Becoming Elizabeth creator Anya Reiss is penning a BBC drama that shows what happens when a celebrity legal battle spirals out of control.

In Reputation, a formidable lawyer who has built her career defending free expression gets pulled into the case of the decade representing global pop star Davina Knight.

Knight has released a provocative new song accusing her ex-husband, Billy, of abusive behaviour and he retaliates in kind, with their private breakdown erupting into a very public libel battle. PR machines are deployed, laws are bent and social media platforms become judge, jury and battleground.

The show brings to mind some headline-grabbing news stories of recent months including the very public Lively-Baldoni spat and Lily Allen’s album trashing ex-husband David Harbour.

Reiss is the creator of hit Starz period drama Becoming Elizazbeth and on Reputation she is re-teaming with that show’s producer The Forge.

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.”

Reputation (6×60) was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. Alex Kazamia (Generation Z) will produce and BAFTA and RTS award winner Mahalia Belo (The End We Start From, The Long Song) will direct. Executive producers are George Ormond, Jade Taylor (Just Act Normal), Reiss and Belo. Alongside Reiss, other writers on the series are Shyam Popat and Karla Crome. Reputation will be distributed internationally by Banijay Rights.