Fremantle sells Baywatch reboot to Sky ahead of Mipcom showcase
Fremantle has sold its Baywatch reboot to Sky in the UK and Ireland.
The deal was confirmed ahead of Mipcom, the market where broadcasters and streamers buy and sell new shows. It gives the revived lifeguard drama a home in Britain and Ireland as Fremantle prepares a full showcase in Cannes. Variety
The new Baywatch comes from Fremantle and FOX. It has a straight-to-series order, meaning no pilot is shot first, for 12 episodes in its first season, according to Fremantle. Fremantle
Stephen Amell and Brooks Nader lead the cast. The series is listed for return in January 2027. Mipcom
Fremantle is putting Baywatch at the centre of its Mipcom plans. The company will host a Baywatch-themed party on Monday at its stand, with some cast in attendance. A Baywatch panel will follow on Tuesday. Variety
The slate goes well beyond the beach. Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen star in You Are Here. The series is directed by Lenny Abrahamson and produced by Element Pictures.
The BBC and Starz came on board early as co-production partners on the Element Pictures collaboration, meaning they joined to help fund and make the shows. That arrangement spreads the cost of high-end drama across broadcasters in different territories.
Anthony Boyle leads Close to Home, also produced by Element Pictures. Element is the company behind Poor Things and The Favourite, as well as Bugonia, described as a four-time Oscar nominee.
Kevin McKidd stars in The Only Suspect, an ITV series produced by Red Planet Pictures. Fremantle is also working with Bell Media and Reel World Management on Thunder Point, based on a book by Robyn Carr.
Two further Mipcom titles come from Miso Film. The Cold Song is described as a family suspense drama. Side Effects is described as a gritty urban crime thriller.
For viewers, this means the picture is getting clearer. Baywatch will run as a full series, not a one-off special. Its first British and Irish home is set, and January 2027 is the date pencilled in for its return.
