BBC Three viewers could be in for a shock, as a new, grittier and hard-hitting line-up has been unveiled for the coming season.

Rape, racism and murder are amongst subjects that will be tackled as the channel, which will become an online service in January 2016, reveals new shows reflecting its “creative risk-taking ambition” at the Edinburgh TV festival.

Rapper Professor Green will explore his father’s suicide in the documentary Professor Green: Suicide And Me, while Reggie Yates will return to Ferguson a year after the shooting of teenager Michael Brown to see how opinions have changed.

Reggie Yates
(Yui Mok/PA)

Other commissions as part of the gender and race seasons include Is This Rape? Sex On Trial, exploring the blurred lines between rape and consent for teenagers, Murder Games, a drama documentary about the murder of Breck Bednar, and entertainment show The Fear to find the next big horror director.

BBC Three controller Damian Kavanagh said: “This is a period of unprecedented change for media and particularly media for young people. I want BBC Three at the forefront of this change providing content that is relevant to young people in a format they want at a time of their choosing.

“I want us to make content for young people that makes them think about the world around them and raises the issues that matter to them. I also want new BBC Three to entertain and make them laugh.”

“I want BBC Three to be the go-to place for young people to explore and learn about subjects that impact their lives and to be a place where they can be entertained and get daily content in new forms, not just TV.”

BBC Three was previously known for heralding new comedy such as Gavin And Stacey and Bad Education as well as Doctor Who sci-fi spin-off, Torchwood.

Kavanagh added: “We have much more to talk about over the coming weeks with a range of new British comedy in the pipeline and some exciting developments with our social and online activity to talk about.”

The channel had some success at the 2015 Bafta Television Awards, with acting newcomer Georgina Campbell winning best actress for her portrayal of domestic violence in Murdered By My Boyfriend, and Life On Death Row winning best factual series.