Cirkus expands in Nordics

UK-based VoD firm Cirkus has expanded its footprint in the Nordic region after signing a major distribution deal with telecommunications giant TeliaSonera.

Cirkus offers viewers a range of ‘Best of British’ shows, including content from ITV Global Entertainment, Endemol, BBC Worldwide and All3Media International.

The deal means subscribers in Finland will be able to watch shows including crime dramas Luther and Sherlock from autumn 2014 followed by Sweden in early 2015.

Cirkus will also be available on Sweden’s three largest pay television platforms after the firm struck agreements with pay TV platform ComHem and Nordic DTT platform Boxer last December. The firms is set to announce further distribution agreements shortly.

Stockholm-based TeliaSonera is the largest mobile and broadband operator in the Nordic and Baltic regions. It also has extensive operations in Russia, Central Asia, Spain and Turkey.

Cirkus, operated by Content and Co, is run by veteran TV exec Mark Bradford, and Hugh Williams, who recently stepped down as TalkTalk’s content acquisition manager to concentrate full-time on the service.

In March, UK broadcaster ITV took a minority stake in the company.