Munich, April 18, 2012. A New York gangster in Norway. Really? After securing the rights to “Lilyhammer” for the US, Canada and Latin America, Netflix has additionally acquired exclusive streaming rights for the UK and Ireland. Netflix will also co-produce the second season of the dramedy. “Lilyhammer” portrays the fish-out-of-water-story of a New York mobster, Frank ‘The Fixer,’ played by Steven Van Zandt, who chooses the sleepy Norwegian town of Lillehammer as a hideout after ratting out his boss.

“Many Netflix members in the U.S., Canada and Latin America have discovered ‘Lilyhammer’ and are loving it,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix. “We’re excited to also bring ‘Lilyhammer’ to Netflix members in the UK and Ireland and confident that it will build a sizeable audience.”

Henrik Pabst, Regional Sales Director, says “Right from the start Netflix has been a strong supporter of “Lilyhammer”. We’re delighted Netflix subscribers in the UK and Ireland can also enjoy Frank’s unique style of getting things done.”

About Lilyhammer

Known for his iconic performance as Silvio Dante, the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the award-winning series “The Sopranos,” and his work as guitarist in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Van Zandt created “Lilyhammer” with some of Norway’s top actors, writers and directors.

After Frank “The Fixer” Tagliano testifies against his Mafia boss in New York, he enters the Witness Protection Program and makes an unusual demand: he wants to be set up with a new life in the Norwegian small town Lillehammer – or as he calls it “Lilyhammer”. Thrust into a town that never met crime, Frank is confronted with a colorful cast of characters totally unlike the New York variety.

In January “Lilyhammer“ launched on Norway’s public broadcaster NRK1, scoring shares of up to 51,9 per cent in the commercial demographics, outperforming the channel average by 292 per cent. “Lilyhammer“ is produced by Norwegian production company Rubicon.

 Lilyhammer will be available on Netflix in the UK and Ireland following its broadcast on BBC 4.