The Bridge to be remade in Britain and France

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20984117

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Spooks scriptwriter Ben Richards will lead a team of writers adapting a bilingual remake of Scandinavian hit The Bridge, set in Britain and France.

The original series opened with the discovery of a dead body on a bridge between Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmo in Sweden.

The Tunnel will open with the body of a politician found in the Channel Tunnel.

Sky, which will co-produce with Canal Plus, has claimed it is the first French/British bilingual drama project.

Set in the port towns of Folkestone and Calais, the plot will see UK detective Karl Roebuck and his French counterpart Elise Wassermann form an uneasy alliance as they work together to solve the crime.

The 10-part series, which will feature subtitles, is expected on TV screens later this year. No casting has yet been announced.

<strong>'Original and unique'</strong>

"The state and future of the European Union has never been more part of the public conversation," said Anne Mensah, head of drama at Sky, which commissioned the remake.

Speaking on behalf of Canal Plus, Fabrice De La Patelliere, said "This partnership combines Franco-British talents both in the writing and production of the drama… our objective is to develop a major series that is undeniably original and unique."

When it was broadcast on BBC Four last year, The Bridge proved even more popular than hit Danish thriller The Killing, which recently completed its third series on the BBC channel.

A second series of The Bridge has been commissioned and began production in October 2012.

Swedish producer Filmlance, who created the original series, will co-operate on the new production.