It's been a great week for Irish drama as it has emerged that not only has upcoming RTÉ show 'Taken Down' secured international broadcasting rights, but so has new Virgin Media (formerly TV3) series 'Blood'.
Deadline reports that the both Acorn TV and Viacom’s Channel 5 have come on board with the psychological crime thriller starring 'Line of Duty’'s Adrian Dunbar. The deal was struck with All3Media International.
'Blood' follows Cat Hogan, played by 'Unforgotten''s Carolina Main, an isolated woman on the run from her past, a past she is forced to confront when the sudden "accidental" death of her mother draws her back to the family she has spent the last ten years trying to avoid. Her suspicions start to mount against her father, played by Dunbar, when she begins to notice discrepancies in his stories
Written by 'Riviera' and 'The Last Kingdom' writer Sophie Petzal, 'Blood' is produced by 'Midsomer Murders'' Jonathan Fisher for Company Pictures in association with Element Pictures. The cast also includes Diarmuid Noyes ('Five Minutes of Heaven'), Gráinne Keenan ('Black Mirror'), Cillian Ó Gairbhí ('Vikings') and Mark O’Regan ('The Commitments').
Virgin Media Television will premiere the show here first this autumn while sister company Virgin UK will air it after Channel 5's linear launch.
Catherine Mackin, Managing Director of Acorn Media Enterprises, said, "We’re thrilled to partner again with our friends at All3media international on another high-quality drama production. Delivering a new and exciting take on the crime genre, 'Blood' boasts a stellar line-up of talent both on-and-off-screen, ensuring it is perfectly in line with the first-rate dramas we’re bringing to Acorn TV’s subscribers every month."
Ben Frow, Director of Programmes, Channel 5, said, "This announcement underlines our ambition to diversify the schedule and deliver high quality drama to the channel. With a talented cast headed by Adrian Dunbar, thrilling storylines and the drama expertise of Company Pictures, Blood will appeal to UK audiences."