Leading global content group Global Screen has secured a second season of Acorn TV, Multichoice and Both Worlds Pictures’ popular South African mystery drama Recipes for Love and Murder, starring Maria Doyle Kennedy (Outlander, The Tudors).   

Season 2 (8 x 45’), which begins filming in South Africa in April 2024, will bring the total number of episodes to 18. The culinary murder mystery series centers on Maria Purvis (Doyle Kennedy), an empathetic, accomplished recipe advice columnist for a small-town gazette. 

Global Screen also announced today that NHK ENTERPRISES Inc. has signed up FOR JAPANESE PAY TV CHANNEL, "MYSTERY CHANNEL" OWNED BY AXN CO., LTD.  for the first season of the series which has now sold to 94 countries.   

A Festival success, Recipes for Love and Murder was chosen for the Berlinale Market & Co-Production series selections at the Berlin Film Festival and recently nominated at the Venice Television Awards, the South African Film and Television Awards and the South African Writers Guild Awards.  

Recipes for Love and Murder is a co-production between AMC Networks’ Acorn TV, Multichoice and Both Worlds Pictures, in co-operation with Global Screen. The series is produced by Thierry Cassuto (Puppet Nation, Rainbow Warrior), founder of international Emmy nominated Cape Town based Both Worlds Pictures, in collaboration with Paris based Paradoxal. Executive Producers include Thierry Cassuto and Karen Jeynes for Both Worlds, Catherine Mackin and Lesley Pemberton from Acorn Media Enterprises, and Nomsa Philiso and Nicola van Niekerk for Multichoice. 

Acorn TV hold distribution rights to the series for the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, Multichoice hold the rights for Africa, with Global Screen selling to the rest of the world. 

Ulrike Schroeder Co-Head International Sales and Acquisitions (TV) at Global Screen comments “We know fans of the series have been asking and we are delighted that this series, which has such a global appeal, has been commissioned for a second season.  The landscape of Africa, the acclaimed cast and the intriguing storylines uniquely combine to make this a must-have series for multiple broadcasters around the world.” 

Catherine Mackin, Managing Director of Acorn Media Enterprises (Acorn TV) shares, “We are delighted to welcome our audiences back to the beautiful region of Karoo, South Africa and the exciting – but often dangerous – world of Tannie Maria, led by the incomparable Maria Doyle Kennedy. There are still many investigations with shocking twists and turns to uncover, and with Tannie Maria leading the charge, justice is surely a small discovery of detail away.” 

Nomsa Philiso, CEO General Entertainment, Multichoice Group adds, “The Multichoice Group is the leading video entertainment company that has been investing in, and producing, African stories and talent for over three decades.  Recipes for Love and Murder has since its global distribution once again proven the appetite for our stories told through authenticity by Africa’s most loved storytellers. We look forward to building on the success of this title through our international partnerships.” 

Thierry Cassuto, Executive Producer and Managing Director, Both Worlds Pictures concludes, “We’re overjoyed to announce the renewal of our beloved Recipes for Love and Murder for another season. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and talent of our creative team. To our partners, your support has been invaluable. To our fans, your love for the show has been the ultimate reward. And to Maria, we can’t wait to have you back in South Africa and cook up more magic together.”  

Recipes for Love and Murder is a charming, quirky murder mystery series based on the acclaimed novel by best-selling South African author Sally Andrew – “Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery.” The award-winning novels have been published so far in the UK, South Africa, the US, Canada, China, Australia, Estonia, France, Israel, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Turkey, Poland, Catalonia and the Netherlands.