STREAMING
“Sherlock” Seasons 1-4, “Death in Paradise” Seasons 1-11, “Unforgotten” Seasons 1-4 and “Life Below Zero” Seasons 1-9 are among the series that will be available as part of BBC Studios‘ new content agreement with Lemino, a Japanese video-on-demand streaming service operated by NTT DoCoMo. The deal, which comes into effect Nov. 15 will also see Lemino subscribers gain access to long-running British dramas like “Call The Midwife” Seasons 1-11 and “Father Brown” Seasons 1-10, period dramas “The Pursuit of Love” and “Sanditon,” as well as documentary series “Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change The World.”
Cheryl Png, VP of distribution for Southeast Asia, South Korea and Japan of BBC Studios Asia, said: “BBC Studios is known for our premium content, powerful storytelling and the ability to connect with a global audience. We look forward to working closely with NTT DoCoMo to showcase the depth and breadth of our programmes that we are confident Japanese viewers will enjoy.”
APPOINTMENTS
Following the appointment of Kate Oates as head of drama productions and the promotion of Deborah Sathe to creative director and Siân O’Callaghan as director of production, BBC Studios has hired two new recruits to join them. Roxanne Harvey joins as executive producer for the long running continuing drama series “Casualty” as well as leading on development in Wales. Former Apple TV+ Europe commissioner Tom Williams joins in the newly created role of head of development drama across the entire BBC Studios drama production unit, reporting into Sathe. Williams will be overseeing the national development team as well as overseeing the BBC Studios writing initiatives. Harvey will also develop her own slate of new projects for both the U.K. and international markets.
EXHIBITION
Leading European multiplex chain Vue International, in its first site acquisition since the pandemic, has acquired unit 21 at the Swindon’s Greenbridge Retail Park in the U.K.. This brings the chain’s U.K. and Ireland portfolio to 92 sites and 876 screens. The 12-screen property will reopen soon. This will be Vue’s first new opening since the Glasgow St. Enoch site in 2021.
HOST
Pangina Heals is back as the host of “Drag Race Thailand,” which is set to return for a third season in 2024 on WOW Presents Plus. Heals made her debut as a contestant in 2022 on “RuPaul’s Drag Race: U.K. vs the World” and she also appeared as a Lip-Sync Assassin in “Ru Paul’s Drag Race All-Stars” Season 8. Season 2 of “Tongue Thai’d with Pangina Heals” is also coming to the service on Dec. 4 when Heals will welcome eight guests – Raja, Jaida Essence Hall, LaGanja Estranja, Jared Goldstein, Priyanka, Blu Hydrangea, Lady Camden and Sasha Colby – to four of LA’s most authentic Thai restaurants.
“Drag Race Thailand” is produced in the Philippines by Fullhouse Asia Production Studios, Inc in conjunction with World of Wonder Productions, Inc. Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell and RuPaul Charles serve as executive producers on the series.
AWARDS
Spanish director Isabel Coixet is set to receive the European Achievement in World Cinema Award from the European Film Academy. She will be an honored guest at the European Film Awards on Dec. 9 in Berlin.
Coixet’s credits include “Demasiado Viejo Para Morir Joven” (1989), “Things I Never Told You” (1996), “My Life Without Me” (2003), “The Secret Life of Words” (2005), “Elegy” (2008), “Nobody Wants the Night” (2015), “Elisa & Marcela” (2019), documentary “The Yellow Ceiling” (2002) and this year’s “Un Amor.” She is the female filmmaker with the most Goya awards, with a total of nine.
