HOTEL PORTOFINO: UKTV ACQUIRES RIGHTS TO SECOND SERIES OF HISTORICAL DRAMA

UKTV announces the acquisition of Hotel Portofino (2 x 6x60’) for U and U&DRAMA. The first series will air on Friday 27th September at 9pm, followed by a UK premiere of the second series later in the year.

Hotel Portofino is a historical drama about a British family who establish a hotel for upper class travellers on the magical Italian Riviera during the 1920s. In the first series, co-proprietor and moving spirit, Bella Ainsworth (Natascha McElhorne) is short of staff and ready money.

Her guests, including the imperious Lady Latchmere (Anna Chancellor), are demanding and hard-to-please; and she’s being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, Signor Danioni (Pasquale Esposito), who threatens to drag her into the red-hot political cauldron of Mussolini’s Italy.

Bella also has her aristocratic but caddish husband, Cecil (Mark Umbers), to deal with as he obsesses over arranging an advantageous marriage for their son to secure the future of the Ainsworth family’s estate back in England and finding the money to pay for his dilettante lifestyle.

In series two, Bella is looking forward to her son Lucian’s (Oliver Dench) imminent arrival for a vacation and the chance to discuss her plans for the hotel with him. However, a shadow begins to fall over her plans, when her no-good husband Cecil turns up unannounced in Portofino.

In the middle of the hot Italian summer, Bella will be forced to confront the reality of her relationship with Cecil and decide whether to accept him back into her life or not. Especially considering her growing friendship with a handsome local architect, Marco Bonacini (Giorgio Marchesi).

Melanie Rumani, Global head of acquisitions, UKTV and BBC Studios, said: “This deal is a fantastic opportunity and one that really solidifies our relationship with the brilliant team at Beta Film. We’re thrilled to be partnering with them on this series.”

Emma Ayech, Channel Director for U&DRAMA, added: “We’re excited to be adding Hotel Portofino to our offering of high-quality dramas on U&DRAMA. The beautiful setting of the Italian Riviera is the perfect antidote to those autumnal nights, so we can’t wait for our viewers to dive into this one.”

Andreas Khevenhueller, VP International Sales & Acquisitions, said: “At Beta we are beyond thrilled to announce that UKTV is the new "port of call" for the sensational drama Hotel Portofino. This captivating series has already won hearts around the globe, and is ready to bring a burst of sunshine, luxury, and thrilling adventures to the UK. We are confident that viewers will be swept away by the charm, intrigue, and breathtaking scenery this show offers.”

Hotel Portofino previously aired on ITV and will be available to stream for free on U.