• Apple TV+ orders second series of Criminal Record starring Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo
• BBC confirms new series of Bridge of Lies and Celebrity version
• Channel 4 orders new factual entertainment format, The Game of Wool
• More4 commissions second series of The Royals: A History of Scandals

STV Studios today confirms four new commissions and recommissions, including a second series of acclaimed international thriller, Criminal Record, for Apple TV+.

Executive Produced by Elaine Collins of Tod Productions and written by Paul Rutman, Criminal Record is a powerful thriller set in the heart of contemporary London. Series 2 features the return of the two detectives – Detective Chief Inspector Hegarty played by Peter Capaldi and Detective Sergeant June Lenker played by Cush Jumbo – clashing once more in a complex murder investigation. The series is co-produced by Tod Productions and STV Studios.

Other commissions confirmed this month include:

TV icon Ross Kemp will return to BBC One and iPlayer as hit quiz show Bridge of Lies and Celebrity Bridge of Lies have both been recommissioned. STV Studios will start filming (25×45 episodes) later this year for its fourth series, after a successful series three reached an audience of 1.4M. The celebrity version will film for its third series. Celebrity Bridge of Lies is being extended to 10×45’ episodes in its Saturday night slot, with the last series reaching a peak of 2.3M.  Filming begins in Glasgow later this year.

Brighton-based production company, Hello Mary has been commissioned to produce a second series of The Royals: A History of Scandals for More4 and Channel 4’s streaming service. The six part series, due to air later this year, will once again see Professor Suzannah Lipscombe delve deep into Britain’s extensive regal history.

And finally, knitting needles at the ready, as Channel 4 commissions brand-new crafty competition series The Game of Wool for More 4. This 8×60’ episode series, produced by Glasgow based Hello Halo, sees 10 ambitious creatives take on a series of complex challenges where they have the chance to win a money-can’t-buy prize and be the UK’s first TV knitting champion.  Production is underway.

This news follows a recent announcement detailing five commissions in June and July for STV Studios labels, including shows for ITV, BBC2, iPlayer, Channel 4 and E4.

David Mortimer, MD of STV Studios, said: “Following the global success of the first series, I’m thrilled that Apple TV+ has committed to a second series of our critically acclaimed thriller, Criminal Record.  Landmark dramas like this, together with strong returning factual and entertainment series alongside exciting new formats with international appeal, are driving the creative and commercial momentum within STV Studios. We’re pleased to be making such strong strategic progress in what remains a very challenging commissioning market.”

STV Group plc will announce Interim Results for H1 2024 on Tuesday 3 September.