Nine, SBS, TVNZ down under pick crime and factual from Passion Distribution

TVNZ opted for Firecracker Films’ Here Come the Gypsies

Broadcasters in Australia and New Zealand including Nine, SBS and TVNZ have acquired over 120 hours of crime and factual programming from UK-based Passion Distribution.

Nine in Australia has picked up the Untold collection of crime documentary series produced by ITN Productions for Channel 5 in the UK. The series include The Disappearance of Shannon Matthews (3×60’), The Wests (3×60’), The Murder of James Bulger (3×60’) and The Railway Killers (3×60’).

Nine has also acquired crime docuseries Murder In a Small Town (2×60’), produced by Firecracker Films for Channel 5, which follows two former detectives as they re-open the case of Jodi Jones, who was murdered in Scotland by her 14-year-old boyfriend.

Factual titles in Nine’s package include Surviving the Stone Age (3×60’), produced by Renegade Pictures and Motion Content Group for Channel 4 in the UK; Fare Dodgers (4×60’), produced by Middle Child Productions for Channel 5; season two of Twice the Life for Half the Price (12×60’); and seasons one and two of Escape to the Farm with Kate Humble (13×60’).

The latter two series are both produced by Raise the Roof Productions and Motion Content Group for Channel 5.

Australia’s SBS, meanwhile, has licensed Walking Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green (3×60’), produced by Firecracker Films for Channel 5; Russia: 1,000 Years of History (1×120’/2×60’), produced by Lambent Productions for Channel 5; and Scotland: 1,000 Years of History (1×120’/2×60’), produced by Raise the Roof for Channel 5.

SBS licensed Walking Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green

SBS has also acquired Mums Make Porn (3×60’), produced by Firecracker Films for Channel 4; season two of Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over (6×60’), produced by Firecracker Films for W; season 39 of Unreported World (4×30’), produced by Quicksilver Media for Channel 4; and episode three of Big Ben: Saving the World’s Most Famous Clock (1×60’), produced by ITN Productions for Channel 4.

In New Zealand, TVNZ has picked up documentary series Here Come the Gypsies (6×60’), produced by Firecracker Films for Channel 5, while Top TV has licensed Walking Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green and QE2: The World’s Most Luxurious Hotel (3×60’), produced by Motion Content Group and Spun Gold for Channel 5.

Sky has acquired seasons 8b and 9a of All New Traffic Cops (9×60’/20×60’), produced by Mentorn Media for Channel 5, and Bravo has acquired seasons one and two of Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over (12×60’).