'Prisoners of War': Sky Arts to air drama that inspired 'Homeland'

Sky Arts has announced that it will air Israeli drama Prisoners of War, the basis for hit US show Homeland.

The ten-part series - also known as Hatufim - will receive its UK television premiere on Sky Arts 1 in May.

"With finely crafted writing and critical and audience acclaim when it first aired in Israel, we're delighted to be able to bring this brilliant and gripping foreign drama to the UK for the first time exclusively on the channel," said James Hunt, director Sky Arts.

Written and directed by Gideon Raff, Prisoners of War follows two soldiers who struggle to readjust to normal life after 17 years in captivity.

The show - which originally aired on Israeli commercial channel Keshet Broadcasting, channel 2 - loosely inspired Showtime's Homeland, which recently began airing on Channel 4 in the UK.

Starring Damian Lewis and Claire Danes, Homeland follows a US marine who is suspected of being a terrorist after eight years as a prisoner of war in Iraq.

Another Israeli series, BeTipul - which inspired HBO drama In Treatment - will also premiere in the UK on Sky Arts 1 on Monday, February 27.

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Watch a trailer for Homeland below: