True-Crime Show The Real Prime Suspect Lands in the U.S.

The U.S. REELZ network has picked up the true-crime series The Real Prime Suspect, fronted by Jackie Malton, from Orange Smarty.

The 10×1-hour series is produced by U.K.-based Monster Films, with Orange Smarty as associate producer. It features Malton, a former Met Police Officer and one of the first female members of Scotland Yard’s legendary Flying Squad who inspired Helen Mirren’s character in Lynda La Plante’s iconic drama Prime Suspect. The show was originally commissioned by CBS Reality. In addition to REELZ, the series has been licensed by Yle in Finland and Foxtel in Australia.

Additionally, Orange Smarty sold ITN Productions’ Kate Vs. Meghan: Princesses at War to TLC and William and Harry: Princes at War? to CBC Canada. Other sales include I Hate Jane Austen and Michael Palin in North Korea to Knowledge Network. A six-title deal was secured with APT (American Public Television), a syndicator of programming for the U.S.’s 350-plus public-television stations. Included in the package are Factory Films’ I Hate Jane Austen (Sky Arts), Athena Films’ Meet the Hedgehogs (Channel 5), Platform’s Farther and Sun: A Dyslexic Road Trip (BBC Four), CTVC’s Pilgrimage The Road to Santiago and Pilgrimage The Road to Rome (BBC Two) and Inside Jaguar: A Supercar is Reborn (Channel 4).

Karen Young, founder and CEO of Orange Smarty, said: “These deals are particularly satisfying as we all know the U.S. market is a tough nut to crack and is the nirvana of territories in terms of eyeballs and healthy return on investment. With the relationships we’ve carefully built over the years in the U.S. we know what to pitch and exactly when and this strategy has certainly paid off. The sheer quality in our prime-time U.K. terrestrial factual entertainment catalog speaks for itself.”