ABC Television Secures 1st For BBC Masterpiece The 39 Steps

ITV Global Entertainment has announced that Australia's ABC Television has acquired the network premiere of BBC Television's epic masterpiece The 39 Steps.
Set to receive its international TV market debut at MIP TV2009, The 39 Steps is the thrilling 90 minute television drama based on the world famous espionage novels by John Buchan, starring Rupert Penry-Jones (Spooks) as the sophisticated and dashing Richard Hannay.
Augustus Dulgaro, SVP - Australia, Japan and New Zealand, ITV Global Entertainment said: "The 39 Steps is an exceptional piece of high quality television drama, with proven ratings success. The 39 Steps received its World premiere on primetime BBC 1 during the hyper-competitive 2008 Christmas season. Delivering over 35% of all premium demographic eyeballs, the drama scored Number One with a 30% share of all viewers. We're confident it'll be equally as popular with ABC viewers."
Produced by BBC Scotland in association with ITV Global Entertainment, the modern day classic was originally made famous on-screen by the acclaimed director Alfred Hitchcock.
ABC Television has additionally acquired the highly anticipated Wuthering Heights. The lavish adaptation of Emily Bronte's haunting and passionate novel starring Tom Hardy (Rock N Rolla) as the dark and brooding Heathcliff. Executive produced by Mammoth Screen (Lost in Austen) and ITV Global Entertainment.
ITV Global is set to premiere The 39 Steps and its new line-up of high quality drama programming at MIP TV 2009, including the highly anticipated reinterpretation of the iconic 1960's cult classic, The Prisoner (AMC and ITV Studios) starring Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel and The Take, starring Tom Hardy, a thrilling and uncompromising four-part adaptation of the best-selling crime thriller by Martina Cole.
(KMcA/JM)