Drama grows acquisition slate with The Red Tent
Starring Minnie Driver, Rebecca Ferguson, Will Tudor, Iain Glenn and Debra Winger
Channel celebrates third birthday, having grown to be the second-biggest non-PSB in the UKUKTV today announced that Drama has exclusively acquired hit Sony Pictures Television mini-series, The Red Tent, starring Minnie Driver. The acquisition comes as Drama celebrates its third birthday, having this year experienced sustained year-on-year growth meaning it is now the second biggest non-PSB in the UK.
The Red Tent is a sweeping tale set in Old Testament times, told through the eyes of Dinah, the daughter of Leah and Jacob. The 4×60′ mini-series features a star-studded cast with Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy-nominee, Driver (About a Boy), playing Leah, opposite Golden Globe nominee Rebecca Ferguson (The White Queen) as Dinah and Iain Glen (Game of Thrones) as Jacob.
The red tent is Dinah’s home which she shares with all the women of her tribe, including her mother and Jacob’s three other wives, Rachel, Zilpah and Bilhah. The tent is a place where the women swap stories, share advice and raise their daughters, but when Dinah falls desperately in love, her family oppose the match and she suffers a devastating loss. The cast also features Emmy-nominee Morena Baccarin (Homeland), Will Tudor (Game of Thrones) and Academy Award(R), Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Debra Winger (Terms of Endearment).
Alexandra Finlay, UKTV’s head of acquisitions and co-productions said,
The Red Tent is a perfect addition to Drama’s growing slate of shows, featuring an epic story with a fantastic ensemble cast. We are delighted to bring this exclusive first-run title to the channel.This acquisition comes at a great moment for UKTV’s Drama channel as it celebrates its third birthday.
The channel has the accolade of the most successful channel launch in the television industry since UKTV launched Dave in 2007*. It has enjoyed consistent year-on-year growth and is now the second biggest non-PSB channel in the UK, second only to Dave.
Adrian Wills, general manager of Drama said,The Red Tent is a thrilling combination of compelling storytelling and standout talent which I’m sure our viewers will love. In 2016 Drama has grown its share by 37% year-on-year and this acquisition reflects the channel’s ambition to continue to drive growth.
Since launch, Drama programmes have exceed half a million viewers more than 25 times courtesy of some of the channel’s most popular shows such as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Inspector George Gently, New Tricks and Jonathan Creek. In only three years, Drama is already commanding an adult share of 1.2%, making it the fastest growing channel in the UK.
Over the last three years Drama has enjoyed many brand-defining moments. The channel launched with a ground-breaking publicity stunt that toured a giant Mr Darcy, the nation’s favourite leading man, around the country. The Pinkertons was Drama’s first acquisition and over 600k viewers tuned into the premiere episode, up 238% vs. the slot average. And last year, Drama launched on UKTV’s on demand service, UKTV Play.
The Red Tent will premiere on Drama early next year.
Source: BARB/Techedge. Jan to May 2016. *Measured by share.
UKTV
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