ITV’s Director of Drama Polly Hill and Senior Drama Commissioner Helen Ziegler have commissioned the crime thriller "Saviour", produced by Nisha Parti’s indie, Parti Productions, and written by first-time screenwriter Imran Mahmood. "Saviour" will air on ITV1 and STV and be available for streaming on ITVX and STV Player. Helen Ziegler will oversee production from the channel’s perspective. Parti Productions has partnered with Drama Republic ("One Day", "Doctor Foster", "The English") to co-produce. Acclaimed screenwriter Peter Moffat, known for "Scoop", "61st Street", "Silk", and "Criminal Justice", will executive produce the drama alongside Nisha Parti.
The drama introduces us to a well-brought-up medical student, Ben, who attends a fancy-dress party dressed as a police officer. Ben only has eyes for Xenia, and when he sees her being attacked by a man on his way home, he has no choice but to intervene, urged on by a bystander who innocently assumes he is a real police officer.
He chases the man into a tunnel. We hear the faint hum of an oncoming train, and we realize Ben is the only one to emerge from the tunnel alive. He makes a desperate call to his dad, Eddie, whose uniform he ‘borrowed’ for the party. Eddie, a long-serving and well-respected police officer, tells Ben exactly what to do next.
Nisha has worked closely with writer Imran Mahmood, a full-time criminal barrister, to create an authentic drama set in the world of the criminal justice system. Known for producing the BAFTA-nominated "The Boy with the Topknot", Nisha Parti founded her production company to focus on producing commercial drama for the international market with a strong link to her Indian roots. Casting for "Saviour" will be announced closer to the commencement of filming in 2025.
Nisha Parti thanked the company for their trust: ‘"I am so grateful to Polly Hill and ITV for seeing the potential in our script and giving us a chance to make this wonderfully gripping story. I have always been a fan of the courtroom drama and am excited to bring a new version from a different perspective that feels unexpected and authentic with such a brilliant team to support us on our journey", commented.
Meanwhile, screenwriter Imran Mahmood, who has created this heart-stopping, suspenseful thriller, commented: "I am thrilled to be bringing to screen my first scripted TV series for ITV and Parti Productions. I’ve always wanted to use my experience as a criminal barrister to explore the real criminal justice system at work—both its strengths and its failings—and there is no better medium than the screen to explore it," noted.
FInally, Polly Hill celebrated the script: ‘We are delighted to be working with Nisha and to have commissioned Imran’s first original series. The script delivers a really compelling case that has you hooked in from the start and introduces us to a great new leading character in Indy. Imran’s knowledge of the law makes this series feel utterly authentic while delivering a brilliantly original story that will give the audiences all the twists and surprises they demand", stated.
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