China’s Tencent Picks Up The Collection

SINGAPORE: BBC Worldwide has licensed the fashion-themed period drama The Collection to the Chinese internet giant Tencent.

From January 2017, the eight-episode drama will air exclusively on Tencent’s qq platform. Tencent also has the distribution rights for the series in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. The Collection, set in the world of French haute couture after WWII, comes from writer, creator and showrunner Oliver Goldstick (Pretty Little Liars, Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives).

“We are very excited to partner with Tencent on The Collection,” said Kelvin Yau, BBC Worldwide’s general manager for Greater China. “We have a great relationship with them, most recently co-producing Planet Earth II, which has been incredibly popular in China with 28 million views for its first four episodes in just four weeks. We are confident that The Collection, with its story about the price of success set during a pivotal moment in France’s history when fashion became a vehicle for transformation and reinvention, will resonate with viewers in Greater China.”

“We had previously worked together to bring Doctor Who and Orphan Black successfully to Chinese audiences,” said Jeff Han, the VP of Tencent Online Media Group and general manager of marketing and video content co-operation. “We are now very excited that Chinese audiences will be part of The Collection, which is fast becoming a global phenomenon. Our partnership with BBC Worldwide has been a fruitful one so far, and I look forward to working with them to bring more great content to China.”

The Collection is a Lookout Point and Artis Pictures Production co-produced with Amazon Studios, Federation Entertainment, MFP and Masterpiece with the participation of France Télévisions and BBC Worldwide in association with Tencent Distribution.