BBC One has commissioned a new six-part series from Luther writer Neil Cross. 

Hard Sun will be a pre-apocalyptic crime drama set in contemporary London.

The series will follow detectives Elaine Renko and Robert Hinks as they attempt to keep order in the city and protect their loved ones as the apocalypse approaches.

Describing his upcoming drama, Cross said: “Imagine the world you see when you look out your window… except it's been given a death sentence. This isn’t science fiction. This is the real world. There's no hero to come save us; no contingency plan. We’ve got five years. This is the world of Hard Sun… and the world of Elaine Renko and Robert Hicks.”

“I’ve had Renko and Hicks and their world rattling round my head for a while now. I’m incredibly happy that, like me, they've found their home at the BBC. I can't wait for you to meet them.”

Polly Hill, Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning said “Neil has written a crime series that is bold, ambitious, relevant and dark, but it’s also very moving and told through complex extraordinary characters. It’s brilliantly written and very exciting.”

The original drama will be filmed in London and casting will begin in due course.

The show was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One, and Polly Hill, Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning and is being produced by Euston Films for BBC One. 

Kate Harwood (EastEnders, Upstairs Downstairs, Cranford) and Elizabeth Kilgarriff (Luther, Magnificent 7, Cranford) are executive producing the series.  It is due to air in 2017.

Image credit: BBC/Sarah Dunn