News round-up: ITV closes ‘Beecham House’; Amazon returns to ‘Modern Love’; C4’s royal doc deal

Beecham House

ITV moves out of Beecham House

UK broadcaster ITV has ended period drama Beecham House after just one season.

The six-parter was from Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) and produced by her banner Bend It TV, with the story exploring life in 19th-century Delhi.

The show, sold globally by Fremantle, starred Tom Bateman (Vanity Fair) as a handsome former soldier who purchases the Beecham House mansion to begin a new life with his family.

It failed to secure viewers in the UK, although it is set to air on PBS in the US from March.

ITV said it had “no plans” for Beecham House to return, but added that Chadha “is actively having conversations with international broadcasters with a view to the drama returning beyond series one.”

Chadha added: “We’re extremely proud of our landmark TV series Beecham House and our incredibly diverse team, both in front and behind the camera. The series has been loved by our audience and we were delighted that the overnight audience doubled on catch up and continues to grow. We are really excited for the upcoming US launch on PBS and can’t wait to see the series continue to air around the world.”

Amazon makes more Modern Love, strikes overall deal with show’s writer

Modern Love

Amazon has ordered a second season of half-hour romantic anthology series Modern Love just a week after the show’s first run premiered.

The show, which launched globally on 18th October, is inspired by the The New York Times column of the same name and features standalone episodes exploring relationships and love. Season two will launch in 2020 in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

In related news, Amazon Studios has struck an overall deal with the show’s writer, director and executive producer, John Carney.

Carney, Todd Hoffman, Trish Hofmann, and Anthony Bregman are executive producers of the second season, with Amazon Studios, Storied Media Group, Likely Story, and The New York Times producing.

C4 goes on royal tour with DRG

A Royal Tour

Channel 4 has acquired recently launched history series A Royal Tour Of The 20th Century for its VOD service More4.

The 4 x 60 minute show, sold by UK distributor DRG, is produced by WildBear Entertainment and was originally commissioned by Mediawan Thematics in France.

The series follows the British royal family, and especially Queen Elizabeth, the world’s most travelled head of state, as they participate in an array of defining historical moments. It will premiere on More4 on Monday, 28 October.

DRG has also struck deals for the show with Foxtel in Australia and with AMC Networks Central Europe for the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

Cinémoi TV buys human trafficking show

Cultural network Cinémoi TV has acquired worldwide rights outside of Asia to a short film exploring human trafficking.

The Power of Beauty is set in Cambodia and features Matthew Fairfax, a hairdressing entrepreneur who offers job opportunities to human trafficking survivors.

It forms part of the branded feature-length documentary Tomorrow And The Butterfly, which has been directed by Italian filmmaker Alessandro Soetje, who produces with beauty brand Davines.

The movie, which is currently on the festival circuit, is comprised of six vignettes that tell stories of sustainability, beauty, individuality and diversity around the world.

The Power of Beauty will premiere on October 28 at 22.00EST on Cinémoi TV, which is available via Comcast Xfinity, Verizon’s Fios, Frontier, Sling TV, Google Play and Samsung.