by Fahriye Şentürk
Crime drama remains one of television’s most enduring genres, but its appeal increasingly extends beyond the mystery itself. From stories exploring grief and family relationships to unconventional detectives and international adaptations, ITV Studios’ latest catalogue reflects the many directions crime storytelling can take.
At MIPCOM 2026, we spoke with Julie Meldal-Johnsen, EVP Global Content at ITV Studios, about the company’s new crime titles, the addition of Sherlock to its catalogue, the international success of Ludwig, the enduring appeal of literary adaptations and the challenges facing non-English-language drama in today’s global market.
Let’s start with your new highlights. What can you tell us about the latest additions to ITV Studios’ catalogue?
One of our new highlights is Two Birds, from Patrick Spence’s AC Chapter One. It’s a co-production between ITV and Stan Australia, starring BAFTA award-winning Sheridan Smith in a role unlike anything I’ve seen her play before.
She plays Izzie Cornwell, a troubled British police officer whose husband died a couple of years earlier. She’s been dealing with her grief through alcohol and is looking for a fresh start. She moves to a mining town in the Australian outback to join the local police force, where recruiting officers is difficult because the local men earn much more working in the mines.
Before starting her new job, Izzie goes on a date that takes a terrible turn. When the man is about to rape her, she defends herself and pushes him away. He falls down a mine shaft, and she spends the rest of the series investigating a death she herself caused.
Two Birds is a six-part crime mystery thriller coming to ITV, STV and Stan next year. Set against the extraordinary red-dirt landscape of the Australian outback, it features two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver as the local gang’s organised crime boss. The series is full of twists and turns, completely serialised and very returnable.
On the episodic crime front, we have Winter, which we presented here at MIPCOM. It’s a crime-of-the-week series set in Bristol, a beautiful British city. Eagle Eye Drama has given it a distinctive visual style, right down to the stylish clothing. The series combines compelling individual cases with engaging chemistry between its two leads.
The forensic approach to investigating crime isn’t new, but it works particularly well here, and the police investigation side is equally strong. Alongside the episodic cases, there’s an overarching serialised storyline following brilliant forensic pathologist Dr Ethan Winter, played by Richard Armitage, as he tries to solve the mystery of his fiancée’s murder.
Then there’s The Last Detectives, from Quay Street Productions, set in Tenby, a picturesque seaside town in Wales. With its beautiful coastline, islands and atmospheric setting, it has a distinctive charm. It also offers a different format, with episodic stories told over two hours.
If you love crime dramas, you want different kinds of stories, and we also have some compelling thrillers.
Complicit is a six-part murder mystery set in a suburban neighbourhood. Everyone living around the square has secrets, and when a murder occurs, they all become suspects. Each character has a possible motive, so you genuinely feel that anyone could be responsible.
It’s an incredibly strong crime slate, with very different kinds of stories for audiences who love the genre.
British crime drama has expanded beyond the traditional whodunit, increasingly exploring institutional corruption, political power, moral ambiguity and systemic failures. How do you see this evolution, and what role has ITV Studios played in shaping the genre for international audiences?
Audiences love crime drama, and it’s such a powerful engine for storytelling, but you can’t keep making the same kind of show. Because the genre is so popular and has a natural audience, it provides a wonderful opportunity to explore different themes. It doesn’t have to be just a puzzle. It can be much more than that.
There’s an insatiable appetite for crime, but audiences also want variety. Someone like Polly Hill, ITV’s Director of Drama, wants to keep offering viewers crime dramas they genuinely want to watch. This encourages the creative community to find great books to adapt while also developing original stories.
Two Birds, for example, is a crime thriller, but it also explores grief and a powerful family dynamic between a mother and daughter. Sheridan Smith’s character goes on a journey to repair that relationship. The crime element drives the narrative, but there’s a much deeper emotional story running alongside it.
ITV Studios’ crime and thriller catalogue includes many successful titles, and the iconic Sherlock has now joined the slate. What does this addition mean for your international strategy? What makes certain crime dramas enduring global franchises?
As much as audiences love discovering new television, sometimes they want to return to something they’ve already seen, or finally watch a series they missed the first time around. Sherlock (2010-2017) is one of those extraordinary brands. He’s the ultimate detective, well, Hercule Poirot might argue with that.
We’re incredibly excited to have acquired Sherlock and knew we had big shoes to fill as BBC Studios had done a brilliant job distributing it – it’s a genuine global hit recognised everywhere. Our sales team was thrilled at the opportunity to represent a series with that level of recognition and quality, and to bring fresh energy to its international distribution.
Of course, Sherlock isn’t new to the world, but it’s new to us, and we’re really pushing it. It’s been fascinating to see which buyers have acquired it. There’s been a tremendous amount of interest, just as we’d hoped. People really do love the series.
Winter, one of ITV Studios’ new MIPCOM titles, is adapted from the successful French crime drama Balthazar. What sets it apart from the original, and what gives it a distinctly British identity?
I’m not entirely sure it feels traditionally British! It is set in Britain of course (although it was actually shot in Belgium), in Bristol, which is an iconic British city that we don’t often see on television, providing the series a different visual identity.
The series is a co-production with PBS, which has been involved as a partner with ITV throughout. So, although it’s British, it has a very international feel.
Winter is something different, and I think audiences will really enjoy it. It’s already doing well on ITV, having only recently launched, and I believe it has the potential to return for many years.
The original Balthazar ran for five seasons and was a huge success. For a French-language series, it travelled remarkably well and sold widely internationally.
There’s actually a funny story about how the adaptation came about. When Eagle Eye had just joined us, we went for a welcome lunch at Balthazar, the restaurant in Covent Garden. We were talking about what shows would make a great remake and sitting right under Balthazar stencilled on the window it didn’t take long for inspiration to strike! Walter (Iuzzolino) already loved the original series and had been a fan for some time. Just three months later, he had a commission from ITV. He moved very quickly!
Ludwig offers a different take on traditional detective stories, combining intricate puzzles, humour and an unconventional protagonist. How do you explain its international success?
The scripts for Ludwig were great fun and felt a little different. David Mitchell was always attached to the project, so we could immediately imagine him in the role.
We thought it would do well because it had a solid crime story, an interesting premise and a wonderfully playful tone.
What was an added bonus was its distinctive visual style. From the very first opening shot, it was clear that the series was going to be something different, and Ludwig himself is such a warm character which is very appealing to audiences all over the world.
We expected it to perform well on the BBC, but you can never really predict just how successful a show will become. Internationally, audiences have absolutely embraced it too.
I think its warmth is a huge part of the appeal. The world can be a difficult place, and Ludwig offers a genuinely joyful escape. I started watching it with my ten-year-old daughter, and it just brings a smile to your face.
Of course, audiences also want darker stories too, stories that challenge them. They want variety, and Ludwig offers something different.
I’m really looking forward to the Christmas special because I haven’t seen it or even read it, so it will be completely new to me, and I’ll be able to enjoy it as a viewer.
And there’s of course a third season coming as well.
Crime literature remains one of the richest sources for television drama. With Karen Pirie drawing on Val McDermid’s novels and The Party adapting Elizabeth Day’s work, what makes a crime novel particularly attractive for television adaptation today?
The advantage of an established novel is that the story and plot are already there, which gives writers a head start. It also provides reassurance for buyers because the material already has an audience, and there may be fans of the book all around the world. But variety is essential, and original IP can be just as exciting.
Take Two Birds, for example. It’s an original IP, so audiences have the excitement of discovering a completely new story without knowing how it will end. It’s a discovery for everyone.
I think having a mixture of established literary IP and original stories is important. Both approaches have tremendous value, and both can work extremely well.
British crime drama has traditionally been one of the UK’s strongest cultural exports, but distinctive crime stories are increasingly emerging from Europe, Latin America, Asia and beyond. How does ITV Studios approach international crime storytelling and potential cross-border collaborations?
I absolutely believe great crime stories can come from anywhere. Balthazar is a very good example.
Earlier this year, we launched The Killings at Parrish Station, an Australian series that has sold extremely well internationally, and audiences have really responded to it. It’s sophisticated, distinctive and has a spectacular cast, and Ben Jenkins is an exciting new voice and definitely a talent to watch.
There are wonderful stories and talented creators all over the world, however, English-language content remains by far the easiest to sell internationally.
Other languages can travel, too, but it has become more difficult. We have Nora and Gil and Boga coming, although we have to be quite selective because the market is challenging.
It’s a shame, really and five years ago, we thought non-English-language content might sweep the world. There’s extraordinary talent everywhere, but the international market for non-English-language drama has become more limited in recent years.
