THE TUNNEL (w/t) Sky Atlantic and CANAL+ commission new crime drama 10 x 60’ series

As part of Sky’s continuing investment in original home-grown content, Sky Atlantic HD is today (10th January 2013) delighted to announce THE TUNNEL, a thrilling crime drama. The 10 x 60’ series is a Sky Atlantic HD and CANAL+ co-production from Kudos Film and TV and Shine France Films in association with Filmlance. Production will begin in early 2013 for TX later in the year.

THE TUNNEL, adapted by an Anglo-French writing team led by Ben Richards (Spooks, Outcasts, Party Animals), is based on the format of The Bridge (created by Hans Rosenfeldt) but set against the backdrop of Europe in crisis. When a prominent French politician is found dead on the border between the UK and France, detectives Karl Roebuck and Elise Wassermann are sent to investigate on behalf of their respective countries. However, the case takes a surreal turn when a shocking discovery is made at the crime scene, forcing the French and British police into an uneasy partnership.  As the serial killer uses ever more elaborate and ingenious methods to highlight the moral bankruptcy of modern society, Karl and Elise are drawn deeper into his increasingly personal agenda.

THE TUNNEL has been commissioned by Anne Mensah, Head of Drama, for Sky and Fabrice De La Patellière, Director of Fiction, for CANAL+. Primarily set in Folkestone and Calais, the series will be bilingual – a first in broadcasting for both the UK and France.

Elaine Pyke, Director, Sky Atlantic, says “I’m delighted to announce THE TUNNEL as part of Sky Atlantic HD’s burgeoning drama slate. Following HIT & MISS and FALCÓN, we are establishing Sky Atlantic as the home of great British drama as well as continuing to have the best of the US.”

Anne Mensah, Head of Drama, Sky, says “The state and future of the European Union has never been more part of the public conversation.  It is exciting to feel that Sky Atlantic can be a space to explore what is important to our viewers through bold and innovative narrative. We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with CANAL+ and Kudos Film and TV on this exceptional series. THE TUNNEL’S journey into the mind of a politically motivated serial killer will really build on Sky Atlantic’s ambition to be the home of world class story-telling.”

Fabrice De La Patellière, Director of French Fiction for CANAL+, says “CANAL+ is delighted to be pioneering a prestigious international co-production alongside Sky Atlantic and Kudos Film and TV with THE TUNNEL. This partnership combines Franco-British talents both in the writing and production of the drama. THE TUNNEL is a gripping thriller set against the backdrop of Western Europe in crisis. With THE TUNNEL, our objective is to develop a major series that is undeniably original and unique and we are very excited about offering it to our subscribers. This 10-part series marks a new phrase in the channel’s international production of original content.”

Jane Featherstone, Chief Executive, Kudos Film and TV, says “We owe a huge debt to our Shine colleagues at Filmlance for letting us take their wonderful original series and make our very own Anglo-French version, allowing us to really examine and enjoy the ever-evolving relationship between our two countries and the rest of Europe through the prism of a compelling thriller story. This will be a TV first in many ways and we’re delighted to be going boldly forwards with our partners at Sky Atlantic, CANAL+ and Shine France.”

Thierry Lachkar, C.E.O, Shine France says: “THE TUNNEL is an ambitious TV series which is steeped in local and European realism, dealing with universal subjects. Shine France Films sees itself as the European partner of choice, noted for its reliability, value for money and editorial quality for both broadcasters and talent within the international TV co-production market.”

THE TUNNEL is the latest commission from Sky Atlantic HD following Sky’s commitment to increase its investment in original British content. By 2014, Sky expects to invest £600 million a year in British programmes across its portfolio of channels. Sky Atlantic HD is to be a major part of that charge by commissioning bold, authored pieces with strong narrative stories across a range of genres including drama, comedy and factual. The critically acclaimed Hit and Miss, created by Paul Abbott, was Sky Atlantic’s first original drama commission and was recently followed by Falcón, based on the best-selling novels of Robert Wilson.

THE TUNNEL will be executive produced by Anne Mensah for Sky, Fabrice De La Patellière for CANAL+, Jane Featherstone, Karen Wilson, Manda Levin and Ben Richards for Kudos Film and TV, Nora Melhli for Shine France and Lars Blomgren for Filmlance. The producer is Ruth Kenley-Letts (The Hour, The Nativity).

Further information:

Sky Atlantic HD

Sarah Aspinall                                                        

Senior Publicist, Sky Atlantic HD                    

Sarah.aspinall@bskyb.com / 020 7032 1488   

Megan MacLeod

Publicist, Sky Atlantic HD

megan.macleod@bskyb.com/ 020 7032 4252

www.skypressoffice.com

Follow us on twitter @skyatlantic

CANAL+

Danièle Maisonnasse                                          Delphine Huchet

Senior Publicist                                                      Publicist

daniele.maisonnasse@canal-plus.com        delphine.huchet@canal-plus.com

+33 1 71 35 24 73                                                    +33 1 71 35 24 71

 

About Sky

Sky is the UK and Ireland’s leading home entertainment and communications company. Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.

Sky is the UK’s biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.3 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News. Around two-thirds of Sky’s content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes. More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.

Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator. Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.  

Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi. NOW TV, Sky’s second consumer brand, builds on the company’s leadership in internet TV. Sky is also the UK's fastest-growing home communications company and favourite ‘triple-play’ provider of TV, broadband and home phone.

Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts. Sky employs 23,000 people, has annual revenues of £6.8 billion and is estimated to support a £5.4 billion contribution to UK GDP. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY). www.sky.com/corporate

About CANAL+

CANAL+ Group is the leading pay-TV group in France, ranking first both for its premium-content network with CANAL+ and associated channels, and its themed networks, which include CINE+, SPORT+ and PLANETE+. CANAL+ Group also runs CANALSAT, a multi-channel package with more than 250 channels and services distributed over all platforms. The company operates in Metropolitan France and French overseas territories, as well as in French-speaking Africa, where it reaches a total of 11.2 million subscribers. A pioneer in innovative TV services, CANAL+ Group has a high international profile, with a presence in pay-TV in Poland and Vietnam. Overall, CANAL+ Group subscribers number almost 13 million worldwide.

CANAL+ Group has recently expanded into free-to-air television by creating a specific division with three national channels, including entertainment channel D8, a 15-30 year-old channel D17, and 24-hour news channel i>TELE

Through its subsidiary STUDIOCANAL, CANAL+ Group is also a European leader in the acquisition, production and distribution of feature films.

About Kudos Film and TV:

Kudos Film and Television is the UK’s most successful and original producer of popular, award-winning scripted television, supplying broadcasters domestically and internationally. Shows include the era-defining Spooks, Hustle, Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes; successful, returning series The Hour, Law & Order: UK, M.I. High and Lip Service and critically acclaimed mini-series and single films such as Occupation and We’ll Take Manhattan. Forthcoming productions include Utopia (written by Dennis Kelly for Channel 4), Sky 1 HD’s The Smoke (created by Lucy Kirkwood), Broadchurch (written by Chris Chibnall for ITV) and the Ben Court and Caroline Ip-penned Mayday (BBC One). In 2007, 2010 & 2011 Kudos was voted the UK’s most admired independent production company by its peers in Broadcast magazine. Formed in 1992, it has been part of the Shine Group since 2007.

For further information please contact

Sarah Aspinall - Senior Publicist, Sky
T:
E: Sarah.Aspinall@bskyb.com

Megan MacLeod - Publicist, Sky Movies HD, Sky Atlantic HD
T:
E: megan.macleod@bskyb.com