New York, NY – BBC Worldwide America, Sales & Distribution, today announced a co-production deal with MASTERPIECE for the Victorian-era series, The Paradise, and 90-minute film, The Lady Vanishes, an adaptation of the classic 1930s Hitchcock thriller. These titles will air in the U.S. on MASTERPIECE on PBS.

The Paradise
Set amidst the Victorian splendor of Britain’s first department store, The Paradise is a rags-to-riches story of a young girl who falls in love with the glamour of the modern world. As she finds her feet as a lowly shop girl, she must navigate her way through power struggles, intrigues and affairs to rise to great things.  The Paradise stars Joanna Vanderham (What Maisie Knew, The Runaway), Emun Elliott (Prometheus, Game of Thrones), Elaine Cassidy (Harper’s Island, Fingersmith), Sarah Lancashire (Upstairs Downstairs, Oliver Twist) and Patrick Malahide (Endeavour, Game of Thrones, The World is Not Enough).

The Lady Vanishes
In this BBC/Masterpiece adaptation of the classic 1930s Hitchcock thriller, a beautiful woman is travelling across Europe by train when she unwittingly becomes embroiled in a menacing plot.  She wakes one morning to discover that the woman sharing her carriage has vanished. As fellow passengers claim the lady never existed, she faces danger and intrigue as she fights to prove that she’s not going mad.  The Lady Vanishes stars Tuppence Middleton (Sinbad, Spies of Warsaw), Tom Hughes (Page Eight,Silk, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll), Gemma Jones (Harry Potter, Bridget Jones’s Diary), Stephanie Cole (Doc Martin, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), Jesper Christensen (Casino Royale) and Keeley Hawes (Upstairs Downstairs).

Matt Forde, EVP Sales and Co-Productions, BBC Worldwide America, said: “The Paradise and The Lady Vanishes offer unique and thrilling stories that are a terrific compliment to the popular programming line-up on MASTERPIECE on PBS. They are both superbly crafted with sky-high production values which are sure to enthrall and mesmerize audiences in the U.S.”

“These programs are the latest in along line of beautifully-made, award-winning co-productions. The BBC has been our trusted partner, and fellow public-broadcaster, for over 40 years,” says MASTERPIECE Executive Producer Rebecca Eaton.

The deal was brokered by Jemma Adkins, Senior VP Sales and Co-Productions, BBC Worldwide America.

The Paradise – Written and created by Bill Gallagher (Lark Rise to Candleford), producer is Simon Lewis (Five Daughters, My Family & Other Animals). Executive Producer is Susan Hogg (The Fades, Lark Rise to Candleford, Five Daughters). The Paradise is a BBC/MASTERPIECE on PBS co-production.

The Lady Vanishes – Producer is Annie Tricklebank (Upstairs Downstairs, Lark Rise to Candleford), director is Diarmuid Lawrence (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Body Farm), writer is Fiona Seres (Tangle, The Silence); executive producer Anne Pivcevic (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Great Expectations). The Lady Vanishes is a BBC/MASTERPIECE on PBS co-production.