ABC takes The 39 Steps, Wuthering Heights
Rupert Penry-Jones stars in an adaptation of the Hitchcock classic.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
The ABC has picked up the rights to BBC Television’s The 39 Steps an adaptation of one of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic mysteries.
The 90-minute drama, based on the espionage novels by John Buchan, stars Rupert Penry-Jones (Spooks) aired in December in the UK to mostly negative reviews.
Augustus Dulgaro, the senior VP of Australia, Japan and New Zealand for ITV Global Entertainment, said: “The 39 Steps is an exceptional piece of high-quality television drama, with proven ratings success. The 39 Steps received its world premiere in prime time on BBC One during the hyper-competitive 2008 Christmas season.
“Delivering over 35 percent of all premium demographic eyeballs, the drama scored number one with a 30-percent share of all viewers. We’re confident it’ll be equally as popular with ABC viewers.”
ABC also acquired Wuthering Heights, an adaptation of Emily Bronte’s novel starring Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley.
Source: World Screen
Share
- Tagged with Spooks, The 39 Steps
6 Responses
The ITV dude makes all sorts of idiotic statements about how the 39 Steps rated (“premium demographic eyeballs” indeed!), but why would that impress the ABC for whom ratings aren’t supposed to matter? Surely to the ABC the only thing that matters is if the show is any good?
This version made a mockery of the book and wasn’t in the same league as Hitchcock’s. It looked good though.
” The 39 Steps an adaptation of one of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic mysteries”
Alfred Hitchcock was not the one who originated The 39 Steps. The 39 Steps was based on the novel by John Buchan.
If The 39 Steps was shown on BBC, then why is it distributed by a subsidiary of ITV?
the 39 steps is classic mystery.Hitchcock at his best.
Wuthering Heights is my favorite book so really looking forward to seeing the most recent interpretation of Emily Bronte’s masterpiece.