SevenOne International: BBC picks up dramedy series "Lilyhammer"
Munich, February 6th 2012. The BBC secured
rights to the new mobster series "Lilyhammer" starring Stevie Van
Zandt. The dramedy tells the fish-out-of water-story of a New York
mobster who asks to be relocated to the sleepy Norwegian town
Lillehammer that hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics.
Richard Klein, Controller BBC Four: "Lilyhammer mixes sharp wit and
American big city ways with the beauty of the Norwegian mountains
and folksy nature of a small town - a perfect combination for a
razor-sharp drama about cultural mores. I am delighted the BBC Four
has acquired this drama and I am sure our viewers are going to have
a good time!" Sue Deeks, BBC´s Head of Programme Acquisition adds
"Lilyhammer is fresh, funny and offbeat - it makes a highly
original addition to BBC Four's rich Scandinavian drama
slate."
"Wow, what a series! First the sale to Netflix and the outstanding
ratings in Norway - scoring an all-time high for a Norwegian
drama-series - and now to top it all off it will be airing on the
BBC!", says Henrik Pabst, Director of International Format
Acquisition and Regional Sales Director Scandinavia, Benelux, UK.
"It´s amazing how this dramedy series generated such a buzz so
quickly. This demonstrates `Lilyhammer´s´ quality and the appeal of
the show´s terrific lead Stevie Van Zandt."
"Lilyhammer" launched January 25th on Norway´s public broadcaster
NRK1. One in five Norwegians watched the series premiere, reaching
an overall share of 56.3 per cent and resulting in an all-time-high
for NRK1 and the best ratings for a Norwegian made drama-series
ever. With 44.2 per cent in the commercial demographics,
"Lilyhammer" outperformed the channel average by 245 per cent. The
second episode performed even stronger with 46,5 per cent in the
commercial demographics.
Viewers in the U.S., Canada and Latin America will be able to watch
the dramedy on Netflix starting February 6th. Netflix will be
co-producer of the second season.
Known for his iconic performance as Silvio Dante, the consigliere
to Tony Soprano in the award-winning series "The Sopranos," and his
work as guitarist in Bruce Springsteen´s E Street Band, Van Zandt
created "Lilyhammer" with some of Norway´s top actors, writers and
directors. As Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano, Van Zandt both changes
and is changed by his new Norwegian home.
"Lilyhammer" is produced by Norwegian production company
Rubicon.
About BBC
The BBC is the world's leading public service broadcaster. Its
mission is to enrich people's lives with programs that inform,
educate and entertain. They provide services including 10 national
TV channels plus regional programming, 10 national radio stations,
40 local radio stations and an extensive website.
About SevenOne International
SevenOne International is the worldwide programming sales company
of Red Arrow Entertainment Group, a ProSiebenSat.1 Group company.
ProSiebenSat.1 is the second-largest broadcasting group in Europe,
reaching more than 67 million TV households. SevenOne International
offers an extensive portfolio of TV events, TV movies, telenovelas,
prime-time series and mini-series, as well as magazine shows and
entertainment formats. In addition, SevenOne International markets
and co-finances the programs of third-party producers. The company
is headquartered in Unterföhring, just outside of Munich.
Contact:
Stefanie Prinz
Medienallee 7
D-85774 Unterföhring
Phone +49 [89] 95 07-1199
Fax +49 [89] 95 07-91199
Email: Stefanie.Prinz@ProSiebenSat1.com
Isabelle Fedyk
SevenOne International
Medienallee 7
D-85774 Unterföhring
Phone +49 [89] 95 07-2322
Fax +49 [89] 95 07-92322
Email: Isabelle.Fedyk@SevenOneInternational.com
Press release online:
www.sevenoneinternational.com