Countries are snapping up the rights to Servant Of The People, a comedy series starring the Ukrainian president – as the Ukrainian president.
Back in 2015, former actor and comedian Volodymyr Zelensky played Vasiliy Petrovich Goloborodko, a high school teacher propelled to the presidency after a student’s video of him denouncing official corruption in Ukraine goes viral.
Goloborodko sets about running the country while eschewing the perks of being leader by keeping hold of his normal life.
A hit in Ukraine, where it ran for three seasons and also inspired a spin-off movie, interest in the show has peaked since Mr Zelensky became the face of the nation as it endures attacks from Russia.
Eccho Rights has distributed the programme, made by Mr Zelensky’s Studio Kvartel 95, since it launched.
The company’s managing partner Nicola Soderlund said sales have increased dramatically in the last few days, calling interest in the programme “remarkable”.
“It’s quite an old show already,” he said.
“But, of course, given the circumstances, it’s become very, very, very interesting for everybody.”
Channel 4 has announced it has the rights to Servant Of The People in the UK and plans to broadcast an episode on Sunday, alongside a current affairs show about Mr Zelensky.
Eccho Rights also reported deals with MBC in the Middle East, Greece’s ANT 1 and PRO TV in Romania, as well as broadcasters in Bulgaria, Moldova, Estonia, France, Finland and Georgia.
“People get surprised that a comedian can be a politician, but he was,” said Mr Soderlund.
“His skills in getting compelling messages to the people, which is what to do if you’re a TV host, has helped him a lot becoming a politician.”
Eccho Rights has donated 50,000 euros (£41,500) to the Ukrainian Red Cross, which Mr Soderlund said should offset the money it has made from selling the show.
The company has also removed any Russian or Russian-produced TV shows from its catalogue.
Mr Soderlund met Mr Zelensky in 2012 when they distributed one of his comedy shows called Crack Them Up, where ordinary people have to make comedians laugh.
The premise of Servant Of The People appealed to him right away.
Mr Zelensky mined the humour of an ordinary man in a corrupt society, riding his bike to the presidential palace, forgoing a pay rise and living at home with his mother.
“That was kind of the idea,” Mr Soderlund said, “and I loved it.”
Servant Of The People won the best feature series award at the Teletriumph Awards in Ukraine and also the Gold Remi Award for Television Comedy at the 2016 WorldFest in Houston.
