EXCLUSIVE: Mr Loverman has attracted a U.S. buyer, we can reveal.
BritBox has tapped Sony Pictures Television for North American rights to the BBC drama, which made headlines earlier this month when lead Lennie James scooped the BAFTA TV Award for Leading Actor for his role in a highly competitive category and Ariyon Bakare won the Supporting Actor prize.
Save Me and Line of Duty star James plays Barrington Jedidiah Walker, or Esq. Barry to his friends, a 70-year-old Caribbean-born life-and-soul personality living in Hackney who has been cheating on his wife of 50 years Carmel (Sharon D Clarke) with his male best friend and soulmate, Morris (Ariyon Bakare), sending their marriage into meltdown. Clarke was also BAFTA-nominated for her role.
The eight-episode series comes from SPT-backed Fable, with Faye Ward, Hannah Price, Hannah Farrell, Lennie James and Hong Khaou the exec producers, with the latter also directing.
BritBox plans to drop two episodes per week, premiering it on June 4 in the U.S. and Canada.
Deadline first revealed news of the show in 2023, with the series going to air in the UK in October last year after its world premiere screenings at the Tribeca Film Festival. With the LA Screenings still going strong, SPT has managed to shop Mr Loverman, which is based on Bernardine Evaristo’s book, back into the states. The studio has been launching the likes of American Hostage, The Lady and Lord of the Flies to buyers this week.
The Mr Loverman deal is a boon for Sony and Fable, given that few international shows are selling into the U.S. right now. Most networks and streamers are seeking to cut costs after the Covid-19 crisis and the Hollywood labor strikes, and are currently focusing on their own original program slates following the Upfronts. However, given BritBox’s positioning as a ‘best of British’ streaming service, a deal has come together.
“I’m excited for Mr Loverman to be seen across the Atlantic,” said Ward, founder and Creative Director of Fable. “It’s bold, funny exploration of love and identity. I defy you not to fall in love with Barry and his swagger.”
BritBox has a growing reputation as the key buyer of UK series in North America. Last week, we revealed it had boarded The Other Bennet Sister, the BBC period drama series from the SPT-owned Industry producer Bad Wolf.
