Bill Paterson for new BBC Four season

Bill Paterson and Mark Gatiss have been lined up to front a new BBC Four season titled War Beneath The Skin.

The series of programmes, which will look at the biological discoveries that have shaped the modern world, will arrive on the channel in July.

Among the shows airing are Spanish Flu - The Forgotten Fallen, which stars Criminal Justice's Paterson and Doctor Who's Gatiss. It pays tribute to public health pioneer Dr. James Niven and his efforts to protect the people of Manchester from the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic.

Also on its way is Dominic West-fronted drama Breaking The Mould, an in-depth study into the work of Professor Howard Florey.

Other programmes scheduled include a Horizon special on the science of viruses and pandemic.

"BBC Four has dedicated a season of programmes to a complex subject that has yielded life-changing discoveries and changed the way we look at ourselves," said BBC Four controller Richard Klein.

"By exploring the importance of the cell - the basis of all life - and the social impact of two of the most important biological events in history, the season will offer us a richer understanding of the impact that biology can have on our lives."