Claim: Broadchurch's composer is Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds.

Broadchurch is a British television crime drama broadcast on ITV . It was created and written by Chris Chibnall and produced by Kudos Film and Television , Shine America , and Imaginary Friends . The first series , which premiered on 4 March 2013 , focused on the death of an 11-year-old boy and the impact of grief , mutual suspicion and media attention on the town . Filming for series two began in late May 2014 and concluded on 12 October 2014 and the series premiered on 5 January 2015 . Series three was confirmed on 23 February 2015 , immediately following the series two finale , and premiered on 27 February 2017 .   Broadchurch series one focused on the search for the boy 's murderer by detectives Alec Hardy -LRB- played by David Tennant -RRB- and Ellie Miller -LRB- played by Olivia Colman -RRB- . Chibnall was inspired by the Jurassic Coast of Britain to set his crime drama in a fictional , close-knit small town in Dorset . Much of the tone of the series was inspired by the music of Ólafur Arnalds , who also composed the soundtrack for the programme . Writing on spec , Chibnall persuaded ITV to green-light the series in the autumn of 2011 . Auditions soon followed , although some actors were offered roles directly . Principal photography began in August 2012 , with location shooting occurring primarily in towns and villages in Dorset , North Somerset , South Gloucestershire and Bristol . The production went to great lengths to keep the identity of the murderer secret . Cast and crew were nominated for many awards for series one ; they won several British Academy Television -LRB- BAFTA -RRB- Awards and a BAFTA Craft Award .   Series two was announced when the first series ended . The second series primarily focuses on two plot strands : the trial of the murderer and the reopening of the Sandbrook case . Tennant , Colman and most of the cast of series one returned for series two . New series two cast members include Marianne Jean-Baptiste , James D'Arcy , Eve Myles , Charlotte Rampling , Meera Syal and Phoebe Waller-Bridge and location shooting again occurred primarily in North Somerset , Devon , Dorset and Berkshire . A U.S. remake in one season , Gracepoint , also created by Chris Chibnall and starring Tennant , aired on 2014 on Fox . The French channel France 2 also announced an adaptation , to be titled Malaterra .