BBC Three has announced the commission of Thirteen, a new drama series written by Marnie Dickens.

The five 60-minute episodes will tell the story of Ivy Moxham and the day she escapes from the cellar that’s been her prison for the last 13 years, returning home to her family.

Writer Marnie Dickens commented: “I’ve always been fascinated by the resilience of the human spirit in even the most extreme situations and am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this story to life on the BBC.”

Damian Kavanagh, Controller of BBC Three, added: “I’m delighted Thirteen is coming to BBC Three. Marnie Dickens’ script is compelling, a real page-turner, and I’m looking forward to sharing all the plot twists and turns with the BBC Three audience.”

Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning, also teased: “Bold subject matter, a remarkable young point of view and crucially a new writer’s first original drama. Thirteen is an emotional rollercoaster with shocking twists that gives us a real opportunity to innovate on BBC Three.”

The official synopsis reads: “Thirteen explores how to pick up the threads of a life half-lived and how to survive as a family under the greatest pressure: how to feel again, chance love again. It is a psychological drama about who to trust when you can’t even trust yourself. Ivy Moxham is a young girl. Ivy Moxham is a woman. Ivy Moxham is whoever you want her to be.”

Thirteen will begin filming in and around Bristol this summer.

BBC Three announced last week that In the Flesh would not be returning to the channel for a third season, stating: “…there is only budget for one original drama series a year…”

Are you looking forward to Thirteen? Let us know below…