BBC Buys HBO Max Thriller ‘Spy/Master’; Kano & Tamara Lawrance Win RTS Awards; Premier League To Prime Video Nordics; ITV Theresa May Doc – Global Briefs

By Max Goldbart, Jesse Whittock

March 27, 2024 3:46am

BBC Buys HBO Max Thriller ‘Spy/Master‘

The BBC has acquired HBO Max thriller Spy/Master as it continues to beef up its iPlayer offering. Acquired from Warner Bros. Discovery, the show stars Happy Valley’s Alec Secăreanu as the most trusted advisor to Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu. With his government poised to uncover that he’s a secret agent for the Soviets, Godeanu uses a diplomatic trip to Germany as a springboard to defect to the U.S. The series also stars Aidan McArdle (Ridley, The Trial of Christine Keeler), Ana Ularu (Who Is Erin Carter?), Laurențiu Bănescu (Boss), Andreea Vasile (Umbre), Nico Mirallegro (Our Girl), lulian Postelnicu (Arest) and Elvira Deatcu (Clanul). “A classic spy drama set at the height of the Cold War, Spy/Master is an atmospheric, complex thriller, dripping with style and suspense,” said Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition. The show was nominated for the inaugural Berlinale Series Award and was exec produced by former HBO Europe senior execs Antony Root and Johnathan Young. The BBC has been splashing out on acquisitions of late, picking up Suits last week in a big deal with NBC following the show’s success on Netflix.

Kane Robinson & Tamara Lawrance Win RTS Awards

Two Black actors took home the big prizes at last night’s Royal Television Society (RTS) Programme Awards, with Kane Robinson winning for Top Boy and Tamara Lawrance for BBC drama Time. The pair beat off competition from Jodie Whittaker, Sarah Lancashire, Gary Oldman and Timothy Spall to the coveted prizes, which came at the glitzy Central London ceremony. Bella Ramsey also won Supporting Actor for Time. The Best Drama prize went to Happy Valley, which has had a good awards season so far, although writer Sarah Lancashire lost out to Sixth Commandment scribe Sarah Phelps. ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office won the Judges Prize while The Traitors EP Stephen Lambert took home Outstanding Achievement. “Gathered tonight, we commemorate yet another remarkable year for the UK television sector, underscoring its unmatched programming diversity spanning gripping dramas, uproarious comedy, and enlightening documentaries,” said RTS chair Kenton Allen, who runs Outlaws producer Big Talk.

Prime Video Nordics Scores Premier League Rights

Prime Video has acquired Swedish and Danish rights to English Premier League soccer games for the upcoming 2024/25 season. Prime Video will offer the early afternoon Saturday 1.30 p.m. CET fixtures. This is part of the wider agreement with Viaplay for nine original series and library titles that was announced earlier this year, and will see 38 games offered at no extra cost to subscribers. Prime Video Sweden and Denmark are among the Nordic countries that are set to gain further investment as part of the EU Emerging cluster that was formed recently as the streamer restructured around the world.

ITV Behind Theresa May Doc From ‘9/11: Inside the President’s War Room’ Team

ITV is making a documentary about former UK Prime Minister Theresa May from the team behind 9/11: Inside the President’s War Room. Theresa May: The Accidental PM [working title] will air in a few weeks’ time as May prepares to stand down as an MP. Featuring contributions from key advisors and politicians including Suella Braverman, Gavin Barwell and Amber Rudd, the program provides a personal insight into her time in office, including what it was like to be just the second female PM. May became PM after David Cameron hurriedly resigned upon the loss of the Brexit vote, and much of her time in office was characterized by Brexit squabbling. 9/11: Inside the President’s War Room‘s Adam Wishart and Neil Grant are producing the series for their Slate Works production outfit. “We wanted to produce a film that not only provides a vivid insight into a tumultuous period of recent British history but that explores a woman who became a leading figure in British politics,” said Tom Giles, ITV’s Controller of Current Affairs.