BBCW confirms 'Upstairs Downstairs' sales

BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial arm, has announced the first international sales of costume drama Upstairs Downstairs to six countries.

The period drama, a revamped version of the series aired on ITV in the 1970s, will be broadcast in Australia (ABC), Denmark (DR), Finland (YLE), Israel (IBA), New Zealand (Sky) and Sweden (TV4).

Upstairs Downstairs, a co-production with US broadcaster PBS starring Keeley Hawes, Anne Reid and original cast member Jean Marsh, averaged 7m viewers for its three-part run on BBC One from Boxing Day 2010.

The BBC has already commissioned a second series of the drama, this time for an extended run of six hour-long episodes to air next year.

Caroline Torrance, director of investment & content acquisitions at BBC Worldwide, said: "Upstairs Downstairs is a wonderfully fresh take on a much loved classic, with great production values and a world-class ensemble cast, and we hope it will prove as popular with audiences around the world as it has with UK viewers."

The international sales of Upstairs Downstairs were agreed ahead of Worldwide's BBC Showcase event this week, in which more than 500 programme buyers will descend on Brighton to view the latest British content.

Torrance added: "With shows on the Showcase slate including Doctor Who, Luther, South Riding and Zen, we have a very broad selection of drama that reflects the strength of the BBC Worldwide catalogue."