Keshet, Ecosse pair for Profumo series

Israel’s Keshet International (KI) has teamed up with London-based prodco Ecosse Films to distribute its forthcoming BBC1 drama The Trial of Christine Keeler.

The BBC commission came as part of a bumper announcement of scripted orders from the pubcaster last October and is written by Amanda Coe (Appletree Yard).

Under the agreement, KI will distribute the series worldwide as the first project to receive investment from the KI Fund, as first reported by C21. The deal between KI and Ecosse Films was brokered by Anke Stoll, KI’s director of acquisitions and coproductions.

The Trial of Christine Keeler is a new account of notorious 1960s UK political scandal the Profumo Affair, involving a sexual relationship between then secretary of state for war John Profumo and 19-year-old Keeler.

The series is exec produced by Lucy Richer and Coe for the BBC and Kate Triggs and Douglass Rae for Ecosse Films.

“We are committed to invest in outstanding English-language dramas from prolific independent producers,” said Sebastian Burkhardt, senior VP, acquisitions and digital, for KI. “Ecosse Films is renowned for producing first-rate and critically acclaimed content. This is testament to our intention of bringing high-profile series to our global distribution pipeline.”