Produced by crime drama specialists Yellow Bird, the real-life inspired drama The Hunt for a Killer (Jakten på en mördare) is set in the late 1980s in Skåne, southern Sweden.

The story follows the meticulous police investigation of police officers Per-Åke Åkesson (Anders Beckman) and Monica Olhed (Lotten Roos) who finally catch the killer of a 10-year old girl in Southern Sweden, after a relentless murder hunt over 15 years. It’s also a portrait of class divide and social exclusion in rural Sweden.

Launched last November on SVT, the six-part series was hailed by the Swedish press for its hyper-realistic police investigation, authenticity and strong visual style from seasoned director Mikael Marcimain (The Laser Man, Horizon Line).

“The Hunt for A Killer has been described as Sweden’s answer to Manhunter, compared with True Detective, and is worthy of the accolades,” said Banijay Rights’ Chris Stewart, SVP UK & Eire.

“The Hunt for A Killer is a chilling, authentic and evocative true crime drama that BBC viewers will find completely absorbing”, said Sue Deeks, BBC’s Head of Programme Acquisition. The show will premiere on BBC iPlayer later this summer.

The Hunt for a Killer was produced by Marianne Gray and co-writer Helene Lindholm for Banijay’s Scandinavian production outfit Yellow Bird, with support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond.