BBC WORLDWIDE Showcase, the world’s largest international television market hosted by a single distributor, will welcome a spectacular range of talent to its flagship event in Liverpool (19th – 22nd February), including Gary Barlow, Dannii Minogue and Mel Giedroyc from hit prime-time show Let it Shine, actor Ed Westwick (White Gold), Top Gear presenter Matt LeBlanc and Absolutely Fabulous stars Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley.
Now in its 41st year and attended by more than 700 of the world’s top television buyers, the four day event will feature a host of award-winning writers, producers and talent. Presenting at various premiere sessions will be Jimmy McGovern (Broken), Damon Beesley (White Gold), Mike Bartlett (Doctor Foster), Hossein Amini and Misha Glenny (McMafia), amongst many others.
6000 hours of television content will be available to view in 600 digitbooths, and a glitzy red carpet gala will celebrate British creativity in the television industry. Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders will host the event as a nod to the extraordinary international success of Absolutely Fabulous, having sold to 240 markets around the world.
Paul Dempsey, President Global Markets, BBC Worldwide said: “Showcase offers the best of British television to the world’s TV buyers. This year, we look forward to welcoming 700 international delegates including more than ever from China and Africa. The range and quality of our programming makes for an outstanding slate, and we’re thrilled to host some of the industry’s top producers, writers and on-screen talent.”
White Gold leads the comedy slate, an original six-part series starring Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl) who will be in Liverpool to launch the show alongside writer and director Damon Beesley (The Inbetweeners).
Presenting at the drama premiere will be BAFTA-winning writer Jimmy McGovern for his poignant new series, Broken, and acclaimed writer Mike Bartlett for the highly anticipated follow-up to Doctor Foster. Author Misha Glenny, co-creator Hossein Amini (Drive) and actress Juliet Rylance (Frances Ha) will help launch McMafia, a fast-paced thriller based on Glenny’s best-selling book, and Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss will be highlighting global hit Sherlock Series 4.
Take That frontman and songwriter Gary Barlow OBE, singer and talent show judge Dannii Minogue and presenter Mel Giedroyc (The Great British Bake Off) will present two brand new additions to BBC Worldwide’s format slate, Let it Shine and Let’s Sing & Dance.
Now in its 24th series, Top Gear leads the factual entertainment slate, and presenters Matt LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid will feature on an exclusive Top Gear panel session.
The factual entertainment premiere will also feature stand-up comedian Joel Dommett (Runner up, I’m A Celeb… Get Me Out of Here) to talk about Tribal Bootcamp (previously known as Maasai Warrior), an original commission for BBC Worldwide.
Stacey Dooley (Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts) will present new title, Brainwashing Stacey at the documentary premiere, while the science premiere will feature Michael Mosley (Trust Me I’m a Doctor) for Meet The Humans, a bold new rig series, using stunts, pranks and stooges to explore and analyse the science and psychology behind human behaviour.
As the largest distributor of TV programming outside of the USA, BBC Worldwide Showcase sees the BBC’s commercial arm generate programme sales on behalf of the BBC and independent producers providing a major boost to British television exports.
