Wednesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Wednesday, 4.59pm: Roku & ITVS prep Graham Norton FAST channel for US

ITV Studios (ITVS) is to launch The Graham Norton Show Channel on the Roku Channel in the US and Canada, along with three further new FAST channels.

The Graham Norton Show channel is being rolled out following the launch of ITVS’s label Zoo 55 at MIPCOM and will become available to viewers from 17th December.

ITVS and the Roku Channel will also launch three Canadian offerings in the New Year with channels featuring Jeremy Wade’s River Monsters, Tokyo Broadcasting System’s Ninja Warrior sports entertainment reality competition, and business show The Hotel Inspector.

Wednesday, 3.37pm: FilmRise strikes deal with YouTube’s Guava Juice

New York-based producer & streamer outfit FilmRise has acquired exclusive digital streaming rights to 100 broadcast hours of programming from the library of YouTube channel Guava Juice.

The channel is operated by digital creator Roi Fabito, who is known for his family-friendly video library of DIY projects, extreme challenges, gaming videos and comedy sketches. He joined YouTube in 2006 and his Guava Juice channel has 16.8 million YouTube subscribers.

FilmRise will create and distribute the Guava Juice library as repackaged seasons across its partner platforms, having secured AVOD, FAST, SVOD and FVOD rights. The deal is between FilmRise and Roi Fabito LLC.

Wednesday, 2.03pm: Tin Roof Media launches distribution arm

UK production group Tin Roof Media has hired a former NENT Studios exec to launch a distribution arm that will look to increase its AVOD and FAST revenues.

Tin Roof Media Distribution also aims to build on the increased co-production output from its Blink Films and Outline Productions labels, which are behind shows such as Treasures Decoded, Monty Don’s Garden and Sarah Beeny’s Renovate Don’t Relocate. Read more

Wednesday, 1.55pm: Disney+ readies more Rivals

Disney+ UK is returning to the residents of Rutshire for a second run of Rivals.

Produced by ITV Studios label Happy Prince, Rivals is based on the second novel of Jilly Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles. The book series follows the lives and loves and romantic entanglements of the social elite of Rutshire, a fictional county based in the Cotswolds.

Wednesday, 12.05pm: Sky eyes co-pros as it leans into ‘entrepreneurial production’

Sky is intent on exploring co-productions as part of the new wave of “entrepreneurial producing” emerging in the scripted landscape, according to UK & Ireland drama chief Meghan Lyvers.

Lyvers said the pay-TV giant was open to these collaborative models – particularly with US partners – as part of its scripted operations, but warned it is dependent on a shared creative vision, noting how different buyers mould shows to maximise impact. Read more

Wednesday, 11.54am: ITV, BritBox land Left Bank drama

The Crown producer Left Bank Pictures is lining up its next royal drama with a four-part series for ITV telling the story of former royal aide and convicted murderer Jane Andrews.  

Titled The Lady, the drama is based on true events and is written by Humans and Harlots creator Debbie O’Malley. Read more

Wednesday, 11.23am: European commissioners look to UK for scripted partnerships

European broadcasters are looking to increase partnerships with their UK-based counterparts, as budget squeezes continue to impact scripted output across the continent.

Production costs have soared in the UK and across Europe over the past three years, putting increased focus on coproductions and closer partnerships to share budgets. Read more 

Wednesday, 10.01am: Sky orders thriller from Mrs Wilson indie

Sky has ordered a thriller from Mrs Wilson indie Snowed-In Productions, fronted by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jonny Lee Miller, Sheldon Shepherd and Bel Powley.

Produced in association with Sky Studios, five-part limited event series Inheritance hails from writer and actor Karla Crome (Am I Being Unreasonable, Carnival Row) and hops between Bristol and Jamaica. Read more

Wednesday, 9.43am: ITVX viewing hours increase 35% in first two years

UK streamer ITVX has seen its viewing hours rise by more than a third (35%) in the two years since launch, edging ahead of iPlayer, Netflix, Disney+, Channel 4 and Amazon Prime Video in terms of growth.

ITV’s streaming platform has had 6bn streams across two years, a growth of more than three-quarters (77%) versus the two years prior to launch, when the broadcaster’s catch-up service was ITV Hub.

Wednesday, 9.05am: C5’s Rumour snags Rivals, Scandal stars as leads

Paramount’s Channel 5 in the UK has snagged its leads for upcoming drama The Rumour, with Emily Atack, Rachel Shenton and Joanne Whalley all attached.

The five-part drama is based on Lesley Kara’s novel that follows a mother who moves to a quiet town but gets caught up in online rumours that affect her relationships.

Atack was most recently in Disney+ hit Rivals, while Shenton has appeared in C5’s All Creatures Great and Small, and Whalley is known for Scandal and Wolf Hall. Cuba Pictures and Clapperboard produce with Fremantle, which distributes.

Wednesday, 8.35am: Peacock to end Fresh Prince reboot

US streamer Peacock is bringing the curtain down on Bel-Air by ordering a fourth and final season.

The show is a “reimagined” version of 1990’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that is set in modern day LA, with Universal Television and Westbrook Studios producing. Carla Banks Waddles serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer.