NRK has just inked a deal with UK TV producer/artist manager Simon Fuller for an English language version of the Norwegian cult youth series.

Simon Fuller (XIX Entertainment) who launched the pop group Spice Girls and created global TV successes such as the Idol franchise and So You Think You Can Dance, will produce Shame, the English version of the Norwegian show Skam for the US and Canadian markets, with a UK version planned further down the line.

The US remake is set to premiere in 2017. 

Shame is an important show,” said Fuller in a statement. “There is precious little content created primarily for a teen audience and Shame provides this with great honesty and integrity. This show packs a punch and is leading the way in exploring multi-platform storytelling. It has become an enormous hit in Norway and has the potential to become an influential show in America, where there is simply nothing like it. Scandinavia and Norway in particular is at the forefront of innovation and creativity in the shaping of the world’s digital and creative industries right now. I’m proud to be in partnership with NRK to take Shame to a worldwide audience.”

Håkon Moslet, Head of Youth TV for NRK said: “A lot of people in the TV industry have got their eyes on Skam this fall, but no one has got a vision as Simon Fuller. He wants to be true to the original idea and make Shame a series that can change the rules in the American TV market. We´re honoured he wants to take ‘our baby’ to the next international level."

Created by Julie Andem for NRK Super, the youth series Skam about a group of youngsters in Oslo has fast reached cult phenomenon in Scandinavia and globally because of its innovative format (a mix of web and TV format), use of social media to engage with the fan base, and ability to touch teen audience at its core by tackling hot issues such as school, depression, sex, homosexually, alcohol and religion. 

In Norway, the weekly audience has grown from 24,000 to 1.26 million in 2016. Season 3 ends this week and a fourth season has been commissioned and is scheduled to premiere in the autumn 2017 according to NRK. 

The Skam fever first crossed the border to Denmark and in August the youth series had around 70,000 Danish followers on NRK’s web TV every week. The full seasons 1 & 2 are airing on DR3 this month .
In Sweden SVT Play has started showing season 1 on December 13. Parallel to the overwhelming viewing success, Skam has received a similar critical and institutional acclaim. The youth series recently picked up the ‘Norden språkpris’ 2016 (Nordic language award) for its ability to engage with a young Nordic audience and it was voted Best Digital Online show at the C21 TV Drama awards 2016 in London.