MURDER ISLAND: NEW COMPETITION SERIES COMING SOON TO CHANNEL 4

Made by STV Studios, Murder Island sees teams of ordinary British people to try their hand at becoming detectives to solve a murder mystery.

Ian Rankin has been unveiled as the writer of the innovative new six-part series. Shot on the remote Scottish island of Gigha, the series is based around a murder plot – written and developed by Rankin – which will see members of the public take on the role of detective and lead their own investigation.

The amateur detectives will compete to solve the crime and build a watertight case that can stand up in court, all under the watchful eyes of some of Britain’s leading Senior Investigating Officers.

Ian Rankin said: “When it comes to writing a whodunit I usually call the shots, taking the reader only to the places I want them to visit and showing them only the characters I want them to see. Murder Island is different. The detectives can follow any strand, uncovering clues as they go and asking the suspects any questions they like. Will I manage to stay one step ahead of them? I think I’ve constructed my twistiest story yet – so let’s see!”

Kelly Webb-Lamb, Deputy Director of Programmes and Head of Popular Factual at Channel 4, said: “We are incredibly excited to be working with the world-renowned Ian Rankin, STV Studios and Motion in making this ambitious, challenging and genre-busting series. In a television first, members of the public step into the crime scene and compete to solve the murder.”

Murder Island begins this October on Channel 4 and All4.