Viaplay greenlights NENT Studios UK drama, with Dopamine & C4 onboard

Connie Nielsen & Christopher Ecclestone

Wonder Woman’s Connie Nielsen and former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston are linking up to star in a new drama for Nordic streamer Viaplay, which also has a Mexican partner and a UK broadcaster involved.

Close To Me is an English-language psychological drama based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Amanda Reynolds. It has been developed by The Development Partnership (TDP) and Great Point Media under TDP’s first-look deal with NENT Studios UK, the British division of Viaplay parent Nordic Entertainment (NENT) Group.

The drama is being co-produced by Mexico-based Dopamine, which recently struck a financing and production deal with NENT Studios UK (fka DRG), and will premiere exclusively on Viaplay across the Nordic and Baltic regions in 2021. The six-parter will be distributed globally by NENT Studios UK, with Channel 4 already picking up UK rights.

The show follows a woman who seems to have a perfect life, but then loses her memory after a fall. As she struggles to piece events together, the woman discovers that her life wasn’t quite as perfect as she imagined – and that someone will do all they can to keep a terrible secret from her.

Angela Pell (Snow Cake) is attached as writer, with Michael Samuels (The Missing) directing. Gina Carter (Kingdom) and Nielsen executive produce alongside Robert Taylor and Ed Clarke of TDP and Dave Clarke from NENT Studios UK. The series will go into production in the UK later this month.

Filippa Wallestam, NENT’s chief content officer, said: “This inventive, unsettling and fascinating drama uncovers the deception that can lie below the surface of a seemingly perfect family life. The constantly twisting plot, straight to camera dialogue and great indie soundtrack will draw in viewers, while also exploring a subject rarely highlighted on screen – the female mid-life crisis.”

NENT plans to premiere at least 30 original productions in 2020, with recent entrants including Valley Girl, First Responders and season two of The Lawyer.