Showtime picks up The Borgias for second season, sells globally

US cable network Showtime has picked up Jeremy Irons-fronted period drama The Borgias for a second season. This comes as CBS Studios International announced a raft of international sales.

The show, which is directed by The Crying Game’s Neil Jordan, launched earlier this month and attracted audiences of over 3 million. The second season was picked up by recently installed president of entertainment David Nevins.

CBS Studios International, the global sales arm of the Hollywood studio, has also sold the first season of the series, which was produced as a Canadian, Irish and Hungarian coproduction, to a raft of international networks.

ProSiebenSat.1 has acquired the series for its Sat.1 network, while Turner has bought the pan regional rights in Latin America. South Africa’s Mnet and South Korea’s OCN have also acquired the cable hit.

This follows recent deals with British pay broadcaster Sky Atlantic and Spain’s Telecinco.