The BBC has commissioned prime-time drama Hope Springs, which follows a group of female ex-cons attempting to start a new life.

The eight-part series features four friends who use £5 million stolen from one character's gangster husband to fulfill their dream of living in Barbados.

However, they find themselves hiding out in the tiny Scottish village of Hope Springs when their plan goes awry.

Shed Media, the production company behind school drama Waterloo Road, will make the new show, which is described as "vibrant, thrilling and funny".

BBC Scotland's head of drama Anne Mensah, who also acts as executive producer, likened it to "Northern Exposure with a delicious Shed twist".

Shed Media CEO Eileen Gallagher said: "Hope Springs is an exciting drama and excellent new brand for BBC One. We're confident [it] will be extremely popular with viewers and is a potential long-runner for the BBC."

Filming will begin in the Scottish Highlands in the summer, with the show expected to air at the end of the year.