Keshet International & Bettany Hughes’ SandStone Global link for docuseries co-development deal

Bettany Hughes (Source: SandStone Global)

Israel-based producer and distributor Keshet International has inked a co-development deal with historian Bettany Hughes’ UK prodco SandStone Global.

Under the pact, the two companies will co-develop two new ancient history docuseries together – Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World and Vikings, both of which will presented by Hughes.

The 4 x 60-minue travelogue Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World, will follow Hughes in the footsteps of the very first tourists, travelling between these marvels of human ingenuity as the ancients once did.

Vikings, also a 4 x 60-minute series, meanwhile sees Hughes set out to discover more about the greatest warriors in human history. Using state-of-the-art graphics to bring ancient Viking maps to life, Hughes heads off on a 3000-mile road trip to show how they started raiding and trading much earlier and more extensively than previously thought.

London-based SandStone Global has been behind a slew of factual docs for local broadcasters, many of which have been helmed by Hughes, including Bettany Hughes’ Treasures Of The World and Bettany Hughes’ Grand Tour: From Paris To Rome.

Kelly Wright, Keshet International’s MD of distribution, said, “Like our Greenlight: Factual & Formats commissioning initiative, this co-development deal with SandStone is another exciting example of how we’re working more collaboratively with independent producers.

“By coming on board at an earlier stage to co-develop premium docuseries like Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and Vikings, we not only help producers get their best ideas commissioned and on-air, we’re also curating an ongoing pipeline of high-quality factual content for our international buyers.”