BBC America gets involved with Spies

BBC America has come onboard as coproducer of The Spies of Warsaw, the first drama project from TV chef Jamie Oliver’s fiction imprint Fresh Pictures.

David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Janet Montgomery (Black Swan, Entourage) were recently confirmed in the lead roles for the series, adapted from Alan Furst’s novel.

BBC Worldwide was already a copro partner along with Arte France and Apple Film for TV Poland, but now BBC America has joined and will air the four-parter within its Dramaville programming block.

The Spies of Warsaw, the first for the Fresh One scripted division, will air on BBC4 in the UK. Filming will begin in Poland next month.

The novel, about French and German espionage operatives just before the Second World War, is being adapted for television by Emmy-winning writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.

Richard Fell is executive producer for Fresh Pictures and Jamie Laurenson for the BBC.

BBC America recently acquired White Heat and Inside Man for its Dramaville slot and is coproducing the BBC’s Jack The Ripper series Ripper Street, which will air in the autumn. Its slate also includes Luther and The Hour, which previously enjoyed ratings and critical success on BBC1 and BBC4 respectively.