Amazon unveils originals taking Prime Video UK investment over $1bn

Amazon’s UK showcase Prime Video Presents

Amazon’s Prime Video unveiled four new UK originals in the drama, true crime and documentary spaces at an event in London yesterday, taking its investment in British content over £1bn (US$1.2bn) since 2018.

Drama series Fifteen-Love is set amid the glamorous, cut-and-thrust world of elite tennis and explores the dangerous points where personal and professional relationships collide.

ITV Studios-owned World Productions is producing the series, which was created and written by Hania Elkington. Eva Riley directs the first three episodes, with Toby MacDonald taking over for the next three. Natasha Romaniuk produces, with Elkington, Riley, MacDonald and World Productions’ head of drama Jake Lushington exec producing.

True crime series The Disappearance of Patricia Hall (working title) tells the story of a woman who disappeared from a small town in Yorkshire 30 years ago. The subsequent investigation saw her husband apparently admit to her murder, before questions were raised about the reliability of his confession.

ITN Productions is producing the series, which is directed by Sam Hobkinson and produced by Vivienne Perry. Exec producing are ITN’s MD Ian Rumsey and executive producer Nathaniel Lippiett.

The second true crime series is Three Mothers (wt), a three-parter from Scottish indie Firecrest Films. Set in the Wild West days of the internet’s infancy, it follows the story of three women who found themselves in the middle of an unbelievable series of events that captured the world’s attention.

Alice McMahon-Major directs, with Zehra Yas producing and Firecrest Films’ MD Nicole Kleeman and executive producer Vari Innes exec producing.

Finally, documentary Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes, sees the new England cricket captain discuss the highs and lows of his record-breaking career with Academy Award-winning director and cricket fanatic Sam Mendes.

Produced by Whisper, the doc examines Stokes’ World Cup triumph and heroics at Headingley, as well as the lows which saw him take time away from the game. The film’s crew captured the cricketer’s most personal and challenging moments, including the final visit to see his terminally ill father and his struggles with mental health.

Mendes exec produces the doc, which will launch worldwide on Prime Video later this year.

The commissions were announced at the streamer’s UK showcase Prime Video Presents on Thursday, where the platform revealed it has invested more than £1bn in TV, movies and live sport in the UK since 2018.

This includes spending on UK Amazon Original series like Clarkson’s Farm, licensed series such as Soho Theatre Live, investment in movies such as Paddington 2, coproduction on UK series including A Very English Scandal and investment in live sport.

Prime Video also announced the creation of a new fund designed to support British women’s tennis. The streamer will work with the Lawn Tennis Association to help girls and young women overcome barriers to play, with a focus on three areas: coaching, equipment and environment. The fund was generated from the broadcast share of last year’s US Open final.