The Ex-Wife, Burning Girls join Paramount+’s originals line-up ahead of UK launch

ViacomCBS-owned streaming platform Paramount+ has unveiled its first slate of scripted and unscripted UK original series ahead of the local launch of the SVoD service this summer.

Sebastian Cardwell

Two dramas, psychological thriller The Ex-Wife and The Burning Girls, based on the novel by CJ Tudor, were commissioned by Sebastian Cardwell, deputy chief content officer for the UK at Paramount, as part of Paramount+’s plans to greenlight 50 new international scripted originals in 2022.

The Ex-Wife (4×60’) is coproduced by Clapperboard Studios, BlackBox Multimedia and Night Train Media, with Night Train Media financing and controlling worldwide distribution rights with All3Media International. It follows Tasha, who has the perfect house, a loving husband and a beautiful little girl but is stalked and harassed by her husband’s ex-wife.

The Burning Girls (6×60’) is about a village called Chapel Croft that is haunted by a dark and turbulent history. The show is produced by Buccaneer Media (Marcella, Whitstable Pearl) in association with VIS, the international studio division of Paramount, and its lead writer is Hans Rosenfeldt (Marcella, The Bridge).

In the unscripted arena, Paramount+ UK has commissioned LA Hairdressers (working title), which is produced by James Corden’s production company Fulwell 73 in association with Endeavor Content. The 8×60’ series will look behind the glossy façade of elite salons and into the stylists’ personal and professional lives.

Produced by Lambent Productions, in association with All3Media International and Night Train Media, Fashion House (wt) is an anthology series telling the story of the fashion houses Gucci, Versace and Burberry. It was ordered by Lucy Willis, VP commissioning editor for Paramount+ UK and the executive producers for Lambent are Emma Tutty and Ollie Tait.

Pervert: Catching the Strip Search Caller (wt), produced by Wag Entertainment, is 3×60’ series that follows the true crime story of a hoax caller who targeted fast-food restaurants across America, convincing managers to obey his instructions, resulting in terrifying abuse of staff. It was commissioned by Denise Seneviratne, VP commissioning editor for Paramount+ UK.

Finally, Girl, Taken, (1×92’) produced by Soilsiú Films, in association with Screen Ireland, M-Net and Abacus Media Rights, is a feature that follows the story of Celeste and Morne Nurse, whose baby daughter was stolen from hospital two days after her birth in Cape Town in April 1997. The film was ordered by Guy Davies, VP commissioning editor for Paramount+ UK, from Abacus Media Rights, which also will handle global sales.

They join previously announced UK originals A Gentleman in Moscow, Sexy Beast, Flatshare and The Blue, as well as the streamer’s international slate of originals around the world, including Simon Beckett’s Chemistry of Death (Germany), The Signal (France), Cecilia (Mexico), Bosé (Spain) and Miss Fallaci (Italy).