EXCLUSIVE: Disney+ has landed a deal for a hit BBC drama The A word and spin-off Ralph & Katie with Keshet International.
The deal includes all three seasons of Christopher Eccleston The A word and Ralph & Katies Debut licensed for Disney+ in EMEA.
The A word is already available on Disney+ in Scandinavia and Belgium, with staggered launches for Portugal, Italy, Spain and France starting in November and later for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The news emerged on the first day of Mipcom Cannes, where Israeli powerhouse Keshet is in attendance.
The shows are based on Israeli family dramas yellow peppers, created by Keren Margalit for Keshet Broadcasting.
From showrunner Peter Bowker, both have redefined the landscape for the portrayal of disabled people in drama in the UK. Ralph & Katiewhich follows the exploits of two A word Characters With Down Syndrome, was forged from one of the first fully disabled writers’ rooms for a mainstream long-form drama and is the first to feature two lead actors with Down Syndrome. Bowker recently told Deadline, “There’s so much talent bubbling up in these [disabled] stories. The hunger to be heard is there, and there’s no real excuse why disabled writers shouldn’t be able to get jobs.”
Produced by Fifty Fathoms and Tiger Aspect, The A word follows a five-year-old who is showing clear signs of communication problems, resulting in his dysfunctional family having to adjust to his autism while coping with their own apparent social disorders.
“Being part of the team that helped Keren Margalit Yellow peppers Going from a beautiful family drama here in Israel to a recurring primetime BBC One drama that has sold in more than 80 countries and spawned a spin-off of its own is incredibly satisfying,” said Keren Shahar, Keshet COO International and President of Distribution.