BritBox, TVNZ connect with Channel 4’s Screw down under

Screw centres on a group of UK prison officers

SVoD service BritBox in Australia and public broadcaster TVNZ in New Zealand have acquired recently launched six-part prison drama Screw from Banijay Rights.

Both BritBox and TNVZ will launch the STV Studios-produced series, which premiered on Channel 4 in the UK on January 6, later this year following the deals with Banijay’s global distribution arm.

From Bafta-nominated writer Rob Williams (The Victim, Killing Eve), Screw (6×60′) follows the embattled, inspiring officers who work at Long Marsh men’s prison. These include a career officer who would do anything for her prisoners but has a secret that could cost her the job, and even her liberty.

It was commissioned by Caroline Hollick, Channel 4’s head of drama, and overseen by Gemma Boswell, the broadcaster’s commissioning editor.

Williams is the creator, lead writer and executive producer, with Karla Crome and Roanne Bardsley completing the writing team.

Sarah Brown is the executive producer for STV Studios and Brian Kaczynski is producer while Tom Vaughan and Jordan Hogg direct.

Kell Hoddinott, VP of sales for Australia and New Zealand at Banijay Rights, said: “Screw is one of those rare dramas that perfectly blends the tough reality of life behind bars with dark humour in abundance.”

The deals come as Banijay gears up to launch a host of new formats and scripted shows on to the international market this year as its 120,000-hour catalogue continues to grow.

Banijay’s Creative Networks is launching various entertainment, quiz and dating formats with Starstruck, Limitless Win, The Language of Love and Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance.

Meanwhile, Banijay Rights has a slate of scripted content for distribution with SAS: Rogue Heroes, Chloe, Riches and The Good Karma Hospital plus new episodes of Peaky Blinders and Grantchester joining Screw.

Elsewhere, other Banijay scripted titles coming up in 2022 include Playlist (Yellow Bird for Netflix), The Bride (Endemol Shine Italy and Rai for Rai1), The Rig (Wild Mercury for Amazon) and Todo Por Lucy, a modern version of series I Love Lucy, licensed from ViacomCBS and developed and produced by Endemol Shine Boomdog and Elefantec Global for Amazon.