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Hollywood star Idris Elba will be flying in to Cannes to promote the brand new ´óÏó´«Ã½ drama series Luther. Distributed by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide, Luther will be launched to international buyers at MIPTV on Tuesday, 13th April. Famous for his role as Stringer Bell in The Wire and for his starring roles in films such as American Gangster, RocknRolla and Obsessed, Idris Elba will be a special guest at the event.

Due to premiere on ´óÏó´«Ã½ One this spring, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide has already pre- sold Luther to Sweden (TV4) and Belgium (VRT). Idris Elba stars as John Luther, a near-genius murder detective whose brilliant mind can't always save him from the dangerous violence of his passions. The intense psychological six part drama, filmed in London, was created and written by Neil Cross, an acclaimed suspense novelist and lead writer for the last two series of the award-winning Spooks.

Luther is one of a number of new drama titles that ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide will be taking to MIPTV. Other programmes sure to cause a stir Cannes are the hotly anticipated ´óÏó´«Ã½ drama series Sherlock and Sky's Strike Back, which will launch at this year's market.

Steve Macallister, Managing Director of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Sales & Distribution, commented: "It's fantastic to have such a renowned star as Idris Elba with us at MIPTV – there's a real buzz about Luther and buyer interest is already very high. All told we’ve got a great slate of action packed drama this year which is set to be the talk of the Croisette."

Strike Back (3 x 90) is another brand new drama title being launched at MIPTV. Based in the Middle East during the Iraq war, Strike Back is an adrenalin-fuelled contemporary action drama from the makers of Wallander and starring Richard Armitage. Sherlock (3 x 90), a modern day take on the popular classic, has Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in the lead roles of Holmes and Watson respectively while Lennon Naked (1 x 90) stars Christopher Eccleston as the enigmatic musician in a defining period of his life.

NOTES TO EDITORS
´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Sales & Distribution
Sales & Distribution is responsible for licensing British programmes to customers around the world on behalf of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ and independent production companies. As the largest exporter of television programmes outside of the US studios, this business manages a catalogue of around 50,000 hours spanning all genres. It also runs ´óÏó´«Ã½ Showcase, the world’s biggest programme trade fair organised by a single distributor. In 2008/09, Sales & Distribution generated gross profits of £59.2 million on gross sales of £231.2 million.

Production credits:
Luther: (duration 6x50') A ´óÏó´«Ã½ production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ One
Strike Back: (duration 3x90') A Left Bank Pictures production for Sky One
Sherlock: (duration 3x90') A Hartswood Films production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ One
Lennon Naked: (duration 1x90') A Blast! Films production for ´óÏó´«Ã½

Lee Leschasin