Acorn TV Announces Exclusive U.S. Premiere of British Crime Drama LOCH NESS beginning Monday, June 19, 2017

Other June premieres include hit Aussie dramedy THE HEART GUY

as well as Season 3 episodes of British comedy COUNT ARTHUR STRONG

and the Season 2 finale of 800 WORDS

Silver Spring, MD - Following the exclusive May U.S. Premieres of BBC One comedy DECLINE AND FALL starring Jack Whitehall, David Suchet, and Eva Longoria on May 15th as well as British drama DELICIOUS starring Dawn French, Emilia Fox, and Iain Glen on May 26th, world-class TV streamer Acorn TV features the exclusive June U.S. Premiere of Acorn TV Original Series LOCH NESS, an atmospheric murder mystery thriller starring Laura Fraser (Breaking Bad, The Missing) and Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley, Downton Abbey). The beautiful, haunting shores of Scotland’s most iconic loch is the stunning backdrop for the new six-part crime drama written by Stephen Brady (Fortitude, Vera) and produced by ITV Studios for ITV in the UK. Soon after its ITV broadcast, LOCH NESS will premiere in the U.S. beginning on consecutive Mondays, starting June 19, 2017 on Acorn TV, the premier North American streaming service for world-class TV from Britain and beyond from RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE).

June will also feature the exclusive U.S. Premiere of THE HEART GUY, Series 1 (Trailer, 6/5), a charming Aussie dramedy following a genius doctor forced to return to his hometown and become a local doctor after his personal life spins out of control. Additionally, Acorn TV premieres more new episodes of British sitcom COUNT ARTHUR STRONG, Series3 (weekly 5/22-7/3), shortly after their BBC One broadcast; and the season two finale of Acorn TV’s hit New Zealand dramedy 800 WORDS (6/19).

Acorn TV’s international distribution partners are ITV Studios Global Entertainment for Loch Ness, FremantleMedia International for Count Arthur Strong and The Heart Guy, and All3Media International for 800 Words.

Throughout June, Acorn TV adds classic British wartime drama DANGER UXB starring Anthony Andrews (BridesheadRevisited); British sitcom NO JOB FOR A LADY, Series 1-3; engaging documentary THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS TRAIN; charming celebrity dog-walking series WALKS WITH MY DOG; and BBC Scotland mystery series HAMISH MACBETH, Series 1-3, inspired by M.C. Beaton’s novels (Agatha Raisin).

President of Acorn Brands at RLJ Entertainment Mark Stevens noted, “We’re thrilled to bring an atmospheric and gripping murder mystery thriller to our subscribers with the exclusive U.S. premiere of LOCH NESS, and only a week after its UK premiere on ITV. It’s a perfect addition to Acorn TV’s deep library of dramas and mysteries. Additionally, we’re excited to add new episodes of the hilarious British sitcom COUNT ARTHUR STRONG, so close to their BBC One broadcast, and to introduce our subscribers to THE HEART GUY, which we think they’ll adore as much as we do.”

June Premieres on Acorn TV

Monday, June 5, 2017

THE HEART GUY, Series 1 (Exclusive U.S. Premiere)

Hugh Knight (Rodger Corser, Underbelly, Rush) is a rising star in the Sydney heart surgery ranks. He is gifted, charmed, and infallible: a hedonist who, due to his sheer talent , believes he can live outside the rules. But after a party where he wakes up in a hotel suite to find an unconscious, overdosed model on his couch, his world comes crashing down. Banned from surgery, he can only work as a local doctor and retreats to rural Wyhope, his rarely-visited hometown which, he assumes, will be distraction-free. Unfortunately for Hugh, he could not be more wrong. (10 eps., weekly through July 3rd, aka Doctor, Doctor in Australia) Trailer

COUNT ARTHUR STRONG, Series 3

*Just added to May, Season 3 begins weekly starting Monday, May 22nd through July 3rd (Coinciding with BBC One premiere).

Inspired by Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show!, this BBC One sitcom is written by and stars Steve Delaney as Count Arthur Strong, an elderly, pompous, out-of-work actor with delusions that he is a show-business legend. In Series 3, Arthur continues to pursue his dreams of stardom no matter how much chaos he causes along the way, with Michael (Rory Kinnear, Skyfall,Spectre, The Imitation Game, PennyDreadful) doing his best to limit the damage to the world around them and his own sanity. Series 1 was nominated for three British Comedy Awards, including Best Sitcom and Best New Comedy.  (7 eps., weekly through July 3rd)

Monday, June 19th

LOCH NESS (Acorn TV Original Series, Exclusive U.S. Premiere)

In a community nourished and sustained by myth and bordered by untamed nature, the search for a serial killer becomes a matter of life and death for local detective Annie Redford (Laura Fraser, Breaking Bad, The Missing). When the body of local man Niall Swift is found at the foot of Carn Mohr Mountain and an isolated human heart on the loch shore, the town’s normality is shattered and the nightmare begins.  Set against a backdrop of rolling Highlands and the vast loch, the landscape becomes a character in its own right, adding a haunting depth to the community’s plight.

Within the tightly knit town, a sense of horror begins to dawn as the villagers realize that there is more than one kind of monster in their midst. The series also stars Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley, Downton Abbey), John Sessions (Florence Foster Jenkins), Don Gilet (Brief Encounters), Gray O'Brien (Coronation Street) and William Ash (The Tunnel). (6 Eps., weekly through July 24th)

800 WORDS, Series 2, Season Finale (Exclusive U.S. Premiere)

Called “the Best Show You’re Not Watching.” (Inquisitr) and “easy to get sucked in by its scenic and anthropological charms” (The New York Times), the heart-warming Aussie-Kiwi dramedy continues the saga of George Turner (Erik Thomson, Packed to the Rafters, The Code), a man looking to make a new life for himself and his family, in a strangely beautiful and quirky New Zealand coastal town. (Eps. 7 & 8)

Acorn Media Enterprises is the exclusive U.S. partner for several Acorn TV Originals, including 2016’s Agatha Raisin, a fun mystery series starring Ashley Jensen (Catastrophe); star-studded, wartime drama Close to the Enemy; and British thriller The Level. In 2017, in addition to Loch Ness, Acorn TV Originals include the critically-acclaimed new BBC One adaptation of Agatha Christie’s A Witness for the Prosecution, #1 Irish drama Striking Out, Irish thriller Acceptable Risk, British drama Love, Lies & Records from Kay Mellor, and the final episodes of BBC One detective drama George Gently, Series 8.

Emmy®-nominated Acorn TV adds exclusive new programs every week and features a deep library of mysteries, dramas, and comedies with no set end dates. Subscribers can stream many of their favorite international series and discover new and classic programs previously unavailable to U.S. audiences. Acorn TV is available via Apple TV, Roku, iOS, Chromecast, Android, among many other devices and offers a free trial and thereafter is just $4.99/month or $49.99/year. Facebook: OfficialAcornTV - Twitter @AcornTV

WATCH: Acorn TV’s exclusive June premieres will be added soon to the press watch site, https://acorn.tv/press (mirror to your TV via Apple TV or Chromecast) with DVDs available upon request.

IMAGES are available here:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/79bn7mp7wfvn0b4/AAAG2bJGc_v6iRW_4k5jRV9xa?dl=0

To read our recent press releases, please visit our Corporate Press Room:

http://www.rljentertainment.com/press-room/

Acorn TV Press Contact: Chad Campbell, ccampbell@acorn.tv

About RLJ Entertainment

RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE) is a premium digital channel company serving distinct audiences primarily through its popular OTT branded channels, Acorn TV (British TV) and UMC (Urban Movie Channel), which have rapidly grown through development, acquisition, and distribution of its exclusive rights to a large library of international and British dramas, independent feature films and urban content. RLJE’s titles are also distributed in multiple formats including broadcast and pay television, theatrical and non-theatrical, DVD, Blu-ray, and a variety of digital distribution models (including EST, VOD, SVOD and AVOD) in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Additionally, through Acorn Media Enterprises, its UK development arm, RLJE co-produces and develops new programs and owns 64% of Agatha Christie Limited. For more information, please visit RLJEntertainment.com, Acorn.tv, and UMC.tv.