Sky is to launch Fortitude, its highly anticipated new drama, on Thursday 29 January 2015 to 20 million customers in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.

The series is the first Sky original programme to premiere simultaneously across all five markets since Sky created Europe’s leading entertainment company late last year.

In addition to its launch on Sky, Fortitude will premiere on the same day to 47 million US households through co-producer Pivot TV, part of Participant Media. Over the coming weeks, Fortitude will also air in primetime slots across more major networks around the world, including Superchannel Canada, ABC Australia, Canal+ France, SVT Sweden, TV2 Denmark, NRK Norway, YLE Finland, RUV Iceland, VRT Belgium, Ale Kino+ Poland, Sky New Zealand, YES Israel and OTE Greece.

With advance sales to 13 international broadcasters, Fortitude is now the most successful show to date for Sky’s international distribution arm, Sky Vision.

Described by The Times as “one of the most anticipated TV shows of 2015”, Fortitude tells the story of a close-knit Arctic community that starts to unravel when a mysterious death threatens the town. Created and written by Simon Donald (Low Winter Sun), it stars Academy Award nominee Stanley Tucci, Michael Gambon, Christopher Eccleston and Sofie Gråbøl. Further acclaim for the show has come from the Radio Times – “Fortitude is an Arctic chiller which is as addictive as it is original and unsettling” – and The Guardian – “Very few upcoming shows can match Fortitude for sheer potential.”