The Chelsea Detective Heads to the Nordics

The Chelsea Detective, an upcoming procedural series from Expectation, has SVT in Sweden, NRK in Norway, DR in Denmark and YLE in Finland onboard as presale buyers.

Starring Adrian Scarborough (Gavin & Stacey, Killing Eve), the series was commissioned by AMC Networks’ Acorn TV, with Germany’s ZDF confirmed as a co-production partner. The Chelsea Detective will air in 2022.

Acorn TV will feature its world premiere of The Chelsea Detective in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, among others, in 2022. BBC Studios is distributing the series internationally.

The 4×90-minute drama was created by Peter Fincham and centers on houseboat-dwelling Detective Inspector Max Arnold (Scarborough). He and his detective partner, Streatham-born DS Priya Shamsie (Sonita Henry), investigate a range of crimes in London’s Chelsea.

Louise McNab, director of content sales at BBC Studios, said: “British crime series are renowned for gripping plot lines, unforgettable characters and iconic locations that keep audiences around the world hooked and coming back for more. It is testament to the quality of the production that The Chelsea Detective has been given an early stamp of approval by the PSBs from across the Nordics, a market with an incredible pedigree in creating crime drama.”

Stephen Mowbray, head of SVT International, acquisitions and sales, said: “It has been very exciting to join The Chelsea Detective so early in its development, securing the rights for SVT to publish what we hope will become a hugely popular series for years to come.”

Fredrik Luihn, head of acquisitions at NRK, said: “The Norwegian audience has a well-known love for British crime series, and we are confident that when they see The Chelsea Detective they will take Detective Inspector Max Arnold to heart.”

Maria Bjerre-Nielsen, acquisitions executive for fiction at DR, said: “We are delighted to be part of The Chelsea Detective, and we are looking forward to introducing DI Max Arnold and DS Priya Shamsie to our dedicated crime audience on DR1 next year.”

Tarmo Kivikallio, head of acquisitions and commissioning at YLE, said: “The Chelsea Detective is a perfect continuation to our British crime drama tradition. There is a strong appetite for this kind of show in Finland, and we are sure that The Chelsea Detective will capture viewers’ interest and get them hooked on all of the twists and turns.”