New Blood (BBC Crime, Mark Strepan, Ben Tavassoli)

Crime drama series New Blood follows Stefan (Mark Strepan) and Rash (Ben Tavassoli), a pair of junior investigators working with the Serious Fraud Squad and the Police who finds their worlds coming together when what seems to be two unrelated cases start to come together.

Based in London both Rash and Stefan are finding modern life full of frustrations. The duo are also struggling with the cost of living (both have huge university loans and can’t afford to buy a house) and having little job security.

As their friendship is cemented across the series they come to understand that by quietly pooling resources and combining their different skills they make a formidable crime-solving force. And at the same time they might be able to help each other up the promotional ladder – if they don’t get themselves fired along the way.

When the series opens Stefan is working undercover, gathering intelligence on David Leese, the Chief Pharmacist for six London hospitals. Leese is suspected of accepting bribes from pharmaceutical giant UK Remicon – the target of a major SFO investigation.

Series creator Anthony Horowitz, speaking in the BBC Media Pack was keen to stress the originality of New Blood saying “It’s a young, fast-paced adventure series – and I’d like to think that there’s nothing on television quite like it at the moment. At heart it’s a bromance, but we’ve managed to film a fantastic amount of action. We’re describing the real world of 21st century London but in a way that isn’t as grim and as dark as some programmes we’ve seen recently. I really want it to be entertaining for its audience – young and old.”

Meanwhile relative newcomer Mark Strepan, who plays Stefan, said of his character “he’s impulsive and passionate. He’s a doer not a thinker. He believes in people and wants to end inequality. It makes him sound like he’s a crusader but he’s not, he’s just impassioned. He’s Polish and passionate about his heritage. He loves where he’s come from and has a very strong connection to his family. What motivates him the whole time is getting justice, but he’s also a lot of fun. He has a drink, parties, gets in trouble and is always getting Rash in trouble too.”

Cast: Mark Strepan as Stefan Kowolski; Ben Tavassoli as Arrash “Rash” Sayyad; Mark Addy as Detective Sergeant Derek Sands; Anna Chancellor as Eleanor Davies; Ariyon Bakare as Marcus Johnson; Kimberly Nixon as Alison; Dorian Lough as Detective Inspector Martin Heywood; Aiysha Hart as Leila Sayyad

Creator: Anthony Horowitz / Producer: Eve Gutierrez / Executive Producers: Jill Green, Matthew Read / Director: Anthony Philipson

UK / BBC One – Eleventh Hour / 7×60 minute epiode / Broadcast from 9 June 2016