All the latest news from the global content industry on Thursday, 13 March

 

Salamander lands debut BBC2 show  

BBC2 in the UK has ordered a show featuring comedian Rob Brydon as he embarks on a road trip of the southern states of America where country music originated.

Rob Brydon’s Honky Tonk Road Trip (w/t) marks a debut BBC2 commission for Salamanda Media and    

The 3 x 60-minute will follow Brydon as he meets country music stars, immerses himself in the local culture and asks what has led to the recent boom of the genre, with stars including Lil Nas X and Beyonce embracing it.  

The executive producers are Sally Evans and Amanda De Freitas and the series producer is James Fidler. The series was ordered by commissioning editor of BBC popular music TV Rachel Davies. 

 

ITV acquires Aussie scam thriller

Paramount+ Australia’s romance-scam thriller Fake is set to air on ITV1 and ITVX in April.

The eight-parter, produced by Kindling Pictures, is adapted by Anya Beyersdorf. Beyersdorf previously penned ITV acquisition The Twelve, which originally aired on Channel 9 in Australia.

Fake, which first launched in 2021, follows a woman who thinks she’s found her perfect on a dating app but soon realises he isn’t all he has led her to believe.

The series received major production investment from Paramount Australia and Screen Australia, with additional support from VicScreen, and is sold by Lionsgate.

 

Paramount+ extends Billy Bob Thornton’s Landman

Paramount+ has confirmed a second season of Billy Bob Thornton-starring drama Landman.

The show, which stars Thornton alongside Demi Moore, is from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, and is a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs in West Texas.

It is based on the 11-part podcast Boomtown from Imperative Entertainment and Texas Monthly, with Paramount’s MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios and Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions producing. Landman is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

 

Kanal D’s Farewell Letter lands in Lithuania

Turkish distributor Kanal D International has sold drama series Farewell Letter into Lithuania. 

The show tracks the journey of Alanur and Ziya, whose past heartbreak echoes through the lives of their children. Broadcaster details have not been revealed.

 

 

European Producers Club names chief

The European Producers Club (EPC) has appointed Julie-Jeanne Régnault as its new managing director.

Régnault was previously secretary general of EFAD (European Film Agency Directors Association) and stepped down in January after six years in the role.

She takes over from Alexandra Lebret who announced her departure from the EPC in January.

 

Joey moves to Friends’ YouTube channel

Friends spin-off Joey has been made available via YouTube for the first time.

The official Friends YouTube channel is now carrying two episodes of the series, which debuted on NBC in 2004 and ran for two seasons, before being cancelled in 2006.

It also aired around the world but is not yet available on rights holder Warner Bros Discovery’s streamer Max, where Friends is available excluisvely in the US. The show explored the life of Matt LeBlanc’s character, Joey, as he moved from New York City to LA to pursue his acting career.

 

Blue Ant, Samsung prep Love Pets expansion

Canda’s Blue Ant Media has expanded its partnership with Samsung TV Plus with the launch of Love Pets in the US and Canada.

Love Pets will be available via Samsung TV Plus’s FAST and AVOD platforms, joining other Blue Ant brands such as wildlife-focused Love Nature, renovation and design channel Homeful and paranormal-themed HauntTV.

Love Pets offers shows including Vet on the Hill, The Bizarre Pet Vets, Dr Savannah: Wild Rose Vet and Hope for Wildlife to viewers.