The BBC has announced that it has picked up new Australian serial drama The Heights for broadcast later this month.

The series began in Australia last year and follows the relationships of six families living in a social housing block called Arcadia Towers.

The Heights airs weekly down under but will be stripped as part of BBC One's daytime schedule as a temporary replacement for Doctors, which will shortly go off air for a period due to the coronavirus outbreak.

"This slice of life from the melting pot that is urban Australia is loaded with humour and drama and quickly draws you into the very diverse lives of its characters," said Carla-Maria Lawson, the BBC's head of daytime and early peak.

"Daytime viewers love drama with compelling story telling at its heart and The Heights does that brilliantly."

The 30-episode first season will begin on BBC One on Monday, June 15, with the second season following later this year.