EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of the 80th anniversary World War II‘s end in Europe, a two-part doc with UK and U.S. partners is being readied.
WWII – The End is a co-production between Channel 5 and its digital network 5 Select, the UK’s 3DD Productions and Greg Rubidge’s producer-distributor Syndicado, which has North American digital distribution rights.
3DD is handling international sales ahead of MIP London later this month, and has struck deals with SBS in Australia, TF1 Group’s Histoire TV in France), Hearst Networks in Germany, and Viasat World for Central & Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
Focusing on tales of Victory in Europe (BE) Day, it’s written and presented by author Giles Milton and directed and produced by Linda Saville, 3DD’s Head of Production. Included in the doc are tales and first-hand accounts of VE Day and the lead up to Victory in Japan (VJ Day).
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Milton and 3DD, a London-based veteran of the international TV production and distribution market, have previously worked together on another WWII anniversary doc, D-Day: A Soldier’s Story, also for Channel 5, and are creating a series on ancient history together.
3DD’s Head of Sales and Co-Production, Patricia Hickey, said: “We are thrilled to be working again with Channel 5 on our second co-production together. Their expertise on the subject is a huge asset to us and they are genuinely just a joy to work with. As for Syndicado, we’ve been working with Greg for four years now in the VOD space and we’re thrilled that they have come on board as a coproduction partner. We are grateful to have the trust of all of our co-production and regular presales partners who have come to expect great things from 3DD in the history space.”
Channel 5’s Senior Acquisitions Manager, Damian O’Hara, said: “Following on from D-Day: The Soldiers’ Story last year, it’s fantastic to work again with 3DD to bring a new, epic documentary covering the final days of World War II to our audiences. In this 80th Anniversary year, these stories are more powerful and vital to revisit than ever and bring new insights and lived experience to this period of history.”
Rubidge, President of Syndicado called the series “groundbreaking,” adding, “As a company deeply committed to delivering impactful and thought-provoking content, WWII: The End aligns perfectly with our vision of connecting audiences to meaningful stories from history. This partnership underscores our dedication to working with world-class collaborators who share our passion for storytelling.”
3DD will be shopping the doc at MIP London, which is being held at the Savoy Hotel and the adjoining IET London.