Rare TV turns to crime for 5STAR, appoints new development head
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Editor
| 06 May 2021
In a two-pronged extension of its business independent documentary, factual and formats producer Rare TV has announced its first UK commission for a true-crime series and promoted Susannah Zeff to head of UK development after almost a decade at the company.
Susannah Zeff 6may2021
The UK’s 5STAR free-to-air digital channel has ordered Body of Evidence (w/t), a returnable series that examines British murder investigations that ran cold, only to be cracked years later by dedicated detectives determined to catch the killer. The series makes use of timeline graphics to highlight the key events of each murder investigation, while police interrogation footage and real crime-scene photos provide a tense and dramatic backdrop. Cinematically framed and interspersed with testimonies from detectives, family members and crime journalists, the series leads viewers through the case’s twists and turns before finally revealing the key piece of evidence that cracked the case.

The 6 x 60’ series was ordered by Denise Seneviratne, commissioning editor for factual and factual entertainment at 5STAR parent Channel 5, with Rory Wheeler serving as executive producer for Rare TV. Guy Templeton (Murder at My Door; One Night With My Ex) is on board as series producer. It will be represented internationally by Paul Heaney’s new distribution and development hub, BossaNova Media.

“Rare TV is expanding its factual output to include true crime and Body of Evidence is a bold re-imagining of the genre and one in which we take great pride,” remarked Rory Wheeler, creative director UK for Rare TV, commenting on the deal. “We enable the viewer to step through the timeline of some of the UK’s most complex murder cases, while showing how dogged determination by the police and the victims’ families can eventually uncover evidence that stops evil in its tracks, no matter how long the wait.”

Looking at the new promotion, in her time at the company, Zeff (pictured has created, developed and pitched a number of successful programmes, including Chitty Flies Again for Channel 4, The Nile: Egypt's Great River with Bettany Hughes for Channel 5 and Contagion: The BBC Four Pandemic for BBC Four.

“Now Susannah is at the helm of our development efforts, the range and quality of our programming is about to become better still,” said Rare TV CEO Alexander Gardiner. “The strength of her ideas is breath-taking. With Susannah leading our creative direction, our future growth feels more assured."