Drive unveils biggest ever Mipcom slate

UK-based production funding and distribution agency Drive is travelling to Mipcom with seven new shows as part of it’s largest slate to date.

The Restoration Yard (working title)

Among them is The Restoration Yard (working title), a 10×60’ factual show which revolves around expert restorer Gary Wallis and his mission to restore antiques. Each episode sees Gary and his team provide discarded and unloved items with a new lease of life before putting them up for auction to a network of dealers and clients. The series is produced by Middlechild for UKTV.

Documentary series The World’s Most Beautiful Railway (6×60’) is also on the slate. The factual series takes viewers along Scotland’s most picturesque train journeys to meet the crew and engineers who keep the railways running. Flint TV produce for More4 in the UK.

Meanwhile, the one-hour one-off 10 Mistakes That Sunk The Titanic showcases some of the reasons that resulted in the world’s most famous shipwreck. The documentary includes interviews, archive graphics and demonstrations to illustrate the science behind the ship’s design flaws. It is produced by Blink Films for the UK’s Channel 5.

Further factual content from Drive includes the one-hour documentary Should We Bomb Auschwitz? The documentary explores the moral dilemma and relives arguments had between the Allied forces when debating how to deal with the WW2 genocide. It includes first-hand testimony from survivors, archive material and expert voices. The documentary is produced by Oxford Films for BBC2 and PBS.

Irish outlet Peninsula TV produced the behind-the-scenes documentary Return to Downton Abbey (1×60’), which explores the popular historical period series Downton Abbey. It is the international version of the US television special of the same name, which was commissioned by NBC. Narrated by actor Jim Carter, it takes viewers behind the show’s famous filming location, Highclere Castle.

Additionally, Drive will be distributing the third season of the factual series The World’s Deadliest Weather (13×60’), produced by UK indie Back2Back for BBC Earth, while observational docuseries Warship: Life at Sea (5×60’) returns for a second season. Channel 5 in the UK have picked up the show, produced by Artlab Films.

Lilla Hurst, Drive co-MD, said: “Our new programme slate for Mipcom is our largest to date for the market. The new titles also demonstrate how Drive is expanding into new areas including character led factual entertainment and popular factual.”

Ben Barrett, Drive co-MD at Drive, said: “We’ve worked closely with our production partners from the early stages of development and financing on a number of these projects, to enable us to bring shows to market that we feel have really strong international potential. We’re very excited to bring this slate to international buyers at Mipcom.”