Netflix, Discovery, BBC Studios, DPG go shopping for factual with Passion

All New Traffic Cops was originally produced for 5 in the UK

Channels and platforms including Netflix in the UK and BBC Studios in Australia have acquired ‘blue light’ and search-and-rescue programming from London-based Passion Distribution in deals totalling 250 hours of content.

The unscripted distributor’s flagship title All New Traffic Cops (182×60’) has driven much of the activity.

The Mentorn Media series for UK broadcaster 5, which follows police units tackling crime and disorder, has been picked up by BBC Studios for Australia for two seasons and by Discovery Communications for the Netherlands for one season. Bravo TV in New Zealand has taken 10 seasons of the show, while DPG Media in Flemish-speaking Belgium and Foxtel in Australia have each licensed two.

Netflix has acquired Inside the Police Force (23×60’), also produced by Mentorn Media for 5, for the UK and Ireland. The series, set inside what Passion described as “Lincolnshire’s busiest police station,” has also been sold to TV2 Denmark for three seasons and RTL Netherlands for four.

Call the Bailiffs (24×60’), a documentary series following enforcement agents and produced by Middlechild Productions for 5, has been acquired by BBC Studios for Australia for three seasons and by Discovery for Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and German-speaking Switzerland for one. DPG has also taken one season for Flemish-speaking Belgium.

Another Middlechild title, Fare Dodgers: At War with the Law (14×60’), continues its international roll-out. The series, which goes behind the scenes with Transport for London’s undercover investigators and was also commissioned by 5, has been taken by DPG for Flemish-speaking Belgium for three seasons and by Discovery for Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland for two.

Rounding out the slate, Special Ops: Crime Squad UK (24×60’, Red Sauce TV for UKTV) has gone to BBC Studios for Australia for three seasons, while Car Pound Cops (30×60’, Middlechild for 5) has been picked up by Discovery Communications for Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands for two.

Nick Tanner, director of sales at Passion, said: “Edge-of-your-seat policing series and transport tough jobs are a perennial favourite in weekday primetime schedules. With high-stakes stories and a high volume of episodes, they are a reliable audience generator. Passion Distribution has a wide range of new and returning blue-light titles to shine a light on.”

Founded in 2008 and part of the Tinopolis Group since 2012, Passion specialises in unscripted content across factual, documentary and entertainment formats.