ITV goes ghost-hunting with drama

UK broadcaster ITV has commissioned a 1x120mins drama about a 1920s ghost hunter.

Harry Price: Ghost Hunter will be produced by All3Media-owned Bentley Productions, which is behind ITV’s one most successful long-running dramas, Midsomer Murders.

The fact-and-fiction thriller telemovie will follow real-life ghost hunter and skeptic Harry Price, who looked into paranormal activity and claims of the supernatural in the first half of the 20^th

Jack Lothian (Doc Martin, Death in Paradise) has written the script, which is based on a Neil Spring novel.

Midsomer executive Jo Wright will executive produce for Bentley, with Denise Paul (Doctor Who) “Bentley Productions is developing a raft of new and exciting projects and this is one of my favourites,” said Wright.

“To be able to combine the book by Neil Spring with a script by Jack Lothian has been a delight, and we look forward to making this for our ITV audience.”

ITV director of drama Steve November and controller of commissioning Victoria Fea co-commissioned the film.

“Jack Lothian’s wonderful script is a skilful blend of fact and fiction as Harry’s past, his fascination with the paranormal and his faith in science are all real yet set against a fictional backdrop of political conspiracy and scandal,” said November.

Casting details will come in the next few weeks, with filming set to begin in London in September and October.

The commission comes a week after ITV commissioned four-part period miniseries Tutankhamun.