Demons Comes To BBC America

Rupert Galvin (Philip Glenister, front) leads the fight against the forces of darkness in Demons. His team includes (L-R) Ruby (Holiday Grainger), Luke Rutherford (Christian Cooke) and Mina Harker (Zoe Trapper). Photo copyright of ITV

THE battle against the dark underworld of half-lives, monsters and inhumans lies deep beneath the streets of modern-day London in the U.S. premiere of Demons. This contemporary spin on the character of Van Helsing features Luke Rutherford (Christian Cooke) as an average teenager, but with the arrival of his dead father’s best friend Rupert Galvin (Philip Glenister, Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes), Luke’s life is about to be flipped upside down. Galvin is a straight-talking, headstrong American who has come to tell Luke his secret destiny – he’s the real-life great-great grandson of Abraham Van Helsing, the vampire hunter in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Luke’s destined to inherit the family mantle as a warrior in the coldest of wars against the supernatural entities behind every myth and legend from vampires to werewolves and all things that go bump in the night. Demons premieres Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 @ 10:00 p.m. EST/PST on BBC America. 

Christian Cooke as our young hero, Luke Rutherford. Photo copyright of ITV

Just another day (or night) on the job for Luke and company. Photo copyright of ITV

Richard Wilson as Father Simeon. Photo copyright of ITV

As noted above, all photos copyright of ITV, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

The Hit British TV Series Primeval Returns From Extinction

Abby (Hannah Spearritt), Danny (Jason Flemyng) and Connor (Andrew Lee Potts) will be back for more adventures on Primeval. Photo copyright of Impossible Pictures Limited

IT was announced this morning by BBC America that a unique collaboration has guaranteed the return of the hit ITV series Primeval to BBC America and TV screens across the globe. The groundbreaking deal between Impossible Pictures Limited (IPL), BBC Worldwide (BBCW) and ITV will deliver 13 new episodes n 2011. It will also ensure that the spectacular effects that have made Primeval such a huge success will continue throughout the new season.

Original co-production partners ITV, ProSieben and BBC Worldwide return to co-fund the new series, with BBC Worldwide becoming the majority funding partner. BBC America takes on a full co-production credit for the first time and UKTV becomes a first-time investor. Jonathan Drake, Managing Director of Impossible Pictures Limited says, “The dramatic changes in the business of broadcasting in the last 12 months have meant we have had to completely rethink how we put the funding together for a top-end series like Primeval. The fact that the series is so well-established and loved both in the UK and overseas has meant that everyone has been willing to do their best to give us the backing we needed. With the continued enthusiasm of co-producers such as ProSieben and the fantastic support of the team at BBC Worldwide we have stitched together a ground-breaking clutch of deals that will guarantee Primeval‘s ongoing success.

Helen Jackson, BBC Worldwide’s Director of Independents added, “There was a real desire between Impossible Pictures, ITV, ProSieben and BBC Worldwide to make this project succeed and to bring Primeval back from the brink of extinction. Our increased investment in the title is a reflection of our belief in the quality of the whole production and its international appeal.”

Richard de Croce, SVP Programming at BBC America adds, “Primeval is one of BBC America’s all-time top 10 shows and we’re thrilled to be co-producing the new season. It’s an innovative deal securing the future of an innovative show – and we can’t wait to bring it back to U.S. fans.”

The new series will be show run once again by Adrian Hodges and will feature the return of stars from the previous series, including Hannah Spearritt, Andrew Lee Potts and Jason Flemyng, alongside special effects created by the award-winning team at Framestore CFC. Primeval is one of BBC Worldwide’s most successful drama exports and has been sold to over 45 counties, including Australia, America, Singapore and South Korea. In the UK, the show, which broadcast on ITV1, reached audiences of over 5.5 millon every week.