Industry

NENT Studios UK revealed its autumn programming slate and announced several new partnerships with leading UK independent production companies.

New Scripted Content

NENT Studios UK has recently acquired the rights to hit British drama series Cold Call (4 x 60) from producer Chalkboard TV. The deal was enabled after Chalkboard TV took back the rights to its show when the Kew Media Distribution catalogue was sold to Quiver Entertainment earlier this year. Written by Karyn Dougan-Buckland and Mark Buckland, Cold Call is a dark thriller detailing the story of a single mother, June (Sally Lindsay: Mount Pleasant, Scott & Bailey), as she tries to salvage her family’s future after a phone call changes her life. Following the death of her elderly mother, and fuelled by a bubbling rage, June attempts to hunt down those responsible in order to seek her revenge. Supporting Sally Lindsay is an impressive British cast that includes Daniel Ryan (The Bay, Home Fires), Paul Higgins (Line of Duty, The Thick of It), Taj Atwal (Van der Valk, Line of Duty) and Geoffrey McGivern (Quiz, Free Rein).

Joining Cold Call on the scripted slate is The Dead Lands (8 x 60), an action-packed fantasy-adventure series set in a mythical Aotearoa (New Zealand). Produced by GFC Films for TVNZ and AMC’s Shudder, it follows the story of a dishonoured warrior who dies but is sent back to the world by his ancestors in the afterlife to find redemption and honour.

NENT Studios UK will also be making its first original drama commission, Close to Me (6 x 60), available for pre-sale this autumn. Just into production, Close to Me is a contemporary, noirish, psychological thriller starring Connie Nielsen (Gladiator, Wonder Woman) and Christopher Eccleston (The A Word, Doctor Who). Brimming with twists and turns, this inventive and darkly funny series, based on Amanda Reynold’s best-selling book of the same name, is a gripping whodunnit which puts both marriage and mid-life crises under the microscope. The series is produced by NENT Studios UK, Dopamine and The Development Partnership for Viaplay and Channel 4.

New Unscripted Content

A new partnership with Love Productions sees NENT Studios UK launch the long-awaited second series of Live Well for Longer (4 x 60). This popular and accessible health series sees Kate Quilton and Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim examining the latest scientific evidence in well-being areas such as stress management and diet, as well as testing simple lifestyle changes that can lead to huge benefits. Series one of Live Well for Longer (4 x 60), has also been acquired. It was previously represented by Sky Vision.

NENT Studios UK’s recently announced partnership with Crackit Productions sees A&E: After Dark (6 x 60), Shoplifters: At War With The Law (6 x 60) and two 6 x 60 series of Britain’s Deadliest Kids on the factual slate, alongside some brand new titles from the producer. Plastic Surgery Knifemares (6 x 60) investigates how some people’s cosmetic procedures have gone drastically wrong, while What Happened to Your Face? (2 x 60) analyses the changing looks of some high profile celebrities – including Simon Cowell and Madonna – to find out who is ageing naturally, and who might have had a helping hand. Finally from Crackit there are three brilliant new 1 x 60 countdown shows: 101 Puppies, offering an hour of the cutest, fluffiest, most curious, playful and mischievous puppies you are ever likely to see; 101 Near Misses, featuring heart-stopping close shaves, averted disasters, and incredible brushes with danger; and 101 Body Shocks, which leads viewers on a jaw-dropping tour of the human body, taking in bizarre body modifications, shocking surprises such as insects being removed from various orifices and terrifying talents including making eyes bulge from their sockets.

Woodcut Media’s Murder at My Door with Kym Marsh (8 x 60) is a new addition to NENT Studios UK’s true crime catalogue. Presented by the Coronation Street star, it investigates gripping cases of innocent people murdered in their own homes by someone they thought they could trust. A hostless version, Murder at My Door, is also available. Also in true crime is Love and Betrayal (1 x 60) from Green Couch Entertainment. It tells the incredible tale of a police officer who gets caught up in a shocking murder conspiracy.

Remarkable Places to Eat (5 x 60), Outright Productions’ gorgeous mix of food and travel, returns for a second series, with Fred Sirieix sharing memorable meals with chefs and other food experts in locations as diverse as Marrakesh and Vienna, while The Rebel Chef: My Restaurant Revolution (1 x 60) sees Gary Usher challenged to take fine dining into a deprived part of Liverpool. Shakespeare: The Man Behind the Name (1 x 60/90) is an intriguing new documentary, produced by Controversy Films, that puts forward a compelling argument that Shakespeare was actually the creation of Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford and an A-list party boy who travelled extensively throughout Europe, and especially Italy, in 1575-76. Award-winning actors and directors, including Sir Derek Jacobi and Mark Rylance, discuss if it was his incredible experiences that would later be put down on paper as the works of Shakespeare. Finally, The Art of Architecture returns with two new 1 x 60 specials from Colonial Pictures. One focuses on architectural developments in the world of museums, while the other takes a look at some of our most amazing opera houses.

Elin Thomas, NENT Studios UK’s EVP sales, comments: “Despite the widespread production hiatus this year, we are delighted to have a full slate of new titles to launch this autumn and are particularly pleased to be able to showcase the work of such talented British producers – many of whom are new partners for NENT Studios UK. From gripping dramas and a young adult fantasy-adventure to observation documentaries, true crime and a topical health series, our wide-ranging content is destined to find ready homes with international buyers looking for engaging new programming for their audiences.”