Handling worldwide sales, Sphere Abacus has licensed seasons 1 to 5 (51 x 1hrs) to ERT Greece, with Tanweer Alliances acting as the local distributor, whilst Pickbox snapped up seasons 1 to 3 (31 x 1 hrs) for its SVOD platform ‘Pickbox NOW’ and TV channel ‘Pickbox 1’ for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, and Slovenia.
Seasons 4 and 5 (16 x 1hrs) have been secured by TVO Media Education Group (TVO) in Canada, seasons 4 and 5 (16 x 1hrs) by American Public Television (U.S.), and season 5 by BritBox for Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden (having previously acquired S1-4 in the Nordics).
With five series under its belt, Hope Street is a police drama set in the fictional town of Port Devine in Northern Ireland. It follows the fortunes of a team of police officers as they investigate crimes in this beautiful seaside town. The long-running, returning series captures the warmth, good humour, and resilience of people from Northern Ireland. It features a stellar (almost entirely) local cast and has proved a huge hit with fans across the UK and beyond.
The series was created by Susanne Farrell and Paul Marquess. Paul also serves as executive producer alongside fellow Long Story TV co-founder Donna Wiffen. It was commissioned by BritBox and the BBC with Northern Ireland Screen.
Paul Marquess, Joint CEO and Executive Producer, Long Story TV said: “Sphere Abacus has been a fantastic partner for this series, and we are pleased to see even more sales finalised. As a producer you never know how a show will travel internationally, but our intention with Hope Street was to tell stories with a strong Northern Irish accent that also have universal appeal. We’re delighted that the series is being enjoyed by audiences all over the world.”
Hana Palmer, Executive Director Global Distribution and Partnerships Sphere Abacus said: “We have loved working with Long Story TV, distributing Hope Street globally and finding it homes across multiple territories. It’s such a charming series, with wonderful, engaging characters, and we’re thrilled to see it resonate with audiences around the world and build such a passionate global fanbase.”
Earlier this year, Long Story TV also wrapped production on One of Our Own (1 x 90’) a feature length film/TV special – and spin-off of Hope Street the series. Filmed on location in and around County Down’s seaside town of Donaghadee, the film is set for theatrical release in select cinemas across Northern Ireland, Ireland and Scotland as of September, with further UK releases in October. It is scheduled to air on the BBC later this year.
Sphere Abacus is also handling worldwide sales for the TV special outside of the UK and US.
