Created and written by Anya Reiss, Reputation focuses on a high-stakes celebrity defamation battle

The BBC has commissioned Reputation, a new drama from The Forge (Just Act Normal, Falling, A Woman of Substance), a Banijay UK company. The series is created and written by Anya Reiss (Becoming Elizabeth, A Doll’s House) for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Reiss is pictured above (Image Marc Brenner).

What is Reputation about

From the press release:

The six-part series centres on Elaine, a formidable lawyer who has built her career defending free expression who gets pulled into the case of the decade representing global pop star Davina Knight.

After Davina releases a provocative new song accusing her ex-husband, Billy, of abusive behaviour and he retaliates in kind, their private breakdown erupts into a very public libel battle.

The case is fought far beyond the courtroom, as PR machines are deployed, laws are bent and social media platforms become judge, jury and battleground — driving outrage for clicks and warping the truth.

For Elaine, the case puts her own personal life in the line of fire. How far will she go to win and at what cost?

And for Davina, how far will she go to protect her reputation?

Speaking about the commission, Reiss said:

“When I found out London was the global capital of high stakes libel cases — where the rich, powerful and famous come to fight in public for their reputations — I was in. I’ve loved writing this world and now I’m excited to get it off the page and onto the screen.”

The show will be 6×60. We expect filming later this year when we should be able to bring casting details. We’ll let you know.