Channel 4 has acquired Cornelia Street Productions’ new travel series with presenter Julia Bradbury.
Julia Bradbury’s Irish Journey (4 x 60 mins) sees the presenter return to the land of her birth to explore the landscape, culture, history and people of a country that has captured the imagination of the world. From cliff tops to forests and from great cities to beautiful beaches, Julia walks, surfs, kayaks and cooks her way around the country.
The project also sees Cornelia Street collaborate with ITV Studios, a global leader in distribution, for the first time. The deal will see ITV Studios distribute the series internationally.
Julia Bradbury’s Irish Journey is executive produced by Sarah Sapper and David Kerr for Cornelia Street Productions. The deal with Channel 4 was brokered by Marmalade Sky TV, who also brokered a pre-sale deal for the series with SBS.
Each episode sees Julia take a trip through a different part of the Emerald Isle. In the West, she walks on the fertile rock of the stony Burren, farms Mussels in one of Ireland’s Fjord and learns the secrets of the Aran Sweater. In the South, she visits one of Ireland’s most revered historic and religious sites, forages for seaweed and meditates in a kayak on the West Cork shore. In Dublin she explores the literature, music and food that have made the city one of the most culturally vibrant in Europe. Finally, in the North she finds hope in Derry Londonderry, one of the former epicentres of The Troubles, takes an Edwardian seaweed bath, and surfs the waves in one of the surf capitals of the world.
Julia Bradbury is an award-winning presenter and journalist with over 20 years of experience in television. She is best known for her work on the BBC’s Countryfile, which she co-presented for over a decade, and her ITV series, Britain’s Best Walks. She has also presented a wealth of travel series including The Greek Islands with Julia Bradbury and For The Love Of Britain, both for ITV.
Sarah Sapper, Managing Director, Cornelia Street Productions, says: “Julia is an exceptional presenter and her passion for exploring nature is infectious. We are thrilled to be partnering with Channel 4 to share Julia’s homeland with audiences across the world. Cornelia Street prides itself on working with the best on-screen talent, and we are delighted to be bringing Julia’s story and the wonderful backdrop of Ireland to Channel 4 viewers.
With ITV Studios’ expertise in distribution, we are confident that this series will reach a global audience and new territories. We hope to work with them on many more future projects.”
Polly Scates, Senior Acquisitions Manager, Channel 4, adds: “With Julia Bradbury at the helm, we were instantly drawn to the escapism and charm of this series. We’re excited to take our viewers on this beautiful, scenic journey through Ireland.”
Harry Arkwright, Senior Global Content Executive, Scripted and Non-Scripted, ITV Studios, adds: “Julia’s explorations of the UK countryside have struck a chord internationally and Julia Bradbury’s Irish Journey is sure to be another warmly received edition. Her love of the outdoors comes through in abundance, and we are sure that it will lead viewers to embrace and appreciate their own surroundings. We’re delighted to be working with the hugely talented team at Cornelia Street Productions to bolster our portfolio of travel programming.”
The project sits perfectly within Cornelia Street’s remit to tell great stories with broad, international appeal, bringing together themes of food, travel and social and cultural history.
Pippa Considine
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