The Arts Network Also Picks Up Sky Studios’ Hooten & the Lady
NATPE / Miami, FL: Ovation TV, America’s only arts network, has acquired the U.S. broadcast rights for the second season of the Julia Stiles-led drama series Riviera (10 x 60’) from Sky Studios. The arts network also signed a deal for the first season of Hooten & the Lady (8 x 60’), which will debut on Ovation’s AVOD travel and culture channel JOURNY. The announcement was made today by Scott Woodward, EVP Programming and Production, Ovation.
The second season of Riviera immediately picks up from the shocking season 1 finale, with Georgina (Julia Stiles) continuing her battle for power in the Clios household, only this time, she’s also trying to get away with murder. This season reveals the troubled past she left behind in America, as well as some new arrivals, the Eltham family, who have plenty of secrets of their own. Joining the cast is Will Arnett, Juliet Stevenson and Poppy Delevingne.
Hooten & the Lady is a British television series that follows the story of two treasure hunter partners, British Museum curator Lady Alexandra (Ophelia Lovibond) and hugely charismatic, roguish American adventurer Hooten (Michael Landes), in a series of global treasure-hunting escapades. Also starring Jessica Hynes and Jane Seymour.
“The first season of Riviera was a huge success and really connected with our audience,” said Woodward. “Ovation will continue to air premium, international dramas that feature artistic storytelling. We’re pleased to further our relationship with Sky Studios.”
Hooten & the Lady will be available on JOURNY in summer 2020. The second season of Riviera will air on Ovation in Q4 2020. NBCUniversal Global Distribution is handling international sales for both of these series.
About OVATION America’s Only Arts Network
Art has the power to inspire us, elevate our thinking, and awaken our senses. As an independent television, production and digital media company, OVATION has an unparalleled commitment to the arts, culture and captivating entertainment. Showcasing a lineup of critically-acclaimed premium dramas, arts-related specials and documentaries, and iconic films, OVATION salutes innovative storytelling, lives for the art in entertainment, finds beauty in the everyday, and applauds art in unexpected places. OVATION is available to nearly 50M subscribers via cable, satellite and telco systems including Comcast Cable/Xfinity, DIRECTV/AT&T U-verse, SPECTRUM, Verizon FiOS, as well as on VOD. Through THE OVATION FOUNDATION, the company is committed to advocating for the arts, nationally and locally, and has provided more than $15M in contributions and in kind support to arts institutions and arts education. You can follow OVATION on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, OvationTV.com, and through our App, OVATION NOW.
About JOURNY
JOURNY is the only travel-entertainment app at the intersection of travel, art, and culture! Watch award-winning television series and popular shorts focused on immersive experiences and unique storytelling for FREE! Powered by Ovation and designed for the conscientious traveler, our programming centers world travel, cultural tourism, and global citizenry. Utilizing a network of talented and passionate travel filmmakers, producers and creators, JOURNY brings together the voices and stories that make us connected and human. Journy is available on Fire TV, Apple TV and iOS devices, Android, Roku, XUMO, Vewd, and Plex.
About Sky Studios
Sky Studios brings to the screen unique stories from the very best talent in Europe. We develop, produce and fund original drama, comedy and documentary for Sky’s 24m customers and beyond. Building on the success of critically-acclaimed Sky Originals including Emmy-nominated Chernobyl, Bafta-winning Patrick Melrose and international hits Babylon Berlin and Riviera, Sky Studios is the new creative home of Sky Originals, such as The Third Day with Jude Law, ZeroZeroZero from the makers of Gomorrah and The New Pope directed by Academy Award-winning director Paolo Sorrentino.
We’re an agile Studio, seeking out the best untold stories from new voices while working in creative partnership with today’s best writers, producers and on-screen talent to bring viewers stories they wouldn’t find anywhere else.
With commissioning talent and production capability across the UK, Germany and Italy, we understand local tastes across Europe better than anyone else and have plans to more than double our investment in original content by 2024, fully supported and backed by Comcast NBC Universal.
Sky Studios invests in the cultural economy and global production sector with equity stakes in 10 production companies in the UK and the US, including Great British Bake-Off creator Love Productions, and the premiere reality crime producer in the US, Jupiter Entertainment, creator of long-running hit Snapped. Sky Studios has invested in high quality factual specialists Blast Films and True North Productions; entertainment and format expert Znak & Co (US & UK); natural history producer True to Nature; and growth businesses Sugar Films, Avanti Media, Chrysalis Vision, and Talos Films (US).
Sky Studios launched in June 2019. The senior leadership team is Chief Executive Officer Gary Davey, Chief Commercial Officer Jane Millichip, Chief Finance Officer Caroline Cooper, Director of Drama UK Cameron Roach, Director of Comedy UK Jon Mountague, Director Original Production Sky Italia Nils Hartmann, and Director Original Production Sky Deutschland Marcus Ammon.