Leading independent distributor All3Media International has officially stepped into the fray of investigative storytelling by acquiring the global rights to Dirty Business.
The three-part factual drama, produced by the BAFTA-winning team at Halcyon Heart Films, chronicles a decade-long investigation into the systemic sewage scandal that has recently rocked England’s environmental and political landscape.
Originally premiering on Channel 4 in the UK, Dirty Business has quickly transitioned from a television event to a cultural movement. The series earned a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a litany of five-star reviews from major national outlets. Its impact transcended entertainment, sparking official government responses and trending across social platforms due to its “enraging and heartbreaking” portrayal of environmental negligence.
Hailed as a “thrilling drama… the mini-series has a strong message, sharp creative vision and charming performances” (The Financial Times), the series received further praise with critics calling it “powerful and enraging” (The Independent), “brutal and brilliant” (The Times) and “tenacious, informative… essential viewing” (The Observer).
Premium partners in Europe, Australia and New Zealand have already licensed the highly acclaimed drama. Within days of All3Media International acquiring the series, NPO in the Netherlands, ABC in Australia and Rialto Channel in New Zealand have come on board as international partners – several other major partners are soon to be contracted. The distributor also reported that multiple Festivals have been in contact regarding the show.
Written and directed by BAFTA winner Joseph Bullman, Dirty Business tells the devastating true stories of whistleblowers and victims, who believe their lives have been destroyed after encountering sewage-polluted water in rivers and the seas around popular coastal holiday areas. Razor sharp and blisteringly accurate, the series lays bare a vast national scandal, involving England’s water companies – often owned by global and overseas investment entities, who, having extracted an estimated £145 billion since privatization, illegally dump raw sewage into rivers and seas 790 times every day.
Led by powerhouse performances from Emmy nominee David Thewlis as retired detective Ash Smith and BAFTA winner Jason Watkins as Oxford professor Peter Hammond, the story follows two men who begin to ask questions after noticing their local river has turned brown and all the fish have vanished. When the answers they get from the water company and the Government regulator don’t add up, Ash and Peter embark on a 10 year investigation, which will take them to the heart of what may turn out to be the greatest corporate scandal in the country’s history.
Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing, Black Mirror) also features as a whistleblowing sewage plant worker, while other cast members include EE BAFTA Rising Star nominee Posy Sterling, BAFTA nominee Tom McKay (Senna, Ellis), Jon Culshaw (Partygate), BAFTA nominee Vicky Pepperdine (Getting On, Poor Things), Craig Parkinson (Line of Duty), Charlotte Ritchie (Ghosts, Feel Good), BAFTA winner Chanel Cresswell (This Is England ’90), Emmy nominee Lucia Keskin (Big Boys, Things You Should Have Done) and BAFTA nominee Alex Jennings (The Crown, Mr. Bates vs The Post Office).
The scandal and cover-up at the heart of Dirty Business is not a uniquely English problem – many other nations have contamination issues.
Maartje Horchner, EVP Content at All3Media International commented “We are proud to bring Halcyon Heart Films’ exceptional, fearlessly told true-life drama to our international partners. This is not only a brilliantly crafted series, but a vital exposé uncovering one of England’s most significant corporate scandals. It has already struck a chord with buyers across Europe and Australia, and its powerful themes resonate globally, with parallels that reach from America to Italy, and from India to France.”
Joseph Bullman, writer, director of Dirty Business added “None of us have experienced a reaction like this. Waves of media coverage, questions in Parliament, a meeting between a mother and the Government Minister, after her child died after getting into sewage-polluted water; and a petition demanding the removal of the head regulator’s knighthood. Dirty Business is being taught in ethics classes in schools and colleges; and a second petition, demanding a return to public ownership, is gaining a thousand signatures an hour . The surge of public anger is intense and we know Dirty Business will strike a chord in all those countries facing their own corporate crime-waves. We’re thrilled that All3Media International has decided to embrace our show.”
Dirty Business is written and directed by Joseph Bullman (Partygate). The producers are Laura McCutcheon (Partygate) and Meeshan Saxena and the exec producer is Aysha Rafaele. The show was commissioned for Channel 4 by Alisa Pomeroy, head of documentaries and factual entertainment, and commissioning editor Rita Daniel. All3Media International handles global distribution.
