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."

True Love 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, True Love 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.

True Love is 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.

The stories

Story One: Nick (David Tennant) is happily married; his wife and children are everything to him, but when his first love appears out of the blue he suddenly starts to question everything. Can they go back to what they had all those years ago? Also starring Vicky McClure as Serena.

Story Two: Holly (Billie Piper) is a young unfulfilled teacher who is in an unsatisfactory relationship with a married man. She suddenly finds herself drawn to one of her female pupils. What would happen if she were to act on these feelings?

Story Three: Sandra (Jane Horrocks) is facing the fact that her marriage has become stale over the years – when her youngest child leaves home she realises that her and her husband have little to say to one another, and besides this, he is having an affair. Then she meets someone who couldn't be more different from her, but somehow makes her feel alive again – can she throw everything up for this man, and how will her husband feel now that the shoe is on the other foot?

Story Four: Paul (Ashley Walters) has a lovely wife, a baby boy, a nice house… but it's just a bit ordinary, a bit lacking in excitement. He feels pushed out by the baby and misses the thrill of sexual attention. Then he catches sight of a girl on his way to work and feels an instant attraction – could this really be love at first sight? What happens when you act on this?

Story Five: Adrian (David Morrissey) is a divorcee who has been searching for true love. It's not been easy but he's not giving up. Still a romantic, he believes in it whole-heartedly, despite his failed marriage. Just when he thinks he might have found it, he finds that he is the victim of another obsessive love that threatens to scupper his future.