SBS, VRT visit Bloodlands

James Nesbitt stars in Northern Ireland-set crime drama Bloodlands

Australian pubcaster SBS and VRT in Belgium are among the international broadcasters to have picked up Jed Mercurio’s new crime drama Bloodlands ahead of its premiere on BBC1.

The drama is the first from newly formed prodco Hat Trick Mercurio Television and is being shopped globally by Hat Trick International, which last week sealed a deal for the show with streamer Acorn TV in the US and Canada.

C-More Scandinavia, NPO Netherlands, TV2 Norway and TV4 Sweden have also picked up the 4×60’ series.

Starring James Nesbitt (The Missing, Cold Feet), created by new writer Chris Brandon and executive produced by showrunner Mercurio (Line of Duty, Bodyguard), Bloodlands begins with an expensive car being pulled from the sea – containing a suicide note but no body – leading a detective to a cold case.

Sarah Tong, director of sales at Hat Trick International, said, “We are continuing to find strong demand for new, high-end drama from our international clients. With its strong creative credentials, both in front of and behind the camera, Bloodlands is an intense and thrilling series which will have wide appeal globally.”

The show is produced by Christopher Hall (The Durrells, Critical), with Mark Redhead, Jimmy Mulville and Mercurio exec producing for Hat Trick Mercurio Television and Tommy Bulfin doing the same for the BBC. The series was commissioned for BBC1 by Piers Wenger and Charlotte Moore.