all3media International has shipped major new television adaptation Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime to NHK Japan it announced today. The deal is one of a number of significant acquisitions worldwide for the primetime drama series which made its debut on the UK’s BBC One this summer with landmark overnight viewing figures.
Partners in Crime
NHK Japan will launch the 6 x 1 hour series this Autumn on the main NHK terrestrial channel. Further global acquisitions have been concluded with ABC (Australia), Sky Network (New Zealand) and BBC Global Channels (pan-Africa). In Europe, the drama has also been signed by TV2 (Norway), TV4 (Sweden), DR TV (Denmark), RUV (Iceland), HRT (Croatia), VRT (Flemish Belgium) and Ale Kino (Poland).
From Hilary Bevan Jones’ Endor Productions and Agatha Christie Productions, Partners in Crime, a classic whodunit with a contemporary twist starring BAFTA award-winning David Walliams (Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Rather You Than Me) and Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife, Fortitude), launched on BBC1 with overnights of 6.4 million and 29% share – with a consolidated figure, including time shift and catch up, of 7.95 million.
Stephen Driscoll, SVP Sales all3media International, said, “We are delighted to announce such a strong cast of major broadcasters for this prestigious new crime drama. As one of the first international broadcasters to air the series after the BBC premiere, NHK will give fans of Agatha Christie in Japan a wonderful new series to delight and enthral. Japan is Christie heartland in terms of a fan-base for the author and this show will introduce a further generation to her work.”
“Partners in Crime brings two of ‘The Queen of Crime’ Agatha Christie’s most iconic characters – Tommy and Tuppence – to life,” he continued, “The drama has a fresh, contemporary feel, combining terrific classic stories, a judicious dose of humour and engaging characters that we’re confident will resonate very well with audiences around the world.”
“We are delighted that we can broadcast this wonderful show in Japan. Agatha Christie’s dramas have attracted a strong Japanese following, so we believe it will be hugely popular among Christie fans, and hope that it will bring even more audiences to NHK.” said Junko Fukano, Senior Producer of NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai), Japan.
Set in 1950s Britain, as the ashes of the Blitz clear to reveal the anxieties of the Cold War, Partners in Crime is a brand new crime thriller based on two of Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence novels: N or M? and The Secret Adversary. Walliams and Raine star as amateur detectives Tommy and Tuppence, who stumble into a world of murder, undercover agents and Soviet conspiracies. Tuppence is a woman who sees adventure around every corner, throwing herself head first into each mystery with passion and fervour, much to the dismay of her more cautious husband. But although Tommy may initially be reluctant to get involved, together the duo soon find their true calling as agents fighting for King and Country.
