Scripted

Long Story TV’s Northern Irish crime drama Hope Street is continuing its international journey, with Sphere Abacus announcing a new wave of sales across Europe, North America and the Nordics. The global distributor has licensed seasons 1–5, comprising 51 episodes, to ERT in Greece, with Tanweer Alliances handling local distribution. Pickbox has also acquired seasons 1–3, totalling 35 episodes, for its Pickbox NOW SVOD platform and Pickbox 1 channel across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Slovenia. The latest deals also extend the drama’s reach into Canada and the U.S. TVO Media Education Group has taken seasons 4 and 5, or 16 episodes, for Canada, while American Public Television has acquired the same seasons for the U.S.
In the Nordics, BritBox has secured season 5 for Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, adding to its previous acquisition of seasons 1–4 in the region.

Set in the fictional Northern Irish seaside town of Port Devine, Hope Street follows a team of police officers as they investigate a series of crimes while navigating life in the close-knit community. Across five seasons, the series combines crime stories with a warmer, character-driven approach that reflects the humour and resilience of Northern Ireland. Created by Susanne Farrell and Paul Marquess, Hope Street is executive produced by Marquess and Donna Wiffen, the co-founders of Long Story TV. The series was commissioned by BritBox and the BBC with Northern Ireland Screen.

Paul Marquess, Joint CEO and Executive Producer at Long Story TV, said: “Sphere Abacus has been a fantastic partner for this series, and we are pleased to see even more sales finalised. As a producer you never know how a show will travel internationally, but our intention with Hope Street was to tell stories with a strong Northern Irish accent that also have universal appeal. We’re delighted that the series is being enjoyed by audiences all over the world.”
Hana Palmer, Executive Director Global Distribution and Partnerships at Sphere Abacus, said: “We have loved working with Long Story TV, distributing Hope Street globally and finding it homes across multiple territories. It’s such a charming series, with wonderful, engaging characters, and we’re thrilled to see it resonate with audiences around the world and build such a passionate global fanbase.”

The Hope Street universe is also expanding beyond the series. Long Story TV recently completed production on One of Our Own: A Hope Street Film, a 90-minute feature-length film and TV special set in the same world. Shot in and around the County Down seaside town of Donaghadee, the spin-off is planned for a limited cinema release in Northern Ireland, the wider UK and the Republic of Ireland. It is also scheduled to air on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC Daytime later this year. Sphere Abacus is handling worldwide sales for the special outside the UK and U.S., offering it as either a 90-minute programme or two 60-minute episodes.