“Victoria” historical drama extends its empire to 150 territories

PanARMENIAN.Net - ITV Studios Global Entertainment has sold glossy historical drama “Victoria”, about Britain’s second-longest-serving monarch, to more than 150 countries, the company said Monday October 17, according to Variety.

The latest deals to be closed will see “Victoria” reign across Europe on Sky Germany, UTV Ireland, VRT Belgium, Telefonica’s Spanish pay TV platform Movistar+ (to be broadcast on channel #0), OTE TV, OTE’s pay-TV in Greece, TVP Poland, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), ERR Estonia, TVNZ. BBC Worldwide ANZ will debut the show in Australia via cable. with ABC Australia taking free-TV rights. TVNZ has broadcast rights in New Zealand. Roadshow Entertainment has home-entertainment rights for both Australia and New Zealand.

The deals follow the recent announcement that ITV has commissioned a second season of the series, which follows the early life of Queen Victoria, whose name has become nearly synonymous with 19th-century Britain. The show stars former “Doctor Who” companion Jenna Coleman as Queen Victoria and Tom Hughes as Prince Albert. Both actors are returning for the second season, which will again be written and executive-produced by Daisy Goodwin for U.K. independent production company Mammoth Screen. ITV Choice in Africa has also already signed for a second season.

“It is testament to the quality of the writing, casting and production values on ‘Victoria’ that it is selling so well all over the world,” said Ruth Berry, Managing Director of ITV Studios Global Entertainment. “This is a rich subject so brilliantly scripted by Daisy Goodwin, and with so much more story to tell.”

“Victoria” debuted in Britain in August and is ITV’s top-rated drama this year. The launch episode delivered the highest share for a new drama on any channel so far in 2016 in the U.K., with a 30% share and peak viewing of 6.1 million.

The show is co-produced by Masterpiece on PBS, where it will premiere in the U.S. on Jan. 15 in the Sunday night slot occupied by “Downton Abbey.”

Pre-sales for “Victoria,” announced at MIPTV earlier this year, included Sweden’s TV4, Norway’s NRK, DR in Denmark, Finland’s YLE, NPO in the Netherlands, Yes in Israel, ITV Choice across Africa and Zoomer Media’s Vision TV in Canada.