‘Dramatic’ blue-light format scores second four-part run

Channel 4 is returning to Firecrest’s blue-light format Rescue: Extreme Medics for a second series.

The 4 x 60-minute re-commission follows the call handlers and medics of the Scottish Trauma Network who respond to emergency callouts and make life-or-death decisions for people requiring medical care and who are stuck in the wild and inhospitable Scottish Highlands.

The series follows the journey from the initial 999 call through to the moment when the patient leaves the hospital to return to their lives.

The first series, which ran across five eps to a consolidated average of 1.2m (5.3%), received investment from Screen Scotland, with C4 opting to fully-fund the follow-up.

Rescue: Extreme Medics was commissioned by senior commissioning editor for documentaries Madonna Benjamin and commissioning editor Will Rowson.

Iain Scollay will executive produce alongside Mick McAvoy, who joined as head of documentary from Two Rivers Media earlier this year.

“Firecrest has forged a very strong relationship with the extraordinary Scottish Trauma Network and the result is a blue-light medical show like no other. It’s a distinctive, dramatic offering capturing stories from right across the nation,” said Rowson.

Scollay added: “Returning series help Firecrest to retain and develop talent in Glasgow which is incredibly useful for nations and regions companies like ours.”

Lottery win

The Glaswegian indie is also reuniting with Specky Productions for a follow-up to last year’s single The Scottish Island That Won The Lottery.

The Welsh Village That Won the Lottery (w/t) is a single following the 400 people in Rhymney, South Wales, who shared a multi-million-pound windfall in May.

It was commissioned by daytime and features commissioning editor Deborah Dunnett with commissioning executive Jane Handa.

The Scottish Island That Won The Lottery drew a 28-day consolidated audience of 1.4m (8.9%) in June last year.

“What I love about these lottery wins is that they take us to places we don’t often see portrayed on UK-wide TV, but the themes are universal – love, money, community and hope,” said Dunnett.

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