Monday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Monday, 3.50pm: Netflix lands Plano a Plano drama

Netflix has picked up exclusive Spanish streaming rights to Plano a Plano Bilbao’s psychological thriller Innate, which has also become distributor Dynamic Television’s first foray into Spanish-language content.

The eight-part drama, which begins shooting in the coming weeks, has been created by Fran Carballal (Cicatriz) and Enrique Lojo (En Fin). It stars Elena Anaya (La Piel que Habito) and Imanol Arias (Cuéntame cómo pasó) and has been created by Plano a Plano Bilbao and produced by Innato La Serie, in association with Dynamic Television.

The show follows a psychologist who has spent years rebuilding her life after the trauma of being the daughter of a notorious multiple murderer, only to find her life turned upside down when he is released from prison. Dynamic Television has worldwide distribution rights. 

Monday, 1.08pm: European Producers Club chief Alexandra Lebret steps down

Alexandra Lebret is stepping down as managing director of influential producers’ organisation the European Producers Club (EPC), after more than two decades in the post.

Under her leadership, the EPC - a body that represents more than 180 producers across the continent - developed its Gender Charter and Green Charter.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, she also coordinated support and networking opportunities for Ukrainian audiovisual professionals. Read more

Monday, 11.49am: The Traitors UK bows out with 7.4m

The BBC has landed stellar ratings for its version of The Traitors, whose final episode of the third series trounced the previous series finale (5.8m/ 35.4%) by 1.6m.

The second series final aired in a slightly later 9pm-10.10pm slot on a Friday in January 2024, with this year’s final episode running 8.30pm-9.40pm.

This year’s conclusion, which peaked with 7.6m (44.3%) at around 9.30pm, drew more than double the overnight audience of the first series final (3.3m/ 20.2%), which aired at 9pm on a Thursday in December 2022. The UK show is produced by Studio Lambert.

Monday, 10.38am: UKTV, Cineflix dip into Australian fishing series

UKTV channel U&Dave is heading to Australia in an extreme adventure series that follows an Australian family’s extreme fishing business.

Cape Carnage: Killer Catch is a 10-part show from Sydney-based McAvoy Media that will follow the Daveys family as they make their living hand line fishing in the treacherous waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria, also known as Cape Carnage, off the northern coast.

The series, which will also be available on streaming service U, was ordered by commissioning executive Emile Nawagamuwa. Cineflix Rights is distributing. Read more

Monday, 10.16am: UK’s ITV orders Raw’s cop show

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has ordered a docuseries about five women who exposed the so-called ‘spy cops’ scandal from Raw.

The Undercover Police Scandal: Love and Lies Exposed delves into the scandal, which is the subject of a nearly decade-long £88m public inquiry, revealing how a secret unit of undercover police were paid to spy on civilians.

Over decades, more than 60 women were deceived into deeply intimate relationships with police officers, unaware that they were being surveilled by the men they loved. Read more

Monday, 9.18am: Sky takes Hacks exclusively for the UK

Sky is to become the exclusive home for hit US comedy Hacks after acquiring all four series of the HBO/Max series.

The pay-TV giant will broadcast series three of the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning show on its network and streamer Now from 7 February alongside the first two runs. The upcoming fourth series will launch later in 2025. Read more

Monday, 9.07am: BBCS alum Ralph Lee unveils Bafta albert board

Sustainability outfit Bafta albert has appointed its first board under the leadership of forner BBC Studios exec Ralph Lee.

Three new non-executive directors on the board will take up a three-year term with immediate effect. 

They are: Deloitte sustainability and climate innovation lead Dr Sadia Ahmed, University of York professor and chair of environment and sustainability Francesco Pomponi and chief executive of food waste organisation WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) Harriet Lamb. Read more

Monday, 8.54am: Nippon TV reveals London TV Screenings plans

Japan’s Nippon TV is to attend this year’s London TV Screenings and plans to exhibit at the inaugural MIP London by offering two new scripted formats and one new unscripted format to international buyers.

The company will use the fast-growing London TV Screenings to offer shows including sci-fi dramedy Hot Spot, which started airing on Nippon TV earlier this month. 

Fellow scripted series Ensemble is a romantic legal story that also premiered in Japan in January, while gameshow format Funny Face Spy sees six contestant spies attempting to outsmart high-tech facial recognition cameras by contorting their faces and tackling challenges to escape elimination.