ITV Studios is bringing a wide-ranging slate of format partnerships, international drama sales and production developments to MIPCOM 2026, highlighting its continued expansion across global markets.
Among the key announcements is a new partnership with Different Productions, the company behind Dubai Bling and Desi Bling. The deal will see Different Productions represent selected ITV Studios formats for adaptation in India and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The Indian slate includes international hits such as The Voice, Love Island, Apocalypse and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, while the MENA catalogue features titles including I Love My Country, Come Dine with Me and The Heat.
The Voice is also marking a major international milestone, with Estonia set to become the format’s 80th territory following a deal with Elitaz for TV3, with a launch planned for 2027. North Macedonia became the 79th territory through a partnership with MRT. The format has now generated 164 unique adaptations worldwide. ITV Studios also highlighted new approaches to the franchise, including a TikTok partnership in the United States, a fifth secret coach on The Voice Australia, and collaborations in Ukraine and Brazil involving streaming platforms and local broadcasters.
In unscripted programming, ITV Studios has acquired international distribution rights to Incognito, a six-part social experiment created by Derren Brown and produced by Vaudeville for Channel 4. The series places ten strangers, each associated with a different identity or social label, into an experiment designed to explore how people perceive and judge one another.
The company is also strengthening its scripted production and distribution operations. ITV Studios and Australia’s Lingo Pictures are launching a new drama label led by producer Sara Richardson, who previously worked on titles including NCIS: Sydney and RFDS. The label will focus on developing premium Australian drama for domestic and international audiences.
ITV Studios Expands Its International Drama Sales
On the distribution front, ITV Studios has reported new international deals for several scripted titles. Number 10, co-produced with Arte, has secured sales to platforms and broadcasters including HBO Max Australia, TVNZ, YLE, DR and NRK. Sherlock continues its global reach, with Disney+ carrying the series across more than 50 EMEA territories and Stan in Australia. Other titles expanding their international footprints include Adultery, The Dark, The Killings at Parrish Station and Tip Toe, with the latter adding HBO Max across 32 Latin American countries to its existing distribution.
Meanwhile, ITV has renewed Karen Pirie for a third series. Based on Val McDermid’s novel The Skeleton Road, the six-part drama will be produced by World Productions, with Lauren Lyle returning in the lead role. Written by Gillian Roger Park, the new series is scheduled to film in 2027 and begins with the discovery of human remains in a derelict Edinburgh building, leading investigators into a case involving a Balkan refugee, a celebrated author and a trail of revenge. The previous series averaged 5.3 million viewers, peaking at 5.6 million, and generated 11 million streams across ITVX and STV Player.
Beyond scripted and unscripted television, ITV Studios is also reconnecting audiences with River Monsters. Zoo 55 and Oxford Scientific Films are teaming up again with Jeremy Wade for Fish On! With Jeremy Wade, a 20-episode series co-hosted by Scott Tankard. The series will launch for Patreon subscribers on October 20 before becoming available to the wider public on October 27 through rivermonsters.tv, YouTube, Spotify and podcast platforms. The announcement follows continued online interest in River Monsters, whose social videos generated 1.74 billion views over the past year.
Together, the announcements underline ITV Studios’ strategy of expanding established international formats, developing new production partnerships and bringing a diverse range of scripted and unscripted titles to audiences around the world.
