Sweden’s SVT goes on UK drama buying spree

SVT has acquired a raft of UK drama titles. The Swedish public broadcaster has acquired Happy Valley from BBC Worldwide and new period drama Grantchester (pictured) from Shine International among other titles.

Happy Valley, which is produced by Studio Canal-owned UK producer Red Production Company, follows a female police officer whose daughter has been murdered. It was also recently acquired by Netflix for the US. In Sweden, it will launch on SVT on Monday, October 13.

“Happy Valley is one of my personal favourites among our new acquisitions,” said Stephen Mowbray, head of SVT International. “It’s a true nail biter and Sarah Lancashire in the lead is just brilliant.”

He added: “Grantchester is stylish with high production value, and James Norton in the lead is very likeable. This series has every chance of becoming a public favourite here in Sweden.”

Other British drama titles that will bow on SVT in the fall season include BBC Worldwide-distributed four-part drama What Remains, which went out on BBC One in September. Also from Worldwide it has Death Come to Pemberley.

The Swedish broadcaster has also acquired Avalon-produced Sky Living comedy series Trying Again and the latest, fifth, season of NBCUniversal-distributed period drama Downtown Abbey as well as season two of cop series Line of Duty.

SVT has a Saturday night drama slot for European drama, which it will programme with  Belgian crime series Salamander, French WWII-drama Un Village Français and, later this year, French drama The Returned and mafia series Gomorrah.