Idris Elba collaboration among highlights of online BBC Three content

Updated

A collaboration with Idris Elba's Green Door Pictures will be one of the highlights when BBC Three moves online from February 16.

The Luther star said: "I'm looking forward to working with BBC Three and giving new writers and actors a chance to show what they can do."

Controller Damian Kavanagh mentioned he had a budget of £30 million per year for creative ideas at a preview event for the new BBC Three in London.

"We're reinventing our offer for young people and this is just the start," he added.

The venture with Elba's production company is to deliver a series of short films from new writers featuring new on-screen talent working alongside established on-screen talent.

"We will be bold, we will be British and we will be creative," Kavanagh promised as he enthused about new drama Clique, new documentary Black Power and new factual Unsolved: The Boy Who Disappeared - described by some as the British version of US podcast Serial, but with video.

One key drama will be Murdered By My Father, a film about an honour killing from the same team that made the award-winning Murdered By My Boyfriend.

Familiar BBC Three programmes such as Stacey Dooley Investigates and Bafta award-winning Life And Death Row will continue to be available online.

Building on the success of his Suicide And Me exploration, Stephen Manderson, AKA Professor Green, returns to BBC Three with two new documentaries: one on youth homelessness and another on dangerous dogs.

Two new formats for online are The Daily Drop and The Best Of, with the latter bringing together original long form programmes and a range of new content, including short form films.

The Daily Drop is home to BBC Three's new stream of daily content including short form videos, blogs, social media, image galleries, trending stories and daily updates from news and sport.

Tony Hall, director general of the BBC, called the move "risky" but he hailed the corporation's vision.

"We have always been innovators," he said. "We should continue to be innovators. We are the first broadcaster in the world to work out what it's going to be like in this on demand world.

"This is new and let's be clear, it's also risky, but risky in the way it should be risky because if we don't take risks, who's going to?

He continued: "I love the way that programmes from BBC Three provoke such strong reactions too. There's a confidence about the way that the team has dealt with really tough, challenging subjects whether it's talking about suicide, drugs, sex or gender."

Hall underlined the new BBC Three's commitment to breaking new names.

"I think that is one of the most important roles of the BBC - backing new talent, finding new talent, giving new talent a chance to speak, to find its voice and to have confidence - it's so important.

"I want people to look back on the new BBC Three as being the place that spotted the next James Corden, the next Aidan Turner, the next Sheridan Smith. I can point to people who got their first chance on BBC Three because in this new world that's part of what BBC Three has stood for in the old world as well."

Switch-over night on February 16 will see episode one of the new series of Cuckoo, the first film from the new series of Life And Death Row, and Live From The BBC, featuring some of Britain's best new comedians, made available exclusively through BBC Three's new online platform and BBC Three on iPlayer.

Mr Kavanagh said: "BBC Three is a badge of quality and shorthand for content that will stimulate emotions and provoke reactions. It's the same award winning programmes freed from the constraints of linear TV, and because we're freed from the schedule we can use whatever format and platform is most appropriate."

Advertisement