STV Productions Prison Doc to Get Local Treatment in Oz

LONDON: STV Productions and GroupM Entertainment have inked a deal with Australia's Nine Network for the documentary format Prison: First & Last 24 Hours.

Prison: First & Last 24 Hours follows convicted criminals on their first and last days in jail. Nine Network will produce an eight-part adaptation for Australian audiences. The U.K. version of the format premiered last night on Sky 1 and reached 300,000 viewers.

Michael Healy, Nine Network Australia's director of television, said: "Nine Productions are excited to be working with STV and GroupM on what will be an incredibly powerful series. For the first time Australian audiences will experience the raw emotion and stark realities of prisoners not only entering but also leaving the prison system."

Paul Sheehan, STV Productions' commercial director, added: "When we took Prison: First & Last 24 Hours to MIPCOM in October it received an excellent reception. It is a truly transferable concept and we are delighted to be working with Nine Network. They have grasped a great opportunity to create an honest and compelling insight into life behind bars."