Forget Towie, the only way is over 65 in this new structured reality show about golden oldies living by the sea in Bournemouth.

BBC Four has announced it is putting a blue rinse spin on the format with new series Close To The Edge.

The show will follow a group of friends in their 60s, 70s and 80s in the seaside town, based around the scripted reality format that has made stars of young party animals in The Only Way Is Essex and Made In Chelsea.

Cast members include Vanessa Coleman, a former brothel madam turned Ukip fundraiser who was jailed in 2006 for admitting two charges of running venues for prostitution.

A woman cosies up in her deckchair with a blanket and a hot driink on Bournemouth Pier
Seaside town Bournemouth has one of the oldest populations in the UK (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Other stars of the show will include a business entrepreneur and a comedian dating again for the first time in 40 years as the show charts the romances and real lives of this group of over 65s and the issues they face.

Karl Warner, executive producer on the show, said: “Television about old age tends to be focused on single issues but Close to the Edge combines drama and documentary to help give a voice to a broader range of stories being lived out by the over 65s. The cast are complex, funny and outspoken – and like most things in life, get better with age.”

So far, no air date has been confirmed yet.