DRG Sends British Content to the Netherlands

Per a deal with Spike in the Netherlands, DRG is sending almost 200 hours of programming from British producers to the Viacom-owned channel.

Content from the package is set to bow on Spike in the coming months. The channel has acquired six seasons (60 hours) of Brown Bob Production’s Inside the Ambulance, 45 hours of Air Television’s Helicopter ER and 20 hours of Trauma Rescue Squad, also produced by Air Television, which follows the elite paramedics of the Hazardous Area Response Teams.

The remainder of the volume deal comprises two series focused on helping animals. The Dog Rescuers, MiddleChild and Motion Content Group’s long-running series hosted by comedian Alan Davies, follows incredible rescues, miraculous recoveries and heart-warming tales of rehoming dogs that have been neglected and abused. Spike has acquired the most recent two seasons (32 hours) of the show.

The Dutch broadcaster has also licensed four seasons of The Yorkshire Vet, totaling 39 hours. This docuseries, produced by Daisybeck and Motion Content Group, follows the activities of the contemporary veterinary practice that was once home to James Herriot, as told in his best-selling books and soon-to-be-remade TV drama series, All Creatures Great and Small.

Lucy Roberts, senior sales manager at DRG, was responsible for negotiating the deal, working with Joris Bruinsma from Viacom. Roberts said, “British factual producers continue to shine in the international market and we are pleased to represent so many of them across our catalog. The extraordinary filming access given in the five series in the Spike package, coupled with the dedicated people (and animals!) who agree to take part, never fails to create a compelling mix of heart-warming and heart-stopping content.”

Bruinsma, Viacom’s senior acquisitions and programming manager for Benelux, added, “Blue-light shows and rescue documentaries—whether with people or animals—prove very popular in the Netherlands, so we are delighted to have acquired such an extensive package from DRG’s impressive catalog. These titles are all beautifully produced and packed full of the type of drama, jeopardy and fabulous characters that our viewers have come to expect from us.”