Mumbai- BBC Worldwide in India has announced a deal with AXN India providing the broadcaster with more than 60 hours of BBC’s factual entertainment and drama programmes.

Titles comprise four series of Top Gear, two series of Orphan Black and three series of Sherlock. The deal includes the pre-sale of Top Gear (S21 and 22), Orphan Black (S2), and Sherlock (S3). All programmes will be seen exclusively on AXN India throughout the Indian subcontinent.

Myleeta Aga, SVP and GM of BBC Worldwide Asia, and Content Lead commented: “This new acquisition by AXN is the largest we’ve had with the broadcaster to date.  I’m very excited that viewers in India will now have access to some of the most popular and high quality drama and factual entertainment programmes that have come out the BBC in the past year or so.

“We are very happy to extend our relationship with BBC Worldwide”, said Arpit Mankar, Programming Head of AXN India. “The first of our BBC acquired programmes, Sherlock (series one) will premiere on AXN India on 4 November on the Mon-Thu 9.30 pm time band. We are confident that the series will be well received by our audiences; so much so that we’ve already ordered Sherlock series three even while it’s in production. Top Gear has innumerable fans in India and we are happy to now be the home of the latest series of Top Gear in India. Orphan Black has received such great reviews that we’ve acquired both series’ – even though series two is still being shot. The thriller is bound to take viewers by surprise!”

Top Gear (S20) started airing in mid-October while Sherlock (S1) will launch on November 4, 2013. Orphan Black is set to premiere in December 2013.