BBC Storyville has acquired UK rights from AGC International to Scandalous, the documentary about notorious tabloid the National Enquirer.
BBC Storyville will broadcast the film on BBC Four in June.
Mark Landsman’s film explores the publication’s impact on journalism, and the business, cultural and political landscapes.
Generoso Pope Jr. bought the sports newspaper then known as the New York Enquirer in the 1950s with funds from his godfather and reputed mob boss Frank Costello.
Scandalous looks at how Pope Jr. transformed it into a magazine dedicated to scandal, medical oddities, conspiracy theories, celebrity gossip and photos of the rich and famous, and why it eventually took the political step of protecting powerful men and profiling foreign despots.
CNN Films, AGC Studios, and This Is Just A Test produced the film, released theatrically in the US through Magnolia Pictures while CNN retained North American broadcast rights. AGC International oversees international distribution rights.
Aengus James, Colin King Miller, Landsman, Kristen Vaurio, and Jennifer Ash Rudick served as producers. CNN Films vice-president Courtney Sexton and CNN Worldwide executive vice-president for talent and content development Amy Entelis are the executive producers alongside AGC Studios head Stuart Ford and Rachel Traub.
AGC senior vice-president Callum Grant and Lauren Wilson negotiated the deal for AGC with BBC Storyville.
AGC, the BBC and CNN co-financed the upcoming documentary Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story, directed by Laura Fairrie and produced by John Battsek and Lizzie Gillet of Passion Pictures. That film is in post-production.
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