New, six-part murder mystery thriller set in beautiful Scotland;
Emmy-nominated streamer Acorn TV will feature its U.S. Premiere in Spring 2017
Silver Spring, MD; October 12, 2016 – RLJ Entertainment’s Acorn brand (NASDAQ: RLJE) has signed a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment for its brand new six-part thriller Loch Ness. RLJ Entertainment has secured all U.S. television, digital and home entertainment rights in North America. The beautiful, haunting shores of Scotland’s most iconic loch is the stunning backdrop for new murder mystery drama. Written by Stephen Brady (Fortitude, Vera), the series stars acclaimed actors Laura Fraser (Breaking Bad, The Missing), Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley, DowntonAbbey) and John Sessions (Florence Foster Jenkins) in leading roles, alongside Don Gilet (Brief Encounters), Gray O'Brien (Coronation Street) and William Ash (The Tunnel). Loch Ness will make its U.S. debut on Acorn TV, the premier streaming service for world-class TV from Britain and beyond in North America in Spring 2017.
President of Acorn Brands at RLJ Entertainment Mark Stevens noted, “We’re excited to work with ITV Studios on an intense and atmospheric crime drama set amid the breathtaking and mysterious Scottish shores. Loch Ness is a perfect addition to Acorn TV’s deep library of dramas and mysteries, and a riveting series I’m sure our subscribers will be drawn into and enjoy.”
In a community nourished and sustained by myth and bordered by untamed nature, the search for a serial killer becomes a matter of life and death for local detective Annie Cathro who is trying to cope with her first murder case. When the body of local man Niall Swift is found at the foot of Carn Mohr Mountain and an isolated human heart on the loch shore, the town’s normality is shattered and the nightmare begins. Chillingly, the beautiful scenery, undulating Highlands and vast expansive loch becomes a character in its own right adding a haunting depth to the community’s plight.
Loch Ness will introduce Annie and her family – husband Alan, a tour boat operator on the loch and their only child Evie, who at 18, is about to leave home for Australia. The Cathro’s are an ordinary loving family with an ordinary set of problems, yet the pressure of a murder investigation will undermine their stability and create tensions that threaten to disrupt and destroy their lives together.
Within the tightly knit community, several local characters will come under suspicion as the monster lurking in their midst begins to terrify and rock the village to its core. Forensic profiler, Blake Albrighton, will assist on the case offering insights borne from the last four cases he’s helped crack with his distinctive way of working.
Loch Ness is produced by ITV Studios and commissioned by ITV. Alan J (Willy) Wands (Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Stonemouth, The Field of Blood Whisky Galore!) will produce Loch Ness alongside executive producer Tim Haines and lead director Brian Kelly (Downton Abbey, Outlander, Dracula, Lewis). The deal was closed for ITV Studios Global Entertainment by Rob Kaplan, VP, US Sales.
RLJ Entertainment’s Acorn, named the “chief curators of the best Brit TV” by TIME magazine, holds exclusive United Kingdom, Australian, and North American distribution rights to many of the top British and international programs, which are available for broadcast television, digital download, digital streaming, and in lavishly packaged DVDs/Blu-rays.
The Acorn brand has received an Emmy® nomination for the final episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot and an Edgar®-Award for George Gently. Acorn also co-produced the BBC mystery series Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime and the final two series of the beloved mystery series Foyle’s War. This year, Acorn TV Originals co-production announcements included Ashley Jensen’s Agatha Raisin, post-WWII drama Close to the Enemy, Agatha Christie’s A Witness for the Prosecution, Irish legal drama Striking Out and British thriller The Level. Acorn Media Enterprises (AME) is the development division for the Acorn brand of RLJ Entertainment, Inc. and co-produces these series.
Streaming service Acorn TV adds new exclusive programs every week and features a deep library of mysteries, dramas, and comedies with no set end dates. Subscribers can stream many of their favorite international series and discover new and classic programs previously unavailable to U.S. audiences. Acorn TV series include BAFTA-winning comedy Detectorists, Guy Pearce’s noir thriller Jack Irish, hit dramedy Doc Martin, French drama series The Disappearance, Australia’s #1 drama 800 Words, BBC period drama The Secret Agent, Aussie political thriller The Code, ‘Best Dramatic Series’ winner and International Emmy® Award nominated drama 19-2 (Season 3 Oct. 24), ITV dramedy Brief Encounters (Oct. 31), Aussie crime drama Deep Water (Nov. 7), Close to the Enemy (Nov/Dec), breakout British comedy Raised by Wolves (Series 2 Nov. 21), Aussie drama A Place to Call Home (Season 4 Nov. 24), and many more. Acorn TV offers a free trial and thereafter is just $4.99/month or $49.99/year.
About RLJ Entertainment
RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE) is an entertainment content distribution company in primarily North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. RLJE’s titles are distributed in multiple formats including broadcast television (including satellite and cable), theatrical and non-theatrical, DVD, Blu-Ray, digital download, and digital streaming.
With its popular OTT branded channels, Acorn TV (British TV) and UMC (Urban Movie Channel), RLJE targets distinct, premium audiences and Urban niche audiences. The company grows its proprietary digital channels through development, acquisition, and distribution of exclusive rights of program franchises and feature film content.
Through Acorn Media Enterprises, its UK development arm, RLJE owns all rights to the hit UK mystery series Foyle’s War and is developing new programs. RLJE owns 64% of Agatha Christie Limited, which manages the intellectual property and publishing rights to some of the greatest works of mystery fiction, including stories of the iconic sleuths Miss Marple and Poirot. Through its proprietary e-commerce web sites for the Acorn brand in North America and the UK, the company also has direct contacts and billing relationships with millions of consumers.
For more information, please visit RLJEntertainment.com, Acorn.TV, and UrbanMovieChannel.com.
