Luther creator pens new BBC1 crime drama Hard Sun

BBC1 commissions pre-apocalyptic crime drama.


BBC One has commissioned Hard Sun, a new six-part pre-apocalyptic crime drama from Luther creator Neil Cross.

Set in contemporary London, Hard Sun focuses on Detectives Elaine Renko and Robert Hicks, partners and enemies, who seek to enforce the law and protect their loved ones in a world that every day slips closer to certain destruction.

Writer Neil Cross says: “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.


What’s it like, trying to keep order, trying to enforce the law in a city that, day by day, slips closer to certain destruction? How do you get up in the morning? How do you get out of bed and leave your family and go out there, putting your own life at risk?

And what about the predators? What about the murderers, the rapists, the thieves? What about the psychopaths, the religious nuts, the cult leaders, the serial killers? Who among them would fear a prison sentence, in a world like this? Who among them would fear legal consequences? What does a life sentence even mean, any more?

What’s the point of justice in the face of Armageddon?

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.”


The drama is produced by Euston Films. The executive producers are Kate Harwood for Euston Films and Elizabeth Kilgarriff for BBC One.

Hard Sun will film in and around London, with casting will be announced in due course.