Sky Deutschland locks up prison drama deal

Sky’s German operation has acquired five seasons of Wentworth, the modern-day reboot of cult classic prison drama Prisoner Cell Block H.

The deal sees Wentworth enter the German market for the first time, with the Australian series playing on Sky’s flagship Sky 1 service.

It launches next Wednesday (December 7). The series is distributed by FremantleMedia International, which struck the Sky deal.

“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,” said Christian Asanger, vice president, entertainment channels, Sky Deutschland.

The show was originally commissioned by Foxtel in Australia for the Soho channel, which recently commissioned a fifth season. It has sold well, with deals in 140 countries. There is also a Flemish-language format deal in place in Belgium.

“Wentworth is a brilliantly-made, suspenseful and explosive drama filled with twists and turns every step of the way,” said Maximilian Bolenius, FremantleMedia International’s senior VP of German-speaking Europe, CEE, Israel, Russia & CIS.

“It’s combination of strong female cast, universal themes and strong scripts make it must-see viewing.”