world. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One has commissioned a new eight-part drama series, Outcasts.

Created by Ben Richards (Spooks, The Fixer, Party Animals), Outcasts is set on a recently-discovered planet and tells of the dilemmas, loves and lives of a group of people setting up a new world.

This life-sustaining planet is now home to the surviving population from Earth. Here there is a chance to start again, to bring the lessons learnt from Earth and to put them into action on a new planet.

Set in 2040, Outcasts begins on the day the last known transporter from Earth arrives, prompting great excitement on the new planet: Who is on board? Friends and loved ones? Important supplies and news from Earth? But also many questions: Will the new people bring the problems of Earth with them? Will the mistakes that destroyed Earth be repeated? Will the arrival of a new, would-be leader, rock the fragile and precarious equilibrium of our fresh, unified and courageous new world?

And, most importantly of all, how do you create a new and a better world?

This commission marks the latest high-profile scripted drama Kudos has produced for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ over the past decade, including such popular, award-winning shows as Spooks, Hustle, Life On Mars and Ashes To Ashes.

Jane Featherstone, Kudos Creative Director and executive producer of Outcasts, said: "With his usual wit and insight, Ben Richards has imagined a near-future, when humans are still led by their hearts even though their surroundings have changed. Action packed and full of surprises, we hope Outcasts will have everyone gripped right from the start."

Simon Crawford Collins, joint MD of Kudos and executive producer of Outcasts, said: "We have a long and highly-successful working relationship with the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ forged on such shows as Spooks, Hustle and Life On Mars and are really excited about continuing this on Outcasts.

"Outcasts is as original, contemporary and compelling as our past shows but will take viewers into a new world, literally, as it explores humans' drive for power, politics and sex in this new post-Earth era."

Ben Stephenson, Controller, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Drama Commissioning, says: "The Kudos team have an amazing track record in delivering iconic new drama series and with Ben's truly imaginative but emotional, intuitive writing, Outcasts has the potential to be an intelligent and unmissable ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ drama."

Outcasts is an 8 x 60-minute series and will be produced by Richard Fell (Inspector Lynley, Blood & Oil, Fantabulosa) and directed by Bharat Nalluri (Tsunami, Spooks, Hustle, Life On Mars).

Shooting starts in South Africa in April 2010 with casting to be confirmed.

Executive Producers are Jane Featherstone, Simon Crawford-Collins and Faith Penhale from Kudos and Matthew Read for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.

Outcasts was commissioned by Ben Stephenson and Jay Hunt, Controller, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One.

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Information for viewers

More content about Outcasts will be published, as transmission approaches, on these pages: