ITV Studios held its traditional and highly anticipated screening at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, drawing a full house of broadcasters, platforms, and producers from across Europe and the rest of the world.
The presentation was spearheaded by key executives Ruth Berry (Managing Director, Global Partnerships), Mike Beale (Managing Director, Global Creative Network), and Lisa Perrin (Managing Director, International Production). Together, they unveiled a massive new slate comprising six groundbreaking formats, 34 compelling non-scripted titles, 12 new star-studded dramas, and 21 returning scripted series.
Speaking directly with Prensario during the event, attending buyers specifically praised The Neighbourhood and Apocalypse as two highly innovative formats that push the reality genre forward. Buyers highlighted the fisrt one for its fresh take on everyday life and community dynamics, while second, was lauded as a major leap forward in the extreme survival space.
Here is a breakdown of the key products presented at today’s screening:
Groundbreaking formats
The formats slate is filled with new genre-defining reality shows, heavily driven by social experiments and intense competition:
The Neighbourhood (Lifted Entertainment and The Garden for ITV): Hosted by BAFTA-winning broadcaster Graham Norton, this entertainment format sees families and households compete in a street-sized reality game for a life-changing cash prize. With power shifting episode by episode, neighbors must strategically decide who to keep on their side and whose property to put up for sale.
Apocalypse (The Garden for Channel 4 / ITV Studios Australia for Foxtel Binge): An ambitious social experiment where 16 ordinary people are abandoned in a real-world location ravaged by an apocalyptic event. With no running water, heating, or electricity for 28 days, the group must scavenge and survive, testing whether strangers will band together or fall apart.
The Heat (Twofour for ITV2): Hosted by Olivia Attwood, this format turns up the pressure on a group of driven young chefs living and competing in Jean-Christophe Novelli’s kitchen in sun-soaked Barcelona. It’s a fierce culinary contest by day, with romances, rivalries, and ego-clashes taking over at night.
Star-studded drama
The scripted slate delivers a mix of high-stakes thrillers, emotional relationship dramas, and atmospheric mysteries:
Two Weeks in August (Various Artists Limited for BBC): From the producers of I May Destroy You, this riveting 8-part drama follows a woman whose family holiday turns into a nightmare following an illicit kiss. The stellar cast includes Jessica Raine, Nicholas Pinnock, and Antonia Thomas.
The Party (World Productions for ITV): A suspenseful thriller based on Elizabeth Day’s novel, starring Luke Evans as Martin Gilmour, a journalist whose lifelong devotion to a wealthy politician (Tom Cullen) leads to tragic consequences during a lavish birthday party.
The Rapture (Mammoth Screen for BBC): Adapted from Liz Jensen’s novel, this psychological thriller follows forensic psychologist Gabs Fox, who meets a 17-year-old girl convicted of murder who claims to have psychic powers. The cast features Ruth Madeley and Iwan Rheon.
Tip Toe (Quay Street Productions for Channel 4): From acclaimed writer Russell T Davies (It’s A Sin), this tense suburban thriller stars Alan Cumming and David Morrissey as two neighbors whose lives unravel as they gradually become deadly enemies.
Invisible (Scene 23 for M-Net): Set in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, this action-packed drama follows Inspector Jack Phatudi as he hunts a vigilante killer, uncovering a buried political conspiracy.
Adultery (Poison Pen Studios for ITV): Penned by Danny Brocklehurst and starring Dominic Cooper and Romola Garai, this captivating drama explores the fallout when two parents embark on an intense love affair, threatening the lives of their teenage children who are also dating.
The Dark (6×60 for ITV): An atmospheric crime thriller based on G.R. Halliday’s novels. Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy (Laura Donnelly) plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a serial killer in the Scottish wilderness.
The Killings At Parrish Station (Helium Pictures for STAN): A cosmic mystery intertwining with a cold case across two time periods, starring Mia Wasikowska. A detective investigates a gruesome 1987 massacre at a remote Australian desert research station, only for the nightmare to repeat 37 years later.
Compelling non-scripted
The factual slate offers an exploration of the natural world, deep dives into modern technology, and gripping true crime:
Force of Nature (Plimsoll Productions for ITV/ARD): Filmed over three years, this landmark natural history series reveals how wildlife is adapting to and surviving today’s extreme weather events, from hurricanes to bushfires.
Ages of Ice (Northern Pictures for PBS/ABC Australia): Follows modern-day explorers pushing the boundaries of science in Earth’s coldest corners to understand the planet’s future.
AI Confidential (Curious Films for BBC): Mathematician Prof. Hannah Fry investigates the profound and untold human stories emerging from the AI revolution, from «grief tech» to life-or-death decisions made by robots.
Murder Map (Two Rivers/Soho Studios): Line of Duty star Vicky McClure and historian Jonny Owen travel the UK exploring historic crimes that fundamentally changed modern British law and society.
Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story (Roadshow Productions for Nine Network): A powerful documentary detailing the former world No.4 tennis player’s survival against poverty, life as a refugee, and the unimaginable abuse from her father and coach.
The Claudia Winkleman Show (So Television for BBC): A vibrant new chat show hosted by the beloved BAFTA-winning presenter, welcoming top names from film, television, and music.
