Disney+ is among a raft of buyers for RTÉ and BBC comedy-drama The Walsh Sisters, in a major international sales success for the show. Based on the book series by bestselling author Marian Keyes, Season 1 was Irish broadcaster RTÉ’s highest-rated drama of the past two years — and Season 2 is already in production.
The Walsh Sisters (Credits: Deadline)
The Walsh Sisters Disney+ Deal: Second Window Rights for the UK
Disney+ has snagged second window rights for the UK, meaning The Walsh Sisters will launch on the streamer after it has played on the BBC. The show is distributed by Cineflix Rights, which handled the deal.
The sales do not stop with Disney+. The show has also been sold to TV2 in Norway, TV4 in Sweden and MTV Oy in Finland. Pickbox has taken it for the Balkans, while Yes has acquired it for Israel. That spread of buyers, across very different markets, suggests the show’s appeal travels well beyond Ireland and the UK.
That is a significant achievement for a comedy-drama rooted in a specific family and a specific voice. Marian Keyes’ books have a loyal readership, and the television adaptation appears to have kept the warmth and humour that made them popular, while reaching a new audience through television.
Why The Walsh Sisters Season 2 Matters
The BBC and RTÉ have greenlit a Season 2, which is now in production. A second season is the clearest vote of confidence a broadcaster can give: it means the first run performed, the audience responded, and there is more story to tell.
For viewers, the Disney+ deal also matters practically. Second window rights mean UK audiences who missed the BBC run, or who prefer to stream, will have another way to watch. For the show’s international future, the growing list of buyers builds momentum that can help secure further seasons.
In a crowded drama market, a show that becomes its broadcaster’s highest-rated drama in two years stands out. The Walsh Sisters has now done that — and with Season 2 in production and Disney+ on board, its audience is only likely to grow.
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Source: Deadline — read the full story there.