Filming is underway on The Ridge, a new six-part psychological thriller, a co-production between BBC Scotland and Sky New Zealand Originals. The series, shot in both New Zealand and Scotland, will air later this year.
Here’s the Lowdown: The Ridge stars Scottish actress Lauren Lyle (Karen Pirie, Outlander) as Mia, who travels to New Zealand for her estranged sister’s wedding, only to find her sister dead. Mia becomes entangled in the small community, and a relationship with her late sister’s fiancé, Ewan, played by New Zealand actor Jay Ryan (Territory, Top of the Lake). Secrets and tensions within the town soon emerge.
What This Means Now: This is a significant international co-production, bringing together talent from both Scotland and New Zealand. The show has a strong creative team, created by novelist Nora Chassler and producer David Murdoch, with BAFTA-winning director Douglas Mackinnon (Good Omens) and Emmy-nominated director Robyn Grace (Sweet Tooth).
The Bigger Picture: The Ridge represents a growing trend of international collaborations in television production. The series is backed by major players, with Great Southern Studios (New Zealand) and Sinner Films (Scotland) producing, and Boat Rocker handling global sales. Support also comes from New Zealand On Air, the NZ Screen Production Rebate, and Screen Scotland. It will air on BBC iPlayer, BBC Scotland, Sky Open, and NEON later in 2024.
