Walter Presents in Australia through Foxtel deal

British-born VOD service Walter Presents is launching in Australia after teaming up with pay TV provider Foxtel.

The Channel 4-backed broadcaster has been aiming at international expansion this year, and will debut series on Foxtel’s authenticated on-demand service on November 1.

Then on December 15, a Walter Presents-branded slot will launch on pay TV channel Showcase on a Friday night.

Walter Presents debuted in the UK in January 2016 as the territory’s first on-demand service dedicated to foreign-language programming.

Curator, co-founder and host Walter Iuzzolino, who gives the service its name, hand picks its acquired series. In Australia the first series launching are Spanish women’s prison drama Locked Up, Brazilian serial killer drama Merciless and French noir Vanished By the Lake.

Foxtel plans to launch 150 hours of subtitled foreign-language drama during the agreement’s first year. Series coming further down the line include HBO Latin America’s thriller Fugitives, Mexican family crime series Mr Avila and Belgian psychological drama 13 Commandments.

Iuzzolino said Australia viewers “have a hunger for compelling, quality international drama as demonstrated by the success of Nordic Noir here and we are thrilled to be able to broaden the scope and palette of the international drama offerings further with additions from countries as diverse as Mexico, Holland, Chile, Spain and Belgium.”

“Walter Presents brings an entirely new element to the Foxtel entertainment experience,” said Foxtel director of content Ross Crowley. “Australia has one of the richest and most diverse audiences in the world, with many speaking languages other than English at home.”

The news comes after Walter Presents launched in the US.