Wagatha Christie’s Channel 4 drama Britbox sells to buyers in North America and Australia/New Zealand

Exclusive: Vardy v Rooney: A courtroom dramaChannel 4’s dramatization of the infamous Wagatha Christie case has been sold to Britbox in North America and networks in Australia and New Zealand.

The factual drama, which stars Michael Sheen as Rooney’s barrister and covers one of the biggest media cases of the past decade, was picked up for distribution by Neuen Connect last year and Neuen has now sold heavily.

BritBox has been discontinued in North America, Foxtel in Australia and +HR=E (formerly TV3) in New Zealand Vardy vs Rooney And Newen will shop the upcoming London screening. Chalkboard TV’s four-parter is one of several English-language shows now featured in the French distributor’s catalog as it pushes further into the English-language space.

Vardy vs RooneyWhich launched late last year to more than 1 million viewers overnight, it was the first of several planned shows set to illuminate the story with the Disney+ doc Incoming and the BBC drama in development.

Natalia Tena and Chanel Creswell star as Rebecca Vardy and Colin Rooney, who become embroiled in a dramatic public legal battle after Rooney accuses Vardy of leaking stories about him to the press. The subsequent trial generated widespread media attention and Rooney won the trial.

“Since the Wagatha Christie revelations were first revealed, both media commentators and the general public have been fascinated by the story,” said Leona Connell, chief commercial officer at Newen Connect. “Chalkboard TV has created a drama that feels instantly topical, fresh and relevant to today’s society and reflects the kind of scripted shows we’re looking for as we expand the range and depth of our catalog.”