• Home
  • Programme Portal
  • About Us
  • News
  • Meet the Team
  • Login
Sphere - Abacus
Login
  • Programme Portal
  • About Us
  • News
  • Meet the Team

Please login for full access to the Programme Portal.

Forgotten your password?

Don't have an account? Register here.
11 May 2026
SPHERE ABACUS SECURES DISTRIBUTION TO EXCITING NEW PROGRAMMING SLATE FROM NIGHT TRAIN MEDIA
Leading UK-based distributor Sphere Abacus (SA) acquires three new titles from Emmy Award-winning Night Train Media.

SA has worldwide distribution rights for The Hairdresser Mysteries and Ian Fleming and the Curse of James Bond, excluding UK and Ireland, and The Trio excludes rights for the Nordics and the Netherlands.

The Hairdresser Mysteries (6 x one hour), a Mill Bay Media production for BBC, stars Sally Phillips (Veep, Bridget Jones’s Diary) in this feel-good, fun and life-affirming mystery series where small-town gossip leads to big-time sleuthing.  

The Trio (6 x half hour) is based on the bestselling novel by Johanna Hedman and is produced by SF Studios for SkyShowtime. It is a story about love, sex and passion – a reflection of the meaning of life and the relentless passage of time.  Starring Felix Sandman (Quicksand, Last Light), August Wittgenstein (Das Boot, Faithless), Seth Manteus, Nina Zanjani and Rebecka Harper.  

Ian Fleming and the Curse of James Bond (1 x 91’ – also available as 2 x 45’), directed by Adam Low and produced by Embankment Films and Lone Star Productions for Sky Arts, uncovers the myth of the genius, Ian Fleming.  Connecting Fleming’s novels, the ‘Bond’ feature films and rare archive footage of Fleming and his era, brings depth, glamour and excitement to the documentary, with contributions from Ralph Fiennes, William Boyd, Kate Mosse, Nicholas Shakespeare and Marlon James   including readings by Helena Bonham Carter.

These new titles will complement Night Train Media’s award-winning series in the Sphere Abacus catalogue, including Deadline (4 x one hour) Clapperboard Studios; Catch Me A Killer (10 x one hour) Fired Up Films, CMAK Limited; Vikings: The Rise and Fall (6 x one hour) and Conquistadors: The Rise and Fall (6 x one hour) Dash Pictures, and Missile From The East (1 x 90’) Silvergnome, Embankment Films.

Herbert L. Kloiber, CEO, Night Train Media comments “Following the recent restructures with Night Train Media, we are excited to be working once again with Sphere Abacus to bring both our new and existing series to the international market.  Their strong track record and global reach make them the perfect distribution partner.”

Sphere Abacus’ Managing Director, Jonathan Ford adds “We’re delighted to continue our collaboration with Night Train Media.  Their commitment and creative vision for high-quality productions embody the type of programming we represent.”

The Hairdresser Mysteries is a crime drama set in a picturesque, charming northern village. It is long-time London stylist Lily Petal (Sally Phillips) who becomes the town’s ear – there’s something about a salon chair that makes people want to reveal all!  In her brand-new salon, styled like a 1970’s-time capsule, Lily finds herself at the heart of the community unravelling local murder mysteries. Of course she couldn’t do it without the help of her loyal band of eccentric villagers.  Also stars Charlotte Jordan and Ben Castle-Gibb.  The series is created by Jim Cartwright, written by Jim Cartwright, David Semple and Mark Catley and directed by Paul Gibson, Jermain Julien and Tracey Larcombe. Produced by Mill Bay Media. 

The Trio – 

When middle-aged Hugo is approached by the daughter of both his childhood loves, he is immediately thrown twenty years back in time to when, about to embark on his first year at university, he moved to Stockholm to live with the Stiller family. Here he meets Thora Stiller and her constant companion and occasional lover, August, and is plunged into a complex and passionate dynamic which alters the course of his life forever. Two decades later Hugo remains haunted by the past - will he finally dare to reclaim everything he lost?  The Trio is written by Veronica Zacco, directed by Anders Hazelius and produced by SF Studios in co-production with SkyShowtime, SVT, Film Stockholm and ZDF. 

Ian Fleming and the Curse of James Bond explores the enduring appeal of the world Fleming created and how the books and the character of James Bond reflect his own life and the top-secret Naval Intelligence operations in which he played a leading part during World War II.  Fleming’s enormous success as a writer led him to the edge of a precipice. Like one of the duels to the death in his books he tried to rid himself of 007, only to find that Bond always struck back. The film establishes the importance of Jamaica in Fleming’s life; all the James Bond books were written at ‘Goldeneye’, his house on the island.  Produced by Martin Rosenbaum and Nick Taussig and directed by Adam Low.

 

Other News


7 May 2026
SPHERE ABACUS, SKY, SRF AND ARD BOARD SILVER REEL'S NEW SERIES THE DEATH OF SHERLOCK

6 May 2026
SPHERE ABACUS ANNOUNCES FURTHER SALES OF CRAVE’S GENRE-DEFYING THRILLER SERIES YAGA

30 April 2026
CRAVE ORIGINAL SERIES YAGA ACQUIRED FOR US MARKET BY AMC GLOBAL MEDIA
Sphere - Abacus Media Rights
Sphere Abacus
  • Programme Portal
  • About Us
  • News
  • Meet the Team
Members
  • Login
  • Register
Be Social
  •      
[email protected]
© 2026 Sphere Abacus. Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Website Gurus: Bionic Media

We use Cookies to offer you the best web site experience

Certain functional cookies are strictly necessary and cannot be disabled, others can be disabled according to preference. To continue using this website please confirm that you accept our use of Cookies.
Cookie InformationPrivacy Policy

Accept