SVT buying spree includes The Bible and Bates Motel

Swedish public broadcaster SVT has acquired mega-hit miniseries The Bible. It has picked up the Mark Burnett-produced show amid a raft of drama acquisitions.

The five-part series has generated consistently huge ratings on US cable network History and is distributed by Burnett’s One Three Media.

SVT has also bought Psycho prequel series Bates Motel, which has just launched on History’s sister channel A&E in the US.

The broadcaster announced a raft of high-end drama acquisitions and other shows it has bought include Aaron Sorkin’s HBO drama The Newsroom and Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour and Call The Midwife, which both air on ITV in the UK.

The biggest deal, however, was with BBC Worldwide and SVT has inked an agreement for a 100-hour package of the back of the distributor’s Showcase event last month.

The package includes upcoming Jane Campion series Top of the Lake, Sherlock and new episodes of Death in Paradise.

The Worldwide deal also covers factual content and titles include Brazil with Michael Palin.