Acorn TV tracks down Manhunt with Clunes

Manhunt traces the real-life police investigation into killer Levi Bellfield

US-based streamer Acorn TV has struck a deal that will see it offer forthcoming ITV crime drama Manhunt and travel docuseries Islands of America, both featuring actor Martin Clunes, to subscribers.

Acorn will be the exclusive North and South American partner for Manhunt, which is based on the memoirs of a former London detective who pursued killer Levi Bellfield.

The three-part drama stars Martin Clunes and is from Buffalo Pictures, with distributor DRG selling globally. It will premiere exclusively in North America in early 2019 as an Acorn TV Original.

Clunes also fronts travel documentary series Islands of America, which will also premiere as an Acorn TV Original in 2019.

Shannon Cooper, director of programming for Acorn brands at owner RLJ Entertainment, said Clunes “remains one of the most popular actors with our subscribers,” having appeared in shows such as Doc Martin.

Last week Acorn TV picked up US rights to drama series My Life is Murder from distributor DCD Rights and in September teamed up with the BBC to coproduce a daytime drama series starring Larry Lamb and Hayley Mills.