BBC STUDIOS AND HBO MAX AGREE DEAL FOR PREMIUM TALKED-ABOUT CONTENT IN AUSTRALIA

Following the arrival of HBO Max in Australia, BBC Studios ANZ has inked its first deal with the SVOD service to deliver premium fan-favourite and brand-new UK comedy and drama titles to Australian audiences.

The package covers presales and territory premieres for new comedy series Make That Movie and the latest in the Alan Partridge universe, How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge). The six-part Make That Movie – produced by London-based award-winning studio Blink Industries – follows a hot-shot director who scours the UK for the next big idea for a feature film and is from Australian creator and star Sam Campbell, with Australian TV talent Aaron Chen also starring. Coming home to Norwich after a year working in Saudi Arabia, How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge), sees the beloved and revered broadcaster played by Steve Coogan make a bravely personal and personally brave return to television – to produce, present and direct Britain’s first ever documentary about mental health. 

It also includes territory premiere rights for second series of popular sitcoms Alma’s Not Normal and Cheaters, as well as two-part drama Brian and Maggie – depicting the infamous 1989 television interview of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher by journalist Brian Walden (Steve Coogan) interviewing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Harriet Walter). It is complimented by a catalogue of existing Alan Partridge titles including I’m Alan Patridge and Alan Partridge’s Mid-Morning Matters, which are now available to stream. 

Deborah Tod, BBC Studios ANZ Director of Content Partnerships and Sales said, “The local appetite for high-end British content is only getting stronger here in Australia, so we are thrilled to have established this package with HBO Max as an avenue to deliver this sought-after storytelling to their growing audience. This exciting slate of territory premiere titles and pre-sales, from the return of fan-favourites to fresh new series, is testament to the power of strong, local collaborations, and we’re proud that this distinctive, talked-about content has found its home on HBO Max.”

Brian and Maggie, Alma’s Not Normal season 1 and 2 and a catalogue of Alan Partridge titles including I’m Alan Patridge, Alan Partridge’s Mid-Morning Matters, This Time with Alan Partridge and more are currently available to stream on HBO Max, with Cheaters season 1 and 2 soon to launch on 15 September 2025. 

BBC Studios ANZ Content Partnerships and Sales team is committed to securing creative, innovative deals via strong, holistic local partnerships that showcase the very best of British storytelling for audiences in the region.