UKTV announced the acquisition of "Hotel Portofino" (2 x 6x60’) for U and U&DRAMA. The first series will air on Friday 27th September at 9pm, followed by a UK premiere of the second series later in the year. The drama, produced by Eagle Eye Drama in association with Beta Film, which also handles international distribution, has been sold to over 70 territories, including Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and North America where is has been released to great acclaim.
The deal was secured by Jimmy Rumble, global acquisitions manager, and overseen by Melanie Rumani, global head of acquisitions, UKTV and BBC Studios, together with Beta’s Andreas Khevenhueller and Oliver N. Bachert. The title will be available to stream for free on U.
Hotel Portofino is a historical drama about a British family who establish a hotel for upper class travellers on the magical Italian Riviera during the 1920s. In the first series, co-proprietor and moving spirit, Bella Ainsworth (Natascha McElhorne) is short of staff and ready money. Her guests, including the imperious Lady Latchmere (Anna Chancellor), are demanding and hard-to-please; and she’s being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, Signor Danioni (Pasquale Esposito), who threatens to drag her into the red-hot political cauldron of Mussolini’s Italy. Bella also has her aristocratic but caddish husband, Cecil (Mark Umbers), to deal with as he obsesses over arranging an advantageous marriage for their son to secure the future of the Ainsworth family’s estate back in England and finding the money to pay for his dilettante lifestyle.
In series two, Bella is looking forward to her son Lucian’s (Oliver Dench) imminent arrival for a vacation and the chance to discuss her plans for the hotel with him. However, a shadow begins to fall over her plans, when her no-good husband Cecil turns up unannounced in Portofino. In the middle of the hot Italian summer, Bella will be forced to confront the reality of her relationship with Cecil and decide whether to accept him back into her life or not. Especially considering her growing friendship with a handsome local architect, Marco Bonacini (Giorgio Marchesi).
The series was written by Matt Baker and directed by Adam Wimpenny while Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino oversee the production as executive producers. Meanwhile, the third series of Hotel Portofino, directed by Jon Jones, is currently airing on PBS in the US, and has been described by The New York Times as “a show that is a little bit like if White Lotus took place in the post-World War I.”
Melanie Rumani praised the team: “This deal is a fantastic opportunity and one that really solidifies our relationship with the brilliant team at Beta Film. We’re thrilled to be partnering with them on this series," commented.
Meanwhile, Emma Ayech, channel director for U&DRAMA, expressed his enthusiasm: “We’re excited to be adding Hotel Portofino to our offering of high-quality dramas on U&DRAMA. The beautiful setting of the Italian Riviera is the perfect antidote to those autumnal nights, so we can’t wait for our viewers to dive into this one," added.
Finally, Andreas Khevenhueller, VP International Sales & Acquisitions lauded the product: “At Beta we are beyond thrilled to announce that UKTV is the new 'port of call' for the sensational drama 'Hotel Portofino'. This captivating series has already won hearts around the globe, and is ready to bring a burst of sunshine, luxury, and thrilling adventures to the UK. We are confident that viewers will be swept away by the charm, intrigue, and breathtaking scenery this show offers," noted.