Abacus Media Rights secures sales for Peninsula Television content slate

Abacus Media Rights has secured a package of sales for documentary titles from Peninsula Television. “Peninsula has certainly found the factual sweet spot for producing non-fiction series across a wide range of subjects that appeal to viewers in all parts of the world,” Jonathan Ford, Managing Director, AMR said. “We are very pleased to represent them within the international market and very much look forward to continuing our collaboration.”   

The deals, brokered by Jonathan Ford, Managing Director, AMR, include “The Heiress and the Heist,” pre-sold to Sundance Now (USA) and RTE (Ireland) with further sales to Prime Video – UK, Sky – New Zealand, Digital Store – USA, Canada, Australia and India, Intervision – Greece and Greek speaking Cyprus, Pickbox – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia (including the regions of Kosovo and Vojvodina), Slovenia and Bulgaria. Commissioned by Virgin Media TV (Ireland) from Peninsula, “Confessions of a Crime Boss” has sold to Prime Video – UK, along with “Scissor Sisters.”   In addition, pre-sold to Virgin Media TV (Ireland) and Channel 4 (UK) commission, “Murdered: The Baby on the Beach” has also been sold to BBC Studios (USA). 

“Confessions of a Crime Boss” reveals the rampant gangland crime of late 20th century Ireland, and the power and influence held by the gangs who controlled the drugs trade during this turbulent time.  Former crime boss John Gilligan discusses his infamous stint in the Irish underworld, including his trial for the murder of crime journalist Veronica Guerin. That two young women could stab and beat to death their mother’s boyfriend and then dismember his body is appalling enough. In Scissor Sisters, Charlotte and Linda Mulhall sank to extreme levels of depravity when they cut off Farah Swaleh Noor’s head and penis and then dumped his chopped-up body in Dublin’s Royal Canal.  The story revolves around the events, which led to the murder of a man who it was subsequently discovered was a predatory and violent rapist.  

“Kennedy, Sinatra and the Mafia,” which was pre-sold to Channel 4 (UK), will air on RTE – Ireland, SBS – Australia, VRT – Belgium, D-Media – Middle East and Czech TV – Czech Republic.  The title tells the story of the friendship between two of the 20th century’s greatest icons; how they met, the women and secrets they shared; and how it all went wrong. “The Heiress and the Heist” is the story of the 1974 Russborough House heist and how a gang led by Rose Dugdale, a former debutante from London’s high society, stole £8 million worth of paintings.  Their demands? To free the Price sisters who were facing a prison sentence for the 1973 car-bombing attacks and were being force-fed while on hunger strike.   

Centered on the events which occurred in 1984 and led to the Kerry Babies’ Tribunal, “Murdered: The Baby on the Beach” covers the discovery of a dead infant on Whitestrand Beach in County Kerry, which sparked a controversial investigation, and resulted in the interrogation and arrest of Joanne Hayes and her family.  Eventually, the charges against the Hayes' were dropped but this only led to more questions regarding how five people confessed to a murder they did not commit.  

“We’re delighted to be working with some significant broadcasters and their creative teams to make these landmark documentary mini-series,” David Harvey, CEO of Peninsula said. “This builds on our successes last year with ‘Butchers of the Bayou’ for A+E and ‘Dating Death’ for Sundance Now and Sky Crime, which we believe has firmly established us as a leader in the production of short run series in the true crime and factual genres.”