BBC Four is to continue its run of foreign-language dramas with the UK premiere of Lilyhammer.
The eight-part Norwegian series stars Stevie Van Zandt (The Sopranos) as New York mobster Frank ‘The Fixer’ Tagliano who is forced into the Witness Protection Programme after testifying against his Mafia boss.
Tagliano demands that he be sent to the sleepy Norwegian town Lillehammer, which he fell in love with while watching the 1994 Winter Olympic Games.
Thrust into a town that has little crime but a very colourful group of inhabitants, he has to confront a totally alien lifestyle.
Richard Klein, Controller BBC Four says: “Lilyhammer mixes sharp wit and American big city ways with the beauty of the Norwegian mountains and folksy nature of a small town – a perfect combination for a razor-sharp drama about cultural mores.
“I am delighted the BBC Four has acquired this drama and I am sure our viewers are going to have a good time!”
This series set achieved the highest ratings ever for a drama premiere on NRK (Norway’s public broadcaster) when it launched last month.