AMC Networks International

DONAL MACINTYRE RETURNS TO FRONT NEW CBS REALITY ORIGINAL SERIES

2021 AUTUMN SLATE INCLUDES BRAND NEW TRUE CRIME ORIGINAL SERIES “DONAL MACINTYRE: RELEASED TO KILL” AND “MURDER: FIRST ON SCENE” ALONGSIDE NEW EPISODES OF TOP-PERFORMING SERIES “MURDER BY THE SEA”

LONDON – 31 August 2021 – CBS Reality, the #1 factual entertainment channel in the UK amongst women 16+[1], announced the line-up of new true crime original programming for the Autumn, including premiering series “Donal MacIntyre: Released to Kill” and “Murder: First on Scene” and season six of “Murder by the Sea”.

Sam Rowden, Vice President of Content and Production, CBS Channels, said, “These new and returning CBS Reality original series are true representations of expert-led factual content which reinforce our strategy to offer authentic and compelling programming to UK audiences. We’re excited to welcome back channel favourite Donal MacIntyre, who will front a series providing an insight into the striking levels of reoffending in the UK; we will explore the sometimes mind-boggling experiences of first responders in “Murder: First on Scene;” and Dr Nell Darby will take us back to the dark side of the British seaside in new episodes of “Murder by the Sea,” one of the channel’s top-performing series.”

“Donal MacIntyre: Released to Kill” (10×60’) is hosted by renowned journalist and criminologist Donal MacIntyre and explores the criminal investigations behind murders committed by previously convicted individuals.

Each episode tells the story of one tragic murder, examining the backgrounds and potential motives of the murderers, before and after prison. The series will interrogate the British criminal justice system and the complexities of the parole process, ultimately unveiling how and why these criminals committed a murder after being released. The cases are explored with the help of archive news footage, specially shot dramatic reconstructions and interviews with those who were involved in the actual events.

MacIntyre talks to a range of experts including leading criminal psychiatrists, prosecutors, probation officers and prison governors, to reveal the criminals’ murderous actions which often occur just days after their release from prison. These conversations are conducted from the “Crime Hub”, leading to the conclusion as to whether or not the murder could have been prevented.

The series was produced by Emporium Productions and will premiere on 3rd November at 10pm.

“Murder: First on Scene” follows the step-by-step processes used by first responders throughout the investigation from start to finish. With the clock ticking, each case will be examined, analyzing the collaborative techniques used by a whole range of professionals from the 999 call handlers and paramedics through investigative, family liaison, forensics and arresting officers all the way to the prosecuting barrister, in an attempt to bring the perpetrator to justice. The 10×60’ series was produced by Phoenix Television and premieres on 16th November at 10pm.

In season six of “Murder by the Sea” (10×60’) crime historian and author Dr Nell Darby reprises her role as the host as she investigates further cases of seaside murders including a case in which Philip Manning, the perpetrator, sparked a nationwide manhunt after killing his wife in a small town near Newport, Wales, on Christmas Day 1994. The new episodes debut on 7th September at 10pm, and were produced by Monster Films.

CBS Reality will also air a number of acquisitions this Autumn including the UK TV premieres of season thirteen of “Snapped: Killer Couples”, new episodes of “Homicide’s Elite”, season three as well as season sixteen of “Medical Detectives” and the “Medical Detectives: 25 Years Special” which are exclusive to CBS Reality in the UK.

About CBS Reality:

Home to authentic criminal cases that intrigue, engage and entertain, CBS Reality’s factual programming expertly dissects genuine investigations using cutting-edge forensic techniques. Always factual, always true.

Available in over 25 million UK households, CBS Reality is the #1 factual entertainment channel in the UK amongst adult women, and a Top 10 most watched non-PSB channel amongst all adults.

The channel has invested significantly in original true crime programming, including popular CBS Reality original series including “Murder by the Sea”, “Evidence of Evil”, “New Scotland Yard Files”, “Donal MacIntyre’s Murder Files”, “Voice of a Killer”, “The Real Prime Suspect” and many more.

About AMC Networks International – UK:

AMC Networks International – UK (AMCNI – UK) distributes television programming throughout the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and manages a portfolio of seven channel brands, including AMC, SundanceTV and a portfolio of seven entertainment channels in joint venture with ViacomCBS, including CBS Justice, CBS Drama, CBS Europa, CBS Reality, CBS Reality +1, Horror Channel and Horror Channel +1.

AMC Networks International – UK is a business unit of AMC Networks International, a leading producer and distributor of television channels reaching subscribers in more than 130 countries and territories and spanning a range of genres, including movie, lifestyle, entertainment and factual.

AMC Networks International is the global division of AMC Networks.

For more information, visit: www.amcnetworks.com/amc-networks-international.

About Emporium Productions:

Emporium Productions was set up in 2015 by award-winning Executive Producer and Commissioning Editor, Emma Read and leading UK independent television production company, Hat Trick.

Emporium Productions specialises in access driven popular factual programming, documentaries and reality. As a company, Emporium believes that collaboration is the key to achieving outstanding creative results.

Emporium has made several ground breaking and acclaimed access series and documentaries: 3 seasons of Inside The World’s Toughest Prisons for Netflix, a world first exclusive access series Inside The Freemasons for Sky, Talking Animals Tales from the Zoo with the world’s first conservation zoo, lifestyle series Rich House Poor House and Rich Holiday Poor Holiday, Why Do Men Earn More Than Women? And Secrets Of Your Supermarket Food for Channel 5 in the UK and 2 seasons of WW2 Treasure Hunters for History. We have also made specials for Smithsonian: Volcanoes: Dual Destruction and Nepal Quake: Terror on Everest and Harry and Meghan Royal Rebels for Lifetime. We have produced over 40 hours of crime documentaries, Murderers and Their Mothers, Click for Murder and Donal MacIntyre’s Murder Files for CBS Reality and Netflix.

About Phoenix Television

Phoenix is an RTS Southern Award-winning British indie based in Hampshire, UK. It’s jointly owned and run by Jaimi West and Miles Jarvis. Creative Director Jaimi and Managing Director and Executive Producer Miles worked with each other for 17 years at three different production companies before setting up Phoenix in 2017.

About Monster Films

Monster Films was founded in 2016 by David Howard and Rik Hall with the primary aim to start a company with a truly independent ethos, a strong community spirit and a collective commitment to making ground-breaking, visually visceral content for broadcasters worldwide. They have gone on to build a reputation as one of UK’s foremost producers of serial and feature documentaries, but their core values remain as strong as ever as they continue to look for new stories and exciting new ways to tell them. They are recipients of a Broadcast Award, an Edinburgh TV Award and a Royal Television Society Award.

Monster Films has worked with broadcasters including CBS Reality, BBC, Discovery, Channel4, FIVE, ITV and C&I.

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