Travelogue fronted by Miriam Margolyes, Alan Cumming tops Passion’s Mip slate

Killer at the Crime Scene is produced by Spun Gold

London-based Passion Distribution has unveiled an autumn slate that features a travelogue fronted by actors Miriam Margolyes and Alan Cumming, as well as two newly acquired true crime series.

Alan & Miriam in Scotland (working title) is a 3×60’ series in which Margolyes (Call the Midwife) and Cumming (The Good Wife) travel around Scotland together in a mobile home. It is produced by Blink Films for Channel 4.

Elsewhere, Passion has picked up the international rights to Released to Kill (10×60’), produced by Emporium Productions for CBS Reality, and Killer at the Crime Scene (8×60’), produced by Spun Gold for Channel 5.

Hosted by journalist and criminologist Donal MacIntyre, Released to Kill explores the criminal investigations behind murders committed by previously convicted individuals, while Killer at the Crime Scene examines how from the moment a murder victim’s body is discovered, the police face a race against time to lock down the crime scene to catch the killer.

Sean Wheatley, head of acquisitions at Passion Distribution, said: “We are very excited to be collaborating with Emporium Productions and CBS Reality on [Released to Kill]. True crime as a genre has evolved in recent years and Released to Kill offers audiences compelling and necessary stories. Likewise, Killer at the Crime Scene from Spun Gold is an innovative series that expands the genre.”

Also on the slate is Myleene Klass: Miscarriage & Me (1×60’), produced by Hall of Mirrors for UKTV. The doc features model, musician and entrepreneur Klass talking about her experience of having four miscarriages.

In the factual entertainment space, Emma & AJ Get to Work (4×60’), produced by Firecracker Films for UKTV, follows TV presenters Emma Willis and AJ Odudu as they set out to help deserving families from all over the UK who are desperate to get their businesses back on track.

Criminally Funny (40×60’) examines the weird world of law and order through exclusive CCTV, body-cam footage and user-generated content, from botched burglaries to farcical felons. It is produced by Workerbee for Comedy Central.

Produced by Middlechild Productions for Channel 5, Call the Bailiffs (6×60’) follows the work of enforcement agents as they execute High Court writs on behalf of people desperate to recover money they are owed.

Meanwhile, Car Pound Cops (2×60’) is another Middlechild series for Channel 5. It follows the dramatic work of recovery crews and civil enforcement agents as they trace, track and tow vehicles driven or parked illegally on Britain’s roads.

Finally, Passion’s line-up of royalty-focused programming includes The Wedding of the Century, a feature documentary on the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer. There are also several titles in this vein from ITN Productions for Channel 5, including Before they were Royal (4×60’), Meet the Royals (4×60’), Princess Anne: The Seven Loves of her Life (1×60’), Princess Margaret: The Queen of Mustique (1×60’), Zara & Anne (1×60’) and Paul Burrell: Royal Service, Celebrity & Scandal (1×60’).