UKTV’s Blue-Light Factual Series Notch Up Sales

DRG has sold a number of UKTV’s “blue-light” factual series—covering emergency services from police and paramedics to helicopter rescue teams—to international broadcasters.

The fixed-rig series Inside the Ambulance saw its fourth season picked up by Foxtel (Australia), TV4 (Sweden), S+ (Portugal) and Alliant Content (Latin American and Indian VOD), after having previously scooped up the first three. New Zealand’s SKY TV acquired all three new seasons, bringing its total to six. Inside the Ambulance is produced by Brown Bob Productions for UKTV’s Really channel. DRG will launch seasons seven and eight at MIPTV this year.

Seasons one and two of Helicopter ER, which follows the work of flying doctors and paramedics of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service, have been sold to TV4 (Sweden), SKY TV (New Zealand), Alliant Content (Australian and Indian VOD) and Vitaya (Belgium). Discovery Poland, Alliant Content (U.S./Canadian VOD), S+ (Portugal) and adRise (U.S. VOD) recently acquired the first season. Helicopter ER is produced by Air Television for Really.

Following the work of Hazardous Area Response Teams, Trauma Rescue Squad has been licensed for seasons one and two by NTV (Japan), Spiegel TV (Germany), BBC Studios (Australia), S+ (Portugal), adRise (U.S. VOD) and SKY TV (New Zealand). In addition, SKY TV has pre-bought seasons three and four, due to launch later this year. The production is from Air Television for Really.

Cops, which follows two British police forces using the latest in bodycam technology to help them fight crime, sold its third season to TV2 (Norway), SKY TV (New Zealand), BBC Studios (Poland) and Total Content (U.S. VOD). Nine Network (Australia) and TV4 (Sweden) previously acquired the first two seasons. Cops is a Rawcut TV production for W.

Cop Car Workshop, an obs-doc series that combines the realities of modern policing with top motor mechanics and engineering, has been licensed to TVNZ (New Zealand), ProSieben (Germany) and Pluto TV (U.S.). Cop Car Workshop is produced by Blink Films for Dave. A second season is in production.

Elin Thomas, DRG’s executive VP of sales, commented: “UKTV has succeeded in commissioning a slate of incredible shows where unique levels of access and extraordinary characters combine with action and emotion to produce compelling and authentic factual content. It is no surprise that these returnable series are really starting to sell well and we are delighted that we will have more episodes to represent internationally later this year.”