BBC AMERICA TO DEVELOP TWO NEW SERIES WITH UK INDIE CLERKENWELL FILMS

New York - Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - BBC AMERICA announced today that it will develop two new distinctive series, Wired and The Dead Beat, with UK indie Clerkenwell Films, producers of the hit UK sci-fi series Misfits. Wired, a sci-fi program from writer Steven Volk (Afterlife), and The Dead Beat, a paranormal crime show from writer John Jackson (Being Human), are the first series created out of the non-exclusive development deal between BBC AMERICA and Clerkenwell Films, which was announced in September 2011. Both series will be distributed by BBC Worldwide.

Wired takes place in a world that looks exactly like today, except for one thing: this is a world with 'Syns' ('Synthetic Organisms'), exact replicas of human beings and the newest luxury accessory money can buy. Wired explores our evolving relationship with technology, the boundaries of society's values and moralities, our hypocrisies and contradictions - holding up a mirror to who we are today and what we might become.

In The Dead Beat, two cops, one dead and one alive, become a reluctant team, working from leads in the world of the dead to track down killers in the world of the living. Subverting the crime genre, The Dead Beat brings a whole new meaning to cold cases, underworld informants, dead leads and buried evidence.

"We couldn't be more excited to be developing these British projects with Clerkenwell - our first originals in the sci-fi genre," commented Perry Simon, General Manager, BBC AMERICA. "Supernatural Saturday has become a popular fixture on BBC AMERICA's schedule and both these highly creative ideas add a new dimension to our programming."

Murray Ferguson, Chief Executive at Clerkenwell said, "There's a great energy behind this partnership; the creative-makeup of BBC AMERICA, Clerkenwell, Steven Volk and John Jackson is truly inspiring and has given us the opportunity to create something very special. The prospect of reaching a global audience is exciting and we're eager to bring the worlds of Wired and The Dead Beat to life."

BBC AMERICA delivers US audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including an Emmy, five Golden Globes and ten Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable's most affluent and educated audiences and is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 74 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist.

Clerkenwell Films is a multi-award winning film and television production company. Formed in 1998 by chief executive Murray Ferguson and actor John Hannah, the company has gone on to establish itself as one of the leading producers in the UK, creating high quality, popular television for both UK and international audiences. Among its credits are award-winning, critically acclaimed shows such as Misfits, Afterlife and Persuasion.