Happy Valley Getting Local Treatment in Turkey

BBC Studios has licensed the format rights for Sally Wainwright’s BAFTA Award-winning drama Happy Valley to Pastel Film for a local remake in Turkey.

This will be the first time that the series has been remade for an international audience. Known locally as Son Nefesime Kadar, the Turkish version will star Nurgül Yeşilçay (Paramparca) as Catherine Cawood, a no-nonsense police sergeant in a small town whose world is turned upside down when the man she thinks is responsible for her daughter’s death is released from prison.

Emre Bey (Elimi Birakma), Emre Kinay (Gunesin Kizları) and Ertan Saban (Elveda Rumeli) are also on board the cast. It is being adapted by Hatice Meryem, whose previous work includes local adaptations of Shameless and Desperate Housewives. The series is produced by Yaşar İrvül and Efe İrvül and directed by Deniz Çelebi Dikilitaş.

The adaptation is slated to air on free-to-air channel FOX Turkey in the coming months.

André Renaud, senior VP of global format sales at BBC Studios, said, “We have seen a brilliant response from Turkish audiences to the formidable female characters that lead our scripted formats already in market—Doctor Foster, The Split and Mistresses. The depth and dimension that the character of Catherine Cawood has run very deep, and I’m confident that Nurgül Yeşilçay will be able to bring justice to the role.”

Efe Irvul at Pastel Film said, “When we first watched Happy Valley, we were deeply touched by its story and strong characters. We have realized how universal the concept is and how deeply it could resonate with Turkish audiences. We immediately took action to bring this splendid story home. We have a talented cast and a hard-working crew. We believe Son Nefesime Kadar will be very successful in Turkey.”