Rachel Shenton, Emily Atack and Joanne Whalley have been cast as the leads in upcoming U.K. psychological drama “The Rumour,” which depicts how small-town gossip can spiral out of control. Based on Lesley Kara’s novel, the new five-part series sees Shenton play Joanna, a mother who moves to a quiet town with her young son […]

Rachel Griffiths drama “Madam” has sold to a slew of territories across the Asia-Pacific region including Hong Kong and Philippines. The comedic drama stars Griffiths as New Zealand local Mack Leigh who discovers her husband has been visiting sex workers, prompting her to open her own “feminist, ethical brothel.” Rima Te Wiata (“The Wheel of […]

David Davoli, president of international at Anonymous Content, said the company is exploring new partnerships in Germany and Italy. It would mark the seventh joint venture for Anonymous, which already has partnerships with companies in Brazil, Spain, France, the Nordics and the U.K. In October Variety exclusively revealed they had struck a deal for their […]

Netflix’s European heads have unveiled a series of sneak peeks and new commissions, including a Season 3 order of “The Law According to Lidia Poët” in Italy and a three-part reunion special of France’s “Nouvelle Ecole.” The third season of “The Law According to Lidia Poët,” which was unveiled by Tinny Andreatta, VP of content […]

AMC Networks International U.K. and PBS America are among the latest channels to join free TV streamer Freely in the U.K. The two broadcasters, along with news network GB News and shopping channel QVC, have inked a deal with Everyone TV, the org. behind Freely to offer their channels on the platform. The deals mean […]

Jacob Elordi drama series “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” has been acquired by the BBC for the U.K. The five-part adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel, which also stars Ciarán Hinds and Odessa Young, will be broadcast in the U.K. on BBC One and the BBC’s proprietary streamer iPlayer. It will drop […]

U.K. culture minister Lisa Nandy has committed to continuing the BBC’s licence fee model until at least 2027. However she has said she is going to consider all funding options for the broadcaster’s “long-term sustainability” during the next Royal Charter review. The BBC is governed by a document called a Royal Charter which is periodically […]

Timothée Chalamet has revealed he lost out on roles in action franchises like “Maze Runner” and “Divergent” after being told “You don’t have the right body.” The film star, who now plays the lead role in blockbuster sci-fi series “Dune,” said he even tried to put on weight in order to change his physical appearance […]

Eva Björg Ægisdóttir’s best-selling crime series “Elma” is set for a TV adaptation after Icelandic production company Glassriver optioned the rights. The series follows police detective Elma, who returns to work at the local police station in her small hometown of Akranes, Iceland, after a disastrous romance goes wrong. “When a woman’s body is found […]

The highly-anticipated third season of “The Traitors” U.K. is set to return sooner than planned. U.K. audiences will finally be able to watch on Jan. 1 on BBC One and iPlayer. The third season will once again feature host Claudia Winkleman overseeing a group of civilians in the Scottish Highlands as they compete for a […]

Sky exec Karl Holmes has been tapped to lead Disney+ EMEA. Holmes, who will take on the role from January, will be based in Londo. He was most recently COO for Europe at Sky as well as chief consumer revenue officer for the U.K., CFO for the U.K. and Ireland and group chief data officer. […]

Hit drama series “Rivals,” which debuted to great fanfare on Hulu and Disney+, follows the fortunes of genteel television boss Lord Tony Baddingham (played by David Tennant) as he fights to preserve his independent commercial television station Corinium. It’s a drama that ITV boss, Dame Carolyn McCall, may well be watching closely. McCall, who has […]

Legendary “Pulp Fiction” producer Lawrence Bender has boarded “Red Alert,” a new Israel drama inspired by real-life events, as exec producer. Five-part series “Red Alert” is based on the terror attacks of Oct. 7, telling the stories of five citizens who found themselves in unimaginable life-or-death situations as cold-blooded slaughter takes place around them. “This […]

“Red One” star Mary Elizabeth Ellis has joined the cast of Irish wedding comedy “Ditched.” Based on bestselling novel “Bride Squad Runaway” by Caroline Grace-Cassidy and Lisa C. Carey, the feature film features Ellis as feisty and commitment-phobic sports journalist Lauren who embarks on a road trip through Ireland with two best friends after one […]

An immersive experience based on hit game show “The Traitors” is set to open in London next year. “The Traitors: Live Experience” will enable fans to take a seat at The Round Table, have a go at missions and attempt to uncover the Traitors in their midst. Tickets cost £29.50 per person ($37) and will […]

“Nepobaby,” a new Norwegian drama from TV2, has cast “Pørni” actor Vivild Falk Berg in the lead role. Berg will play Emma, a working-class 25-year-old who discovers she’s actually the daughter of a Norwegian shipping magnate. “The news comes as a shock, and even more surprising is that she has been named in his will, […]

BAD BOY “Bad Boy,” the new drama from “Euphoria” creator Ron Leshem, has been snapped up by Netflix internationally. Inspired by a true story, “Bad Boy” tells the story of a young man called Dean who is held in a cruel juvenile detention facility where he befriends a teenager imprisoned for murder. Twenty years later […]

PREMIERE “Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham attended the premiere of upcoming BBC animation “Tiddler” at the Sea Life London Aquarium on Sunday. Waddingham, who voices the narrator in the half-hour film, posed with some of Tiddler’s fishy friends ahead of the screening. The animation, from production company Magic Light, also features the voices of Lolly […]

Swedish original series “Veronika” has been renewed for a second season at SkyShowtime, Variety can confirm. Starring Alexandra Rapaport (“Honour”) and Tobias Santelmann (“The Arctic Convoy”), the crime drama sees Rappaport return as police officer Veronika Gren. Santelmann plays her husband Tomas. Season 1 saw Veronika set out to uncover the murder of two teenage […]