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Britain's latest television content will be up for grabs at this year's ´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase as buyers from around the world flock to ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide's annual international television market in Brighton. Running from 21-24 February, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase is the UK's biggest television export event and the only one of its kind in the world to be hosted by a single distributor. More than 500 digibooths will be available for network buyers to view 1400 hours of programming over the four days, alongside exclusive screenings, premieres and events with some of British television’s biggest names.

Famous faces at this year's ´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase are expected to include Louis Theroux, Matt Smith, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Graves and Martin Freeman, as well as cast from drama hits such as Misfits, Survivors and Torchwood. Writers such as Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, and execs from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Vision and independent producers will work alongside ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide's global sales teams to launch the latest programming to the global market.

Steve Macallister, Managing Director, Sales and Distribution, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide said, "´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase is one of Britain's great export success stories and a big earner for our creative industries. Buyers flood in from every corner of the globe to immerse themselves in Britain's best television and hunt for the next international hits. We're also rolling out the red carpet for a host of big stars who join us for premieres and events as we launch 1400 hours worth of screenings."

Commenting on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase 2010 Macallister added, "Registrations are strong from around the world, with Asian participation the highest for years and digital attendance on the up as buyers from iTunes and Nokia attend for the first time."

Launching for the first time at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase is a selection of top drama titles. The charming Married Single Other, a tale of three very different couples all trying to work out what makes an ideal 'twosome' and series two of the internationally acclaimed Wallander are contemporary dramas from Left Bank Pictures, fresh to ´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase this year. Clerkenwell's hit teen show Misfits will also be seeing its first Brighton outing, as will Hartswood Films' uplifting and action-packed Sherlock, the contemporary tale of world-renowned detective Sherlock Holmes and his aide Dr John Watson.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s thrilling new crime drama series Luther will be making its international debut, as will its fifth season of sci-fi favourite Doctor Who and the second series of action drama Survivors, which focuses on our world in the aftermath of a devastating virus which has wiped out most of the world's population.

Returning drama series are also to be showcased – Spooks series 8 and 9, Silent Witness, Waking the Dead, New Tricks, as well as long-running comedy from the ever popular My Family.

In the comedy realm, buyers will be able to enjoy the self-deprecating humour, camp innuendo and bubbly personality of Alan Carr for the first time as the hit comedian finally gets his own TV show with Open Mike Productions, aptly titled Alan Carr: Chatty Man. The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s hilariously original comedy series We Are Mongrels is also fresh to the market – with all the characters played by puppets, this promises to be a hilarious, fast-paced, adult comedy where Nelson the metrosexual fox and his feral friends negotiate life and love in the back alleys of the urban jungle. The ever popular Gavin & Stacey, The Thick of It and The Jonathan Ross Show are just some of the other comic highlights that will be available to buyers.

Human Planet, a co-production from the ´óÏó´«Ã½, Discovery and France Télévisions, is an awe-inspiring portrait of humankind as, for the first time ever, the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Natural History Unit have turned their cameras on ourselves. Making its Showcase debut in Brighton, this series is an epic tale of the human story.

Buyers wishing to focus on factual can look forward to Atlantis, a dramatisation of the real-life events that inspired the historical legend. Co-produced by the ´óÏó´«Ã½, Discovery Channel, France Télévisions and Pro-Sieben, this is a major landmark production, telling the story of Europe's great first civilisation, the Minoans, who were destroyed by a gigantic volcanic eruption in 1613 BC, which in turn led to the birth of the legend that is Atlantis. An African Journey with Jonathan Dimbleby is another factual title premiering at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase - challenging a host of prevailing misconceptions and with the insight of one of the UK's most respected journalists, the series paints the continent in an entirely new and refreshing light.

New science spectacular Seven Wonders of the Solar System will wow space-lovers as they are immersed deep into the universe to see the many wonders that lie way beyond our own planet. Travelling from the Sun to the far-out reaches of Neptune, the series uses the latest scientific knowledge to beam the breathtaking images directly back to earth, finding the biggest, most bizarre and most powerful natural phenomena.

Topping the music titles will be the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Electric Proms with new performances added in 2009 from the legendary Smokey Robinson and the UK's own Rolling Stones. Musician Jools Holland will also be back in Brighton with his iconic show Later…with Jools Holland.

From the world of children's entertainment internationally long-running series Teletubbies, In the Night Garden and Charlie and Lola will all be up for grabs, as well as newer hit series 3rd & Bird and Tronji.

New formats for the international market this year include the nail-biting Drop Zone, high on thrills, energy, tension and most of all, teamwork, as well as Kidnapped by the Kids, a programme for the true modern-day family, where the children steal their parents away from the chaos of their jobs and demand more family time.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Married Single Other (duration 6 x 50') - a Left Bank Pictures production
• Wallander S2: (duration: 3 x 90') - a Left Bank Pictures/Yellow Bird/TKBFC series co-produced with ´óÏó´«Ã½, Degeto, WGBH Boston and Film i Skane
• Misfits (duration 6 x 50') - a Clerkenwell Films production
• Sherlock (duration 3 x 90') - a Hartswood Films production for ´óÏó´«Ã½
• Luther (duration 6 x 50') - a ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
• Doctor Who S5 – a ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
• Survivors S2 (duration: 6 x 50') - a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Production
• Spooks S8 (duration 8 x 50') - a Kudos Film & Television production
• Spooks S9 - a Kudos Film & Television production
• Silent Witness - A ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
• Waking the Dead - A ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
• New Tricks - A Wall to Wall production
  
  
• My Family - A DLT Entertainment UK Limited production in association with Rude Boy Productions
• Alan Carr: Chatty Man (duration 10 x 30-35') - An Open Mike production
• We Are Mongrels (duration 8 x 30') - A ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
• Gavin & Stacey - A Baby Cow production
• The Thick of It – A ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
• The Jonathan Ross Show – A Hot Sauce TV production
  
  
• Human Planet (duration 8 x 50') - a ´óÏó´«Ã½/Discovery/France Télévisions co-production
• Atlantis (duration 1 x 90') - a ´óÏó´«Ã½/Discovery Channel/France Télévisions/Pro-Sieben co-production
• An African Journey with Jonathan Dimbleby (duration 3 x 60') - A Fresh One production in association with Dimbleby Partners
• Seven Wonders of the Solar System (duration 5 x 50') - A ´óÏó´«Ã½/Science Channel co-production
  
  
• ´óÏó´«Ã½ Electric Proms 2009: Smokey Robinson (duration 1 x 60') - A ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
• Later..with Jools Holland S35 (duration 10 x 60') - A ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
  
  
• Teletubbies (duration 365 x 26') - a Ragdoll production
• In the Night Garden (duration 100 x 30') - A Ragdoll Limited production
• Charlie and Lola - A Tiger Aspect production
• 3rd & Bird - A Little Airplane production
• Tronji (duration 30 x 30') - A Ragdoll production
• Drop Zone (format – episode duration 60') - A ´óÏó´«Ã½ production
• Kidnapped by the Kids (format – episode duration 48') - A Love production

Caroline Sennitt