Acorn grows George Gently

Inspector George Gently stars Martin Shaw (right)

US SVoD service Acorn TV has taken rights to the final season of long-running UK drama Inspector George Gently.

Acorn Media Enterprises, the UK-based development division at Acorn, has partnered with distributor All3media International as North American coproducer on the eighth season, which will include two TV movies.

The British detective drama will make its US premiere as an Acorn TV original following its debut on BBC1 in the UK. Acorn, which is backed by US-based RLJ Entertainment, has been premiering new seasons of the show since the streamer’s launch in 2011.

It has also been ramping up its originals slate over the past year, partnering with Irish broadcaster RTÉ on a forthcoming legal drama and agreeing deals for Sky’s Agatha Raisin and the BBC’s A Witness for the Prosecution, among others.