PBS Distribution takes North American rights after All3 secures pre-sales in APAC and Europe

RIDLEY - high res

BritBox has pre-bought upcoming ITV detective drama Ridley, while PBS Distribution has boarded as its North American sales partner.

PBS Distribution will handle distribution in the territory for the series, which stars Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar.

All3Media International has already secured pre-sales to streamers BritBox in Australia and Pumpkin TV in China and it is also travelling to European broadcasters NPO in the Netherlands and Belgium’s VRT. RLJ Entertainment has picked up DVD/video rights for Australia and New Zealand.

Ridley is co-produced by Blood and Hollington Drive indie West Road Pictures and PBS in association with All3MI.

It follows the story of charismatic detective Alex Ridley (Dunbar), who has retired from the police after 20 years of service. Now working in a consultancy role, he resumes his partnership with his former protégée, DI Carol Farman (Bronagh Waugh), when she turns to him for help on a complex murder investigation.

It is written and co-created by Paul Matthew Thompson (Vera). West Road’s managing director Jonathan Fisher is co-creator, with both exec producing alongside Ingrid Goodwin (Blood). Bryn Higgins (episodes 1 and 4), Noreen Kershaw (episode 2) and Paul Gay (episode 3) direct.

Ridley is available as a 4 x 120-minutes series, a format which Sally Habbershaw, executive vice-president of Americas at All3MI, says is “in particularly strong demand internationally”.

She added: “With its flexible duration options Ridley promises to be an exciting new original primetime drama for global audiences.”