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Major drama, natural history and factual titles make up a swathe of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide content licensed to New Zealand broadcasters in recent weeks.

Landmark natural history series South Pacific (6 x 50'), much of which was filmed in and around New Zealand, will air on TVNZ. The national broadcaster has acquired two other major productions from the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s renowned Natural History Unit; Yellowstone (3 x 50'), about the national park that is one of the world's last great wildernesses, and Nature's Great Events, (6 x 50') an eyewitness account of the dramatic wildlife stories behind the planet's most breathtaking natural events.

Acclaimed British actors Hugh Bonneville and Janet McTeer star in new detective thriller Hunter, (2 x 50') also acquired by TVNZ, while Freefall, (1 x 90' from Origin Pictures) is a dramatic interpretation of the economic crisis and its effect on ordinary Londoners, and comes from award-winning writer Dominic Savage.

The first series of Top Gear Australia (8 x 50'), a Freehand Production for SBS and ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide, will join its UK counterpart at NZ's home of Top Gear, Prime Television.

Further acquisitions from the network include new drama Heart and Soul (6 x 50'), starring Neil Pearson and Sarah Lancashire, about the rivalry between two British village choirs, as well as the much -anticipated upcoming Doctor Who specials – The Waters of Mars (1x 60') and the as-yet unnamed Christmas 2009 specials. Celebrated chef Rick Stein's culinary journey around South-East Asia – Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey (6 x 60' from Denham Productions) – will also air on Prime.

A further 247 hours of content from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide has sold in to New Zealand's Living Channel and its sister network Food TV, including the NZ premieres of quality titles such as Celebrity Fantasy Homes, Rhodes Across The Caribbean and Eating In The Sun.

"This is a terrific range of content that displays the diversity and appeal of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide's catalogue" said Robyn Campbell, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Australia's Sales Manager, NZ. "I know it will appeal to audiences all over New Zealand."

Louise Alley