ITV Studios Finland launches local version of British drama series ‘Cold Feet’

ITV Studios Finland has started production on a local adaptation of ‘Cold Feet’, the beloved British comedy-drama series that ran for five seasons between 1997 and 2003 before launching a successful reboot 13 years later.

Produced for MTV and premiering in 2026, the 8 x 42” series (“Rimakauhua ja rakkautta” in Finnish) is written by Marika Kuortti (“Roomies”) and directed by Ville Jankeri (“Forest Giant”). The cast consists of Minka Kuustonen, Saga Sarkola, Linda Wiklund, Joonas Nordman, Aku Sipola and Nicklas Pohjola. The executive producers are Maria Kangas and Pete Paavolainen for ITV Studios Finland.

“Cold Feet” follows the lives of three couples in their 30s as they struggle to leave their wild youth behind in the face of middle age, a journey that no one will face easily. As they fight, flirt, struggle with their self-worth, forge lasting friendships and enjoy new feelings of happiness, the couples will try to stay true to themselves and each other.

The original British version of the show, which won a BAFTA for best drama series in 2002, returned to the airwaves in 2016 and was sold across Europe and much of the world for ITV.

“When I was offered a remake of my favorite series, ‘Cold Feet,’ I was both excited and terrified,” says series writer Marika Kuortti. “The bar was very high. The work was made easier by the fact that the characters in the original version are already very well built, and their friendships are complex and deep and therefore stand the test of time.

“However, the world we live in today is completely different in terms of technology, discourse culture and rules than it was in the 1990s. The biggest task in making the remake was to bring the series into the present,” she continued. “But the genre remains the same, with the comedy-drama riding a rollercoaster of laughter and compelling emotions, just like the original series.”

Director Ville Jankeri said that when producer Maria Kangas offered him the opportunity to direct the remake of “Cold Feet,” he was “instantly hooked.”

“I loved the original. After reading the new scripts, I felt the power of the original writing was there too,” he said. “My goal is to reintroduce audiences to these great characters and tell a story that offers a perfect blend of drama and comedy, unexpectedly culminating in very real and moving moments.

“When I watched the original, I was younger than the characters and thought that apparently it’s okay to get lost in relationships sometimes,” Jankeri added. “Now, a little older, I know this is the case.”

Janne Vakio, commission and content development manager at MTV, noted that the original British version of ‘Cold Feet’ was an “important” cultural experience for Finnish audiences in the early 2000s, saying it was “time to have a Finnish version to unite loyal fans and a new generation.”

“’Cold Feet’ has a nostalgic value and reminds viewers of a specific time in their lives. The return tapped into this nostalgia, appealed to old fans and attracted new viewers,” he said. “Nostalgia is an important trend, providing comfort and connection through revived shows.

“The goal of ‘Cold Feet’ is to provide the same warmth, humor and drama as the original series. It covers timeless topics such as relationships, love and the challenges of life in a contemporary context, exploring modern issues,” he continued. “By anchoring these universal themes in today’s world, we want to create a series that resonates with a broad audience and offers something familiar yet new.

“’Rimakauhua ja rakkautta’ is a heartfelt tribute to ‘Cold Feet’, while standing on its own as a reflection of contemporary Finnish life. We are confident that both longtime fans and new viewers will love this updated adaptation.”

MTV has previously had success adapting the shows “EXIT” and “Solsidan” into Finnish versions. ITV Studios Finland recently delivered season 2 of the Finnish detective series ‘Helsinki Crimes’. The first season of the series, based on the best-selling novels by award-winning Finnish writer Matti Yrjänä Joensuu, was sold to several major territories for the studio.