Branagh Turns TV Detective

Belfast star, Kenneth Branagh is off east - to Budapest specifically - on foot of a new role as an unorthodox cop.

Originally the star of the groundbreaking BBC 'Billy' plays, Graham Reid's iconic dramas set in troubled Belfast - who has since worked on both stage and screen in such epics as Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, Wild Wild West, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Branagh is now promoting his new role in a new drama series, Wallander.

Branagh stars as Inspector Kurt Wallander, described as a complex and compelling character - flawed but deeply human - who lives in the town of Ystad, a picturesque 13th century port in the southern province of Skane, Sweden.

There he solves shocking crimes using his own, unorthodox methods.

Produced by Yellow Bird, part of the Zodiak Television Group and Left Bank Pictures for the BBC and directed by Philip Martin (Prime Suspect: The Final Act), Wallander is adapted from three of Henning Mankell's successful Wallander novels.

Branagh goes 'global' too with his visit to the international trade show DISCOP in Budapest (18-20 June) to promote the series as distribution rights through BBC Worldwide, sees Zodiak International handling sales throughout eastern Europe, the Baltic States, Scandinavia, Netherlands and Benelux, with deals with TV4 Sweden, TV2 Norway, DR Denmark, MTV3 Finland, Lumiere Benelux and Svenks Film for its pan Scandinavian feed.

(BMcC)