Leading UK-based distributor Sphere Abacus (SA) has announced a major wave of unscripted content sales, licensing more than 200 hours of programming to top platforms and broadcasters across multiple Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) territories.
The extensive multi-territory deal comes just ahead of the distributor’s attendance at NEM Dubrovnik, recognized as the fastest-growing TV industry market and event in the CEE region.
In tandem with its European sales expansion, Sphere Abacus has officially announced the appointment of Mem Bakar as the company’s new Sales Director for Germany, CEE, and the CIS region. Bakar joins Sphere Abacus with a robust track record in international television distribution, having previously served as Senior Sales Manager at Fred Media, where she managed European formats, pre-sales, and co-development projects. Prior to her tenure at Fred Media, she held the role of Senior Sales Manager for the UK, Nordics, and Asia at TCB.
Bakar will step into her new role immediately and represent Sphere Abacus at the upcoming NEM Market. She will attend the industry event alongside incumbent Sales Director Ros Ali, who is officially retiring at the end of June. This joint attendance ensures a seamless transition for the distributor’s broadcast clients and platform partners across the European and international television landscape.
With over 200 hours of premium unscripted television content successfully placed in the market, Sphere Abacus continues to reinforce its position as a powerhouse distributor of factual, lifestyle, and documentary entertainment in competitive global territories.
The significant line-up of sales for Sphere Abacus’ programming to the CEE, brokered by Ros Ali, includes the acquisition by Viasat World of Murderer Behind the Mask, The A-Z Killer and West Harbour Heroes. Prima Group, Czech Republic has picked up Fire Guardians: Final Flight, Across the Alps with Griff Rhys Jones (w/t), Field of Vampires, Shogun: The Hidden Story (w/t), Paul Merton: Driving Amazing Trains, The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who has Control and Kevin McCloud’s Classic Car Road Trips. RTV Slovenija has also acquired Kevin McCloud’s Classic Car Road Trips, along with Nordic Train at Christmas and Hollywood Crime Story: The Mob Takes over The Movies.
LRT Lithuania has bought Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster, Delivered to a Predator: Al Fayed’s Fixer, Click to Kill: The AI War Machine, Dogs of War, Marilyn and the Mob, Elvis, the Colonel and the Mob, Paid in Full: The Battle for Black Music and Life in Colour with David Attenborough. Canal+ in Czech and Slovakia will air Leaving Neverland S2: Surviving Michael Jackson, Travels with Agatha Christie & Sir David Suchet, Elvis, the Colonel and The Mob and Marilyn and the Mob.
AMC Global Media CE portfolio in Hungary/Czech Republic/Slovakia/Romania/Moldova confirms deals for Simply Raymond Blanc S1-2 and has relicensed Raymond Blanc’s Royal Kitchen Gardens. Also AMC Global Media has acquired Three Days of Terror: The Charlie Hebdo Attacks, The Hunt For The Last Nazis, Top Guns: Inside the RAF S1–3 and Disasters at Sea S4 – 6 and has also relicensed How the Nazis Lost the War for Hungary/Czech Republic/Slovakia.
TV Paprika in Hungary/Czech Republic/Slovakia/Romania/Moldova from AMC Global Media CE portfolio has picked up the Paul & Nick titles – Big New Zealand Food Trip, Big American Food Trip S1 –2 and Big Canadian Food Trip, and Spektrum in Hungary/Czech Republic/Slovakia has relicensed Outback Opal Hunters S1 – 4.
Brand new titles being showcased at NEM 2026 include The World’s Tallest Man: The Next Chapter (1 x one hour), produced by Wild Dream Films, returning to Sultan Kösen 15 years later to answer the many questions audiences still ask.
Hunting Alice Bell (6 x one hour) – when Fran is accused of being Alice Bell, a notorious serial killer’s lover and Britain’s most hated woman now hiding under a new identity, her family’s happy life implodes in a wave of mob hate, produced by Clapperboard Studios, and Tea with Judi Dench (1 x one hour), produced by Mindhouse – Dame Judi invites her great friend, Sir Kenneth Branagh, for tea at her Surrey home, to swap star-studded stories and reveal tales from the dressing room.
Hana Palmer, Executive Director Global Distribution and Partnerships, comments,“It’s encouraging to see more than 200 hours of our wide range of compelling unscripted programming heading to CEE. Mem and Ros will both be in Dubrovnik to meet our many clients and share our brand-new series with them at NEM.”
Palmer adds, “We are delighted to welcome Mem to join us at Sphere Abacus. Her experience and long-held knowledge of the global market will be a great new addition to our sales team. This is also a perfect opportunity to publicly thank Ros for all her hard work and wish her the very best for the future.”
