Sony Pictures Television Networks has reached a deal with Virgin Media to launch their UK channels Pop, MovieMix and Movies4Men on the platform, TVWise has learned. The three channels, which are coming to Virgin Media under a new long-term carriage agreement, will be available from August 25th and will launch alongside a wealth of catch-up and on-demand content from Sony's kids channels Pop and Tiny Pop. 
BBC One has ordered four-part natural history series Ingenious Animals, which hails from Twofour's Oxford Scientific Films. 
StudioCanal and Sky Vision - the international distribution division of Sky - have sold diamond heist drama The Last Panthers to DirecTV Latin America, TVWise has learned. 
UKTV's flagship channel W is continuing their originals push with two new documentary series: Dancing For The Weekend, from Sony's Electric Ray; and The Dressing Room, which hails from STV Productions and GroupM Entertainment. Both series have received six episode orders. 
5USA has acquired the UK rights to Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, the short-lived Criminal Minds spin-off starring Forest Whitaker, after striking a deal with international distributor Disney Media Distribution, TVWise has learned. 
The third season of AMC's computer drama Halt & Catch Fire will receive its UK premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Wednesday August 24th, TVWise has learned. New episodes will then continue to be made available to Prime members ever Wednesday, less than 24 hours after they air in the United States. 
Pulse Films - the indie set up by Thomas Benski (pictured) and Marisa Clifford in 2005 - is expanding their branded entertainment division with the hire of Eric Tu and Stephen Whelan, TVWise has learned. Tu, based in New York, and Whelan, based in London, will assume Executive Producer positions at Pulse, effective immediately. Working alongside the teams in their respective territories both Tu and Whelan will be responsible for expanding the company’s creative, strategic and production capabilities in the Branded Entertainment space. 
ITV's hit period drama Grantchester is going festive this year. The commercial broadcaster has ordered a one-off 90 minute Christmas special. That is in addition to the previously announced six episode third season, which will air in 2017.