Discovery expands true crime portfolio
October 21, 2021
Discovery has announced the commission of two new true crime series. Deadliest Mums & Dads (w/t) and The Real Death in Paradise will be available to watch on Quest Red and discovery+ later this year. Crime is one of the key genres for Discovery UK’s linear and SVoD portfolio, accounting for 49% of total Quest Red ratings and significantly contributing to the viewer engagement and subscriber acquisition of discovery+.
Deadliest Mums & Dads (w/t) is an 8×60 series produced by Crackit that explores the most heartbreaking of crimes, parents who killed their children. As a brand extension from Deadliest Kids, the documentary series follows the shocking stories of British and American children who were killed by the people who should protect them the most. The series seeks to uncover what drove these mums, dads and step-parents to kill, while also giving a voice to the innocent young victims of these killers. The voices telling the traumatic stories include other family members and friends who would have known both the killer and the victim.
Meanwhile, The Real Death in Paradise is a 10-episode series produced by Workerbee (a Banijay UK company) that dives into the mysterious deaths of British citizens in paradise. Exploring solved and unsolved cases, and with access to incredible archive, the stories are told through intimate first hand accounts from family, friends and investigators and is supported by police evidence, news reports, home videos and more. Each episode tells the story of a different victim, and strives to get to the bottom of this tragic loss of life.
Clare Laycock, SVP Planning & Insights, Head of Entertainment at Discovery, said: “I am delighted to be adding these two heart-wrenching and hugely watchable series to our ever-growing real crime slate. Deadliest Mums & Dads (w/t) and The Real Death in Paradise delve into front-cover stories that shook the world, leaving many questions unanswered.”
The releases were ordered by Clare Laycock, commissioned by Charlotte Reid and executive produced by Romy Page for discovery+.