BBC Select has ordered a second season of the history doc Queens that Changed the World, produced by Woodcut Media with Sphere Abacus handling global distribution.
Deals for the six new episodes, currently in production, have been sealed with BBC Studios America, SBS Australia, Sky Germany, and Czech Television. The series explores historic female rulers, including Maria Theresa, Mary Queen of Scots, Marie Antoinette, Rani of Jhansi, Agrippina the Younger, and Queen Charlotte, using archive, re-creations and commentary from historians.
Hayley Rhodes, series producer at Woodcut Media, said, “This series takes a fresh look at the lives and motivations of some of history’s most powerful women. These are women who’ve often been seen as one-dimensional, for example power-hungry, or sexually voracious, or fragile victims of men’s machinations. We’ve been able to paint a picture that’s much more nuanced, showing how these Queens weathered storms and navigated the difficult dynamics of being a female ruler in a male-dominated world.”
Jonathan Ford, MD at Sphere Abacus, added, “We’re delighted to be distributing the second season of this unique and fascinating documentary series. Season two will give viewers further, unrivaled insight into the lives of strong female leaders who ruled during key times in global history and examine the long-lasting impact their decisions had on those periods.”
