MUMBAI: FremantleMedia International (FMI) has announced it had secured a deal with German-speaking PayTV platform, Sky Deutschland, for the award-winning and critically-acclaimed prison drama, Wentworth.
The deal, which covers all five seasons of the dynamic Australian series, will mark the first time Wentworth will be available to German-speaking viewers. Season 1 will premiere on Sky Deutschland’s recently-launched flagship channel Sky 1 on 7 December.
Set in the present day, Wentworth is a modern adaptation of the classic prisoner series, Prisoner Cellblock H. Filled with divided loyalties, the series takes viewers inside the uncompromising environment of a female prison and delivers a world with unexpected twists and turns and where no character is safe. The high-stakes action-packed storylines and cast of legendary characters has won it international acclaim and industry awards including four Astras; three logies and an Australian Writers Guild Award.
FremantleMedia International’s SVP of German-speaking Europe, CEE, Israel, Russia & CIS Maximilian Bolenius said, “Wentworth is a brilliantly-made, suspenseful and explosive drama filled with twists and turns every step of the way. It’s combination of strong female cast, universal themes and strong scripts make it must-see viewing. I’m really excited that Sky Deutschland viewers will get to meet Bea and the rest of the inmates of Wentworth Prison, and I have no doubt that they’ll be as captivated by their stories as the rest of the world has been.”
Sky Deutschland entertainment channels VP Christian Asanger added: “The thrilling drama series Wentworth is the very successful remake of the series, Prisoner Cell Block H. Since its launch in 2013, Wentworth has won the Australian ASTRA Award for best drama series in two consecutive years - a perfect reason for us to pick this gripping show and launch it as German TV Premiere on Sky 1.”
The show has been sold in over 140 countries worldwide with three local adaptations, the most recent of which is a Flemish-language version commissioned by the commercial Belgian broadcaster Vier.
The show consistently proves to be a ratings success: its first episode became the most-watched Australian drama series premiere in Foxtel history, while Season 4 achieved an average audience share of 5.3 per cent, making it the highest-rated programme on SoHo in 2016 so far. Wentworth’s fifth season was commissioned by Foxtel on 19 July 2016.
