Nicola Coughlan Leading Next ‘I Am‘ Anthology Series For Channel 4
Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan is leading the next series of Channel 4’s I Am, which won Kate Winslet a BAFTA two years ago. Coughlan will front I Am Helen alongside Peaky Blinders star Joe Cole. Coughlan developed her I Am with creator Dominic Savage and Channel 4 gave no more details about the subject matter or revealed any of the other stars for the fourth season. The critically-acclaimed anthology deals with issues facing women in society and has also featured Letitia Wright and Vicky McClure down the years. The Winslet episode, I Am Ruth, won its lead a BAFTA in 2023 for Leading Actress. Coughlan said: “It’s an absolute honour to be part of telling the next I Am… story alongside Dominic Savage — a singular talent and a storyteller deeply committed to exploring the breadth of the female experience. To follow in the footsteps of the brilliant women who’ve collaborated with him on this series feels truly surreal, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be embarking on this journey.” I Am is produced by Me+You Productions. The series is produced by Krishnendu Majumdar and Savage. I Am is co-funded by Sky Studios and international sales are handled by NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution.
Blind Procedural ‘Sight Unseen‘ Sells To Paramount+ UK & Nine Network
Sight Unseen, a procedural about a top homicide detective who is forced to quit the job she loves after nearly killing her partner and being diagnosed as clinically blind, has sold to Paramount+ in the UK and Australia’s Nine Network. Fifth Season has struck a raft of other deals for both seasons of The CW and CTV’s show including Play Media (Belgium), AXN Asia (Pan Regional), yes (Israel), Disney Bulgaria, Action Channel (Japan) and Talpa TV (Netherlands). Starring newcomer leads Dolly Lewis and Agam Darshi, the show follows Tess Avery, a top detective who goes blind. Reluctant to accept help, she uses an assistance app and connects with Sunny Patel, a professional seeing-eye guide and an agoraphobe living 3,000 miles away. After solving a crime she left behind, Tess returns to the force as a civilian consultant. Jennifer Ebell, EVP of Television Distribution at Fifth Season, said: “Sight Unseen is a fresh take on the crime genre, with a female lead who is sight impaired and authentically cast at its centre. Crime procedurals continue to have strong global appeal, and this series delivers with smart twists on a bankable genre.” The show is created by Karen Troubetzkoy (Killjoys, Orphan Black) and Nikolijne Troubetzkoy (Skymed, Transplant), and produced by Fifth Season-backed Blink49 Studios.
Ex-Sony & A+E Exec Tom Davidson Joins Particle6
Tom Davidson, the former Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and A+E Networks UK exec, has joined British indie Particle6. He becomes Chief Commercial Officer following a period of consulting and will focus on devising and implementing strategies around AI production, scalable models and pricing structures. Particle6 positions itself as “Europe’s leading up-and-coming AI production studio” for video, TV and film production. Davidson is known for holding a General Manager post at SPT in Europe and a Financial Director role across Sony Pictures Entertainment’s international networks business, along with being Managing Director of A+E Networks UK for nearly seven years between late 2008 and August 2015. He’s also known for playing a key role in the creation of HBO Central Europe and for the past decade has run Niche Media Global, which has consulted for the likes of ITV, UKTV and PBS. At Particle6, he’ll work closely with founder and CEO Eline van der Velden. Davidson said Particle6 has “become a go-to company for advice and support in the industry, while also developing numerous AI-led projects of its own or in partnership with others.”
Channel 4 Unwraps Trio Of Christmas Specials
The UK’s Channel 4 has ordered three Christmas specials, all of which have British producers and distributor BossaNova Media on board. The trio of one-hour docs — Christmas at Lapland UK, Alpine Train at Christmas and Secrets of the Christmas Market — are produced for Channel 4 by GroupM Motion Content, in partnership with DocHearts, King of Sunshine Productions and Afro-Mic Productions, respectively. The first will look at LaplandUK, an immersive experience on the outskirts of London, while the second will follow the Bernina Express, which traverses breathtaking winter landscapes the Swiss and Italian Alps. The last one looks at how Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, plays home to Britain’s most diverse Christmas market each year. Networks have increasingly been engaging in the ‘Christmas in July’ phenomenon, where they build their holiday season line-up well in advance of the festive season. “What better time to launch our Christmas shows than July,” said BossaNova CEO Paul Heaney. “There are only a finite number of fresh and original festive shows on the market, so we saw this trio as a great way to present something to our community.”
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