ITV, RTÉ collaborate for 'Single Handed'

ITV and RTÉ have financially collaborated to commission a second series of Single Handed.

The Irish police drama, produced by Touchpaper Television, stars Owen McDonnell as officer Jack Driscoll. The new series "promises yet more muscular, emotionally complex stories", according to ITV.

Airing in three two-hour episodes in Britain on ITV, and as three two-part specials in Ireland on RTÉ, the dark crime drama was critically acclaimed after its debut last year.

The Times wrote that Single Handed "was anything but bog standard", giving it "five stars". The Observer added that it was "fresh" and "absorbing".

Meanwhile, the drama attracted an audience share of up to 38% on RTÉ, while its premiere managed over four million viewers on ITV1 in August. The cast will return to the west of Ireland in spring, with the second series expecting to air in 2011.

Laura Mackie, director of drama commissioning, said: "We’re delighted to be commissioning Single Handed for ITV and working with Touchpaper and RTÉ. This new series promises to be as gripping and atmospheric as the first.”

Jane Gogan, commissioning editor for RTÉ, added: "We are delighted to once again present a series that audiences have been drawn to repeatedly on RTÉ and on ITV."

Rob Pursey, managing director of Touchpaper Television, also said: "We are very proud that Single Handed has been such a success for RTÉ and for ITV. It’s proved to us that it’s possible to make great drama for more than one territory without compromising our ambitions. We are also very fortunate to have two commissioning editors who encourage those ambitions."

ITV recently opted to revive family sci-fi drama Primeval, after axing it only months before, in a co-production deal with UKTV channel Watch.