David Tennant and Billie Piper cast in BBC drama

Former Doctor Who actors David Tennant and Billie Piper have been cast in a new drama for the BBC, it has been revealed today.

Award-winning writer and director Dominic Savage will return to BBC One with Love Life, a serial made through improvisation. Five universal stories that explore love in the modern day each led by the following line-up of big name cast: David Tennant, Billie Piper, Jane Horrocks, Ashley Walters and David Morrissey.

Dominic Savage says: "I am looking to create something special that has a modern view on the age old mystery of love. Something that expresses the reality of love and puts it on the screen. I am looking to explore these themes in the seaside town of Margate, with a group of incredibly talented actors who are ready to journey with me on this."

Love Life explores five powerful and overlapping love stories set in the same town. Each story looks at a different relationship and explores a different dilemma or situation. When it comes to love and relationships, there is never an easy "right answer" – telling the truth is complicated, and the conflict of desire and responsibility can be explosive.

The stories are life-affirming, visceral, provocative and compelling. Most of all they are universal. The audience will feel as torn by the situations as the characters do, and each story will provoke strong responses: did the characters do the right thing in the end? What would you have done?

Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning, says: "This is a complete first in TV drama on BBC One: a serial made through improvisation. It features some of our very best acting talent working in a way we've never seen on screen from them before, using improvisation to push the boundaries of each story, to get right to the heart of the truth."

Juliette Howell, Working Title Television, says: "I've always admired Dominic's extraordinary capacity to capture truth and humanity in his work and with the complexities of love as his subject matter, and the stellar cast he has assembled, Love Life promises to be something very special."

Writer and director Dominic Savage's work is distinctive and unusual. Each film will be semi-improvised as Dominic works through the scenarios with the actors to find truth and authenticity. He has won numerous awards for his work, including two BAFTAs for best single drama and the Edinburgh International Film Award for best new feature.

Commissoned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning and Danny Cohen, Controller BBC One. The 5x30minute Working Title Television production will be executive produced by Juliette Howell for Working Title and Lucy Richer for the BBC.

(Source: BBC Press Office)