“Whitstable Pearl,” starring Kerry Godliman, expands global reach

EXCLUSIVE: Cozy crime dramas are hot and viewers in Canada, Scandinavia and Japan are in for a new hit after Cineflix secured new international deals Whitstable Pearl.

Based on the popular novels by Julie Wassmer, the series stars Kerry Godliman (After life) as Pearl Nolan. She divides her time between serving seafood at her restaurant in the English seaside town of the same name and solving the crimes and murders caused by the flood. Howard Charles (The Musketeers) is a police officer, Mike McGuire, and her on-off rival and love interest.

The series comes from Marcella producer Buccaneer and for AMC Networks’ Acorn TV, which has greenlit three seasons so far. Cineflix Rights is taking care of distribution. Corus in Canada has now bought all three seasons, Warner Bros. Discovery has season 1. NHK in Japan has picked up season 2.

SVT in Sweden, NRK in Norway, DR and TV2 in Denmark have all bought the third season, as have BBC Worldwide for its channels in Asia and Benelux and NBCU for its channels in Africa.

In a tough drama market, cozy crime series are proving popular and are seen as safe bets by many buyers. Such as Whitstable Pearl, Midsomer Murders, Death in paradise and TF1 HPI (High Intellectual Potential) – which is being re-produced for US broadcaster ABC – are all international hits, offering acquisition managers volume and a degree of security in a post-peak TV world.

“Buyers can’t get enough of cozy crime as it continues to be one of the most sought-after drama genres,” said Tim Mutimer, CEO of Cineflix Rights. “Whitstable Pearl “Delivering the perfect blend of quirky plots, endearing characters and beautiful coastal scenery, Julie Wassmer’s novels come to life for fans everywhere.”