Tuesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

ABC sets Oz debut for House of Games

The ABC in Australia is to debut its local remake of UK format House of Games next month.

Claire Hooper’s House of Games is produced by Endemol Shine Australia and based on the format that was originally created by Remarkable Entertainment. It is represented by Banijay Entertainment globally.

The ABC version premieres Monday, 21 April at 6.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. It is being fronted by Australian stand-up comedian, Claire Hooper

Jennifer Batty exits Samsung TV Plus

Samsung TV Plus exec Jennifer Batty is stepping down from the FAST channel operator.

Batty, who was director of content partnerships for Europe and the Middle East at Samsung TV Plus, revealed the news on social media over the weekend and is leaving after three years at the company.

She joined having previously led the content operations at streamer Hooq and before that held roles at RTL CBS.

“I’ve had an amazing time at Samsung TV Plus, filled with many great achievements and experiences,” she wrote. “As I take a step back to re-focus, I’m excited for the what the future holds. A big thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.”

ZDF, BBC link for Cold War thriller

UK-based Killing Eve indie Sid Gentle Films is to produce a Cold War spy thriller for BBC1 and Germany’s ZDF.

The 6 x 45-minute Honey, made in association with Fifth Season, will be written by Emma Moran (Extraordinary).

Set in East Berlin in 1982, the series follows a 24-year-old deep cover MI6 agent who finds herself falling in love with a CIA operative while working to avoid detection by the Stasi.

The series was ordered by BBC drama director Lindsay Salt and ZDF’s head of coproduction, international fiction Frank Seyberth. The BBC and ZDF have previously clubbed together on BBC3 returner A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Read more

Sony’s Amanda Seyfried thriller goes global

Channel 4 in the UK is among a raft of major international broadcasters and streamers to pick up Amanda Seyfried’s crime thriller Long Bright River.

Sony Pictures Television struck the deal for the limited drama series based on Liz Moore’s bestselling novel.

The 8 x 60-minute series follows a police officer (Seyfried) investigating murders in a Philadelphia neighbourhood which has been hit by the opioid crisis. It debuted on Peacock in the US earlier this month, and is co-produced by Original Film, Pascal Pictures, SPT and Universal Content Productions.

The series has also been sold to Max (Latin America, France, Central & Eastern Europe, Poland), Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ (New Zealand), Quebecor Content (French-speaking Canada, BS10 Star Channel (Japan), RTE (Ireland), Movistar Plus+ (Spain), AXN (Portugal), TimVision (Italy), VRT (Flemish speaking Belgium), BETV (Belgium), Nova (Greece), and beIN (across Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa). Read more

UK’s BBC3 returns Smoggie Queens

BBC3 sitcom Smoggie Queens has been recommissioned for a second series.

Produced by Hat Trick, the comedy is created and written by Middlesbrough native Phil Dunning, who also stars as one of a group of LGBTQ+ friends living in the town.

The second 6 x 30-minute series will be made with funding support by North East Screen Industries Partnership delivered by North East Screen with worldwide distribution by Hat Trick International.

It was ordered BBC comedy director Jon Petrie with commissioning editor Gregor Sharp.