BBC Worldwide Sells 3,000-Plus Hours of Drama Globally

LONDON: In the last three months, BBC Worldwide has placed more than 3,000 hours of drama programming with various international broadcasters, including the sale of nearly 950 hours across Asia.

Around 200 hours of premium drama was sold into Western Europe. In Germany, RTL Pay licensed SS-GB and Rillington Place and ZDF bought Death in Paradise (seasons five and six) as well as Spooks (seasons six through ten), among other titles. In Italy, Rai Cinema acquired Doctor Foster as part of a drama package.

In Central and Eastern Europe, some 600 hours of content sold across the region. In Russia, War and Peace will now be available on SVOD platform IVI and in Ukraine, Digital Screens will have Dickensian, among other drama series. ETV in Estonia acquired Father Brown (seasons one through five), LTV in Latvia picked up DCI Banks (seasons one through three) and Lithuania got Sherlock (season four).

Around 350 hours of drama was sold across the territories in Northern Europe, with Maigret (episodes one and two) licensed to VRT in Belgium and Happy Valley (season two) to NPO in Holland. Call the Midwife (season six) went to SVT in Sweden, The Durrells to TV2 in Denmark and The Collection (season one) to RUV in Iceland.

In Sub-Saharan Africa and Kenya, series such as Ripper Street (seasons one through four), Luther (seasons one through four) and Top of the Lake (season one) are now available. In the Middle East, audiences in Israel will now be able to watch The Honourable Woman on Vubiquity and Unforgotten (seasons one and two) on yes.

Across Latin America, broadcasters picked up nearly 400 hours of drama, with War and Peace licensed to Brazilian free-to-air channel Globo. Ripper Street (season two) will be available on Filmin Latino (SVOD/FVOD) as well as Pramer, which picked up seasons two and three. In addition, Vubiquity acquired seasons one through ten of Doctor Who.

In Asia, nearly 950 hours of drama content was acquired between Korea, Japan, Greater China and India, with titles such as New Tricks (season 12), Citizen Khan (season five) and The Paradise (seasons one and two) among the sales. Clients include KBS in Korea, AXN Mystery in Japan, Youku in Greater China and FX in India.

Paul Dempsey, the president of global markets at BBC Worldwide, said: “The demand for British drama continues to rise as global audiences are captivated by both the range and quality of our writing, acting and production.”