Endemol, BBC America, Bell onboard BBC1 drama

Endemol Worldwide Distribution, BBC America and Bell Media channel Space are among new partners to join upcoming BBC1 fantasy series Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

The programme goes into pre-production this month, lead by producers Cuba Films and Feel Films and financing specialist Far Moor. It can now count Endemol Worldwide Distribution , BBC America, Space, Screen Yorkshire and Canadian prodco Cite Amerique as coproduction partners. EWD has sales rights. Far Moor brokered the deals.

The drama has also grown from six scheduled episodes to seven Peter Harness (Wallander) is attached to adapt the scripts from Susanna Clarke’s book series, which is set during the Napoleonic War in an England where magic exists. Shooting will begin in Yorkshire, UK, before moving to Canada.

Farmoor co-founders Justin Thomson-Glover and Patrick Irwin said it had been “very important to find the right international partners”.

“Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is one of our Supernatural Saturday block, as Susanna Clarke’s stories transcend borders and are perfect for our US audience,” said Richard de Croce, senior VP, programming, BBC America.

Catherine MacLeod, VP, speciality channels, Bell Media, adde that the series part-filming in Canada was an “added bonus” for Space.