Toucan

Peter Fincham, former controller of BBC1, has announced his first independent drama commission in his new role with ITV.

Fincham resigned from his role with the BBC after the Wyatt Report enquiry into the corporation's use of a misleading advertisement for a documentary series about the Royal Family.

He took over as director of television at ITV in February 2008 and has now revealed that a five-part series entitled Collision is to be his first drama commission.

Written by Anthony Horowitz and Mike Walker, Collision tells of the effect of a major road accident on a group of unrelated people.

The drama serial, due to air in February 2009, details government cover-ups, smuggling, embezzlement and murder.

"I'm delighted to be commissioning this new serial from the creators of Foyle's War," said Fincham.

"This is a high octane event drama that combines creative and original thinking with mass appeal. It promises to be both provocative and engaging."

Jill Green, managing director of Collision's production company Greenlit Rights, added: "Collision is exactly the sort of high concept, primetime production Greenlit is known for. The universal theme and scale of this serial will make it much talked about.

"We are delighted ITV has chosen to back such an ambitious drama project."

Fincham, as well as Stephen Lambert, head of production company RDF Media, stepped down in October last year after misleading editing of a trailer promoting a BBC documentary about the Queen suggested the monarch had stormed out of a photography session with Annie Leibovitz.

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