Top of the Lake tops BBC channels in 2013

BBC Worldwide Australasia last night had its 2013 Programming Launch last night in Waterloo in Sydney.

Jane Campion was special guest with anticipated drama Top of The Lake set to lead UKTV in March and joined co-director Garth Davis in a Q&A with presenter Nick Bryant.

UK comedy duo Watson and Oliver were also in attendance with their new sketch series to premiere in January.

Also coming are Spies of Warsaw, Dancing on the Edge, DCI Banks, Hidden, Miranda, Trollied, Doctor Who 50th Anniversary, Emmerdale, Eastenders, Coronation Street and for the first time, Hollyoaks.

BBC Knowledge will premiere Top Gear just a week after the UK “in a consistent slot,” plus Who Do You Think You Are? S9, Stargazing, Dara O’Brian’s Science Club (all first on Foxtel), Horizon, Louis Theroux, Frozen Planet and Lonely Planet.

BBC also has new content coming to CBeebies and BBC World News.

BBC Channels UKTV, BBC Knowledge, CBeebies and BBC World News will bring the best British programmes and international journalism to Australian audiences in 2013, on Foxtel.

Highlights revealed by Deirdre Brennan, GM/Director of Channels and Branded Services, at the BBC Channels Showcase include:

· Top of the Lake, created by Academy-award winner Jane Campion and Gerard Lee will launch on UKTV in March. A See-Saw Films production for UKTV, BBC Two and Sundance Channel, Top of the Lake is a powerful and haunting mystery set in New Zealand, starring Elisabeth Moss, David Wenham, Peter Mullan, Tom Wright and Holly Hunter.

· Vibrant and youthful serial drama Hollyoaks is coming to UKTV in 2013 – the only channel in Australia to show all four of the UK’s smash hit soaps. UKTV has listened to its dedicated soap fans, who consistently make EastEnders and Coronation Street two of the most popular shows on subscription television, and will be delivering exclusive episodes every weeknight first on Foxtel.

· A year of programming to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, supported by extensive off screen activity. Fans of classic and contemporary Doctor Who can enjoy a feast of iconic adventures featuring each of the 11 Doctors in turn on UKTV.

· An exciting year ahead for Top Gear on BBC Knowledge, as it takes pole position on Foxtel in 2013, transmitting days after UK transmission.

Says Deirdre Brennan: ‘We have fantastic plans for the year ahead. Our portfolio of BBC Channels offer Foxtel subscribers an unrivalled range and quality of British programming, from great British entertainment, drama, crime, soaps and comedy on UKTV to documentaries with character and credibility on BBC Knowledge; from exclusive new shows for pre-school children on CBeebies to the latest global news 24 hours a day on BBC World News.

‘In 2013, BBC Worldwide will deepen the relationship between viewers and great British content, bringing the programs and brands alive off screen in more ambitious ways that ever before.’

Alongside Top of the Lake, viewers can enjoy more premiere dramas on UKTV. David Tennant stars in Spies of Warsaw, an adaptation of Alan Furst’s celebrated spy novel set in the years leading up to the Second World War. BBC channels create, curate, package and promote programmes for an Australian audience and one example is the remarkable collection of programmes from award-wining dramatist Stephen Poliakoff, including Dancing on the Edge.

UKTV also has a history of showcasing the finest comedy talent in the UK and next year is no different. The channel introduces the brilliant new comedy duo Watson and Oliver as the centrepiece of its upcoming comedy season. Next year it will also bring some of the best live events from the UK, including The BRIT Awards.

BBC Knowledge recently reinvigorated its schedule in response to a deeper understanding of its audience. As well as Top Gear, BBC Knowledge has a range of fascinating programs lined up for 2013, presented by charismatic experts including Brian Cox, Louis Theroux and Michael Mosley. Leading British science series Horizon returns to BBC Knowledge, along with a BBC Worldwide original commission, Dara O’Briain’s Science Club, which sees comedian Dara O’Briain and a team of experts tackle the biggest ideas in science in front of a lively audience.

The CBeebies channel is the only place where pre-school children can enjoy new shows produced specifically for CBeebies around the world – educational and entertaining series that offer something special for Australian families. Charlie & Lola and Teletubbies will be joined by new and exclusive favourites Sarah & Duck, Mr Bloom, The Numtums and Dinopaws.
BBC World News delivers the latest global news and information to Foxtel viewers, with regular series including Impact, GMT, Click and HARDtalk. Early next year, BBC World News will move into a state-of-the-art new home in London’s Broadcasting House, bringing together journalists across the entire spectrum of the BBC’s multiplatform, domestic and international news services and dramatically enhancing the look and feel of the channel.

BBC programmes will continue to come alive off-screen in more ambitious ways than ever before. The forthcoming Doctor Who, Frozen Planet, Charlie & Lola and Top Gear live events in Australia are highly immersive ways for viewers to engage with these brands. There are also exciting plans to extend the Doctor Who experience for fans in its 50th anniversary year – and the Australian BBC Worldwide team lead the way in launching new products, from Doctor Who baby wear and collectible coins to the Top Gear Limited Edition BUGG BBQ.