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Secret Garden Goes Global: UK Hit Pitched to U.S.
19 May
Summary
- The BBC's 'Secret Garden' series is being pitched as a format to U.S. networks.
- The show achieved a 30% prime-time audience share in the UK.
- Natural history shows are rarely sold as formats due to high production costs.
The acclaimed BBC natural history series 'Secret Garden,' fronted by David Attenborough, is set to be adapted for the U.S. market as a format. This marks an uncommon strategy for natural history programming, which typically sells as finished tapes due to significant filming expenses and logistical complexities.
The five-part series, which aired on BBC One from April 5 to May 3, achieved a substantial 30% prime-time audience share in the UK. This success positions it as the biggest unscripted launch of the year and the top-rated original British format debut in the last five years.
Plimsoll Productions, the show's maker, is leveraging its ownership of the underlying rights to pursue this format sale. The U.S. adaptation aims to capture the essence of American gardens, from diverse landscapes to urban settings, mirroring the original's focus on hidden wildlife.
Grant Mansfield, CEO of Plimsoll, expressed excitement about bringing the "magical, uplifting and revealing family show" to the United States, highlighting the potential for even grander "garden secrets" there. Plimsoll is known for other acclaimed nature programs, including "A Real Bug's Life" and "A Year on Planet Earth."
