UKTV Drama strikes exclusive Taggart deal

Published Thursday 5 October 2006 at 11:30 by Liz Thomas

UKTV Drama has licensed 89 hours of SMG Productions’ popular series Taggart and Rebus, starring John Hannah, from leading UK distributor Minotaur International in a seven-figure deal.

The agreement secures the channel exclusive access to 89 hours of the two shows, which were originally commissioned and broadcast on ITV1. The move will mean that performers in the programmes will benefit from further royalties.

Richard Kingsbury, the head of UKTV drama, who ordered the series said: “We’re excited to have signed two powerful ITV drama brands that further strengthen the high rating ‘Crime at Nine’ strand. We are super-serving an audience that loves gritty but believable British crime drama and these new titles will be spot on for them.”

The 9pm slot, which it has previously used to air detective drama favourites such as Dalziel and Pascoe, Inspector Lynley Mysteries and Silent Witness has proved successful for the station improving share year on year and helping it leap up 25 places in the multichannel rankings to number 22.