Tuesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Tuesday, 2.12pm: E4 to be new UK terrestrial home for The Simpsons

The Simpsons has found a new home after two decades on Channel 4, though it has not moved too far. 

Under a deal renewal between C4 and Disney Entertainment, the PSB’s sister channel E4 is set to air new episodes of the venerable sitcom from spring next year.

The latest episodes, starting with season 36, will premiere in the UK and Ireland on Disney+ in spring 2025 before airing on E4 and becoming available on C4’s streaming platform for a limited time after their initial E4 broadcast. A selection of library episodes will also be available to stream. 

The Simpsons has aired at 6.30pm on weeknights on Channel 4 since 2004. Disney+ is the exclusive streaming home of series 1 to 35, The Simpsons Movie and 10 shorts featuring the yellow family.

Tuesday, 11.31am: Australia’s SBS snags Beta shows 

SBS in Australia has picked almost 200 hours of programming from Beta Film for its streamer, SBS On Demand.

The TV adaption of Elsa Morante’s novel La Storia, which recently sold into the US and Canada (Mhz Choice), is among shows acquired, along with Operation Sabre from Serbia and German hit 30 Days of Lust.

Italian crime drama Cold Summer, based on the bestseller by former anti-Mafia prosecutor Gianrico Carofiglio, is also traveling to SBS Australia, together with the royal Dutch drama Maxima, as previously announced.

Other shows in the package include Sisi, all three seasons of Spanish thriller La Unidad, both seasons of the Finnish crime drama Helsinki Syndrome, and Lone Scherfig’s medical drama The Shift, as well as reruns of Gomorrah. 

Tuesday, 11.14am: Art&M unveils Arlene Nelson cricket doc

Dubai-based Art&M has revealed its female-focused cricket docuseries, Floodlight, which tracks a newly formed team competing in the Women’s Premier League.

Directed by Arlene Nelson (Gutsy, Secrets of Playboy), the doc chronicles the journey of the UP Warriorz and its mix of seasoned and emerging Indian cricketers as they compete in the groundbreaking WPL in India.

UTA is representing worldwide sales for the series and also reps Nelson.

The series co-producers are Jinisha Sharma of Capri Global, and Dipti Agrawal and Tushar Apshankar of Tudip Entertainment.

Tuesday, 11.04am: Rai 1 adapts Mario Tobino’s Le Libere Donne di Magliano

Italy’s Rai 1 has ordered a three-part primetime drama, based on Mario Tobino’s influential novel Le Libere Donne di Magliano- Mondadori Libri.

The show is being produced by Endemol Shine Italy in partnership with Rai Fiction and will be directed by Michele Soavi. Read more

Tuesday, 10.13am: Alex Gibney developing doc on US health chief killing

Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions and Anonymous Content are teaming to develop and produce a documentary project about the murder of US health insurance executive Brian Thompson and the national debate about health care that the killing has sparked. 

The companies have not said whether the project will be a feature or a streaming series, or whether Oscar-winner Gibney will himself direct. Read more

Tuesday, 9.26am: PBS snags Lineup shows for FAST

PBS in the US has picked up 12 seasons of the UK version of long-running format juggernaut Long Lost Family, alongside seven seasons of spin-off series What Happened Next.

Both series will be available to watch on FAST channel, PBS Genealogy, which is now available on Pluto TV in the US and via the PBS app.

Long Lost Family, which tracks attempts to find loved ones, launched on NPO1 in the Netherlands and was remade in the UK for ITV by Wall to Wall. What Happened Next revisits the characters and stories from previous episodes. 

The deal was struck between Lineup Industries and PBS Distribution. 

Tuesday, 8.48am: Banff adds Fifth Season, YouTube & Banijay execs to board

The Banff World Media Festival has appointed new members and a new executive appointment to its Foundation Board of Directors.

Joining the Board are: Prentiss Fraser, president of TV distribution at Fifth Season; Andrew Peterson, head of YouTube Canada; and, Jane Rimer, senior vice president for Canada at Banijay Rights.

In addition, Patrick Vien, group managing director of international at A+E Networks, has been appointed as vice chair of the Board, succeeding Brenda Gilbert, producer and co-founder of BRON Media, who will be remaining on the board of directors.

Organisers also thanked two retiring board members - CBC’s Sally Catto and Toon Boom Animation’s Colin Bohm - for their contributions at Banff, which recently named Sean Cohan, president of Bell Media, as its chair.