Tag Archive: Australia

  1. Banijay Rights Sends Marie Antoinette Down Under

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    Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay, today announces the sale of new eight-part historical drama Marie Antoinette to BBC First in Australia.

    Produced by Banijay Studios France, CAPA Drama and Les Gens, the acquisition marks the latest international deal for this CANAL+ Creation Originale and follows last year’s pre-sale to UK public broadcaster BBC2. The BBC First agreement was negotiated by Kell Hoddinott, VP Australia and New Zealand, Banijay Rights.

    Created and written by Deborah Davis (The Favourite), Marie Antoinette tells the story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle (Ku’damm 56/ 63). Joining Deborah Davis in writing the ambitious drama is Louise Ironside (The Split), Avril E. Russell (All on a Summer’s Day) and Chloë Moss (Run Sister Run). The series is directed by Pete Travis (Bloodlands) and Geoffrey Enthoven (Children of Love).

    Marie Antoinette is produced by Claude Chelli and Margaux Balsan for Capa Drama, Alban Étienne and Stéphanie Chartreux for Banijay Studios France, and Christophe Toulemonde for Les Gens. Filming took place in many prestigious historical places including the Châteaux of Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Lésigny, Champs, Voisins, and in the emblematic studios of Bry-sur-Marne.

    Kell Hoddinott, VP Sales, Australia and New Zealand, Banijay Rights said: Boasting outstanding scenery and performances, Marie Antoinette is continuing to gain strong traction worldwide. It’s an absolute delight to secure this deal with BBC First and we are in no doubt Australian audiences will fall in love with this series, which so wonderfully chronicles the life of a unique young queen as she navigates the often dark and manipulative world of Versailles.”

    Chrissie Carras, Head of Branded Services, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, said:“We’re delighted to bring this epic drama to Australian audiences. It’s a fascinating story which will keep audiences enthralled from beginning to end.”

    Marie Antoinette was barely 14 years old when she left Austria to marry the Dauphin of France. Growing from a stubborn young princess navigating the rules of the French court under pressure to continue the Bourbon line, to a true fashion icon, she impressed with her natural charisma, and recreated life in Versailles in her image: free, independent and feminist ahead of time. Even with rumours undermining her reputation, the notorious figure would defeat the enemies of the Versailles court with courage and dignity.

  2. Banijay Rights Takes Rogue Heroes Worldwide

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    Banijay Rights today announces landmark acquisitions of major new six-part limited series Rogue Heroes, as this week’s London TV Screenings showcase event gets under way.

     

    In deals negotiated across the Banijay Rights global sales team, Rogue Heroes has been picked up by HBO Max in Europe, Prime Video in Canada and SBS in Australia.

     

    The agreements follow premium network EPIX’s acquisition of the drama for the US in November last year – the first international deal for the series.

     

    Produced by Kudos and Nebulastar for the BBC – and entitled SAS Rogue Heroes in the UK market – the series is a dramatized account of how the world’s greatest Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two.

     

    Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights, said: As this week’s London TV Screenings event gets under way, it’s an absolute delight to be able to announce these huge global deals for Rogue Heroes. From the get-go, Steven Knight and Kudos’ tour de force World War Two drama has created ripples of excitement from international buyers, and we are excited to expand this series’ global footprint even further.”

    Martin Haines, Joint MD, Kudos, added: Steven has created a truly brilliant series, and we are thrilled that audiences around the globe will have the opportunity to watch what will be unmissable TV.”

     

    Based on Ben Macintyre’s best-selling book, Rogue Heroes centres on David Stirling, an eccentric young officer, who is hospitalized after a training exercise gone wrong.

    Convinced that traditional commando units don’t work, Stirling creates a radical plan that flies in the face of all accepted rules of modern warfare. He fights for permission to recruit the toughest, boldest, and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines. More rebels than soldiers, Stirling’s team is every bit as complicated, flawed, and reckless as it is brave and heroic.

     

    Rogue Heroes is developed for television and written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Taboo, A Christmas Carol) and will be directed by Tom Shankland (The Serpent, The Missing), with Stephen Smallwood (The Serpent, Patrick Melrose) as producer. The series is executive produced by Karen Wilson, Martin Haines and Emma Kingsman-Lloyd for Kudos, and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC.

     

    Connor Swindells (Sex Education, Vigil) will play David Stirling, with Jack O’Connell (Skins, The North Water) as Paddy Mayne, Alfie Allen (Jojo Rabbit, Game of Thrones) as Jock Lewes, Tom Glynn-Carney (Dunkirk, The King) as SAS Founding member Mike Sadler, and Sofia Boutella (Modern Love, Atomic Blonde) as Eve. Dominic West (The Wire, Appropriate Adult) will play Lieutenant Colonel Wrangel Clarke.

    Commissioned by the BBC, SAS: Rogue Heroes will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK.

  3. Banijay Rights sells Beauty and the Geek Australia to TVNZ

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    Banijay Rights today announces that the seventh season of Beauty and the Geek Australia has been acquired by TVNZ in New Zealand.

     

    Produced by Endemol Shine Australia for Channel 9, Beauty and the Geek Australia sees 10 modern beauties and 10 unconventional geeks work together through a series of real-life challenges in the search to find a romantic spark or a lifelong friendship. Surprising connections are made as two very different worlds collide and strong partnerships bloom in the most unlikely and sometimes hilarious circumstances.

     

    Hosted by actress, singer and model Sophie Monk and rebooted by Channel 9 for 2021, the winning couples from each night’s challenge score one-on-one date time which could help them seed a connection and solidify a relationship. The couples who are not so successful, however, may end up in the bottom two, forced to duel it out in a challenge which will result in the losing couple going home. At the end of the series one couple will be declared the winner and take home a $100,000 prize.

     

    The series will premiere on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ OnDemand later this year.

     

    Lyle Bettson-Barker, SVP Australia & New Zealand, Banijay Rights, said: “As with all our key primetime Australian series, New Zealand is one of our most important markets where consumers really resonate – so it’s great to partner up with TVNZ to see this series bring warmth and laughter to our New Zealand friends as well.

     

    “With the expertise of Endemol Shine Australia at the helm, I couldn’t be more excited to see this reboot take shape on our screens locally and internationally.”

     

    Banijay Rights is the exclusive distributor of Beauty and the Geek Australia across all platforms and has the rights to produce and license local versions of the show around the world. Banijay produces two other successful reboots of Beauty and the Geek for Italia 1 in Italy and ProSieben in Germany, with the latter generating outstanding results for ProSieben’s primetime average share among key demos: Adults 14-49 (+40%) and Adults 14 – 29 (+81%) from the show’s launch last year.

     

  4. Portugal and Australia Hungry for Banijay’s MasterChef

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    Banijay today confirms the return of global cookery hit, MasterChef, to Portugal’s RTP1 following a two-year hiatus, and the pickup of Celebrity MasterChef Australia by 10 and 10 Play On Demand after twelve years off-air.

     

    Produced by Banijay’s Shine Iberia, MasterChef Portugal has started casting for the new season (masterchefportugal.pt) which will launch on RTP1 later this year, having last aired there in 2019. Whilst Endemol Shine Australia, building on the success of MasterChef Australia season 13 which is currently on-air, will produce an all-new celebrity version for 10. MasterChef Australia judges, Melissa Leong, Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo will be at the helm, with a cast of noteworthy stars including a legendary sports figure, an Australian icon and a famous actor.

     

    Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay says: “The global success of MasterChef is unparalleled, and the format consistently delivers innovation, creativity, culinary excellence and entertainment. The return of the series in Portugal, and the celebrity spin-off in Australia is testament to the continued evolution of the brand and ever-increasing appetite for the format.”

     

    MasterChef is the world’s most successful cookery television format, produced across 62 markets and with over 10,000 episodes aired to-date. Created by Franc Roddam, MasterChef is a superbrand known and enjoyed around the world. Argentina’s first-ever season of Celebrity MasterChef launched in 2020 and became the country’s most watched show of the year with an average share of 76.3%, whilst in the UK, MasterChefhas reigned as the BBC’s No.1 cookery show since 2017.

     

    The MasterChef format and finished programmes are represented internationally by Banijay Rights.

  5. Banijay’s The Write Offs Books First International Deals

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    Banijay confirms The Write Offs has landed its first international deals, having been picked up for Australian and Danish audiences.

     

    Metronome Productions will produce the local Danish version for DR1, while SBS has also ordered its own version of The Write Offs which will be called Lost for Words from Endemol Shine Australia. Originally created by Shine TV for Channel 4, The Write Offs gives a group of adults the amazing opportunity to change their own lives.

     

    Around the world ordinary people struggle with the basic skills necessary for everyday situations, whether it be reading a signpost, writing a shopping list or sending a text message to a loved one. Like the UK version, the Australian and Danish productions offer a group of adults the chance to change their lives forever. New doors are opened as they receive one-to-one tuition and face entertaining tasks to take them out of their comfort zones to improve their reading and writing. It’s an eye-opening and emotional journey, culminating in a moving and dramatic performance surrounded by their friends and family.

     

    Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay: The Write Offs is a heart-warming format which uses personal stories to address a critical issue relevant to every country around the globe. Whilst the subjects’ journeys are poignant and challenging, this uplifting show is full of heart, humour and triumph as viewers see the participants grow in confidence like never before, to share their newfound abilities in front of an audience of stunned and proud loved ones.”

     

    Lana Salah, Executive Producer at Shine TV adds: “Shine TV aims to create thought-provoking formats which entertain, and we are incredibly proud to add another travelling format to our roster. The Write Offs is an empowering series, tackling a sensitive topic with sense of warmth and fun, it’s going to be exciting to see how the lives of learners from Australia and Denmark will be changed forever.”

     

    Metronome Productions is behind hit shows such as MasterChef Denmark, The Block, TaskMaster, The Island and Ex on the Beach. Last year the company produced new formats Alone Together and Fabulous Dads, with both showing international potential.

     

    Endemol Shine Australia is responsible for producing ratings hits such as MasterChef, Big Brother, AustralianSurvivor, LEGO Masters, Married at First Sight and International Emmy Award Winning Old People’s Home For 4 Years Olds.

  6. Banijay Brands Partners with Australian Licensing Agency, WP Brands, for Peaky Blinders and Simon’s Cat

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    Banijay Brands has appointed brand management agency, WP Brands, to represent Peaky Blinders and Simon’s Cat in Australia and New Zealand, as part of the continued expansion of its brand footprint.

     

    Global hit Peaky Blinders is a multi-award-winning BBC One series, created and written by Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises and Locke), and produced by official brand owner, Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions.  Season five launched on BBC One last year and delivered the show’s highest ratings yet. The series has aired across more than 183 countries, as well as internationally on Netflix, including the USA.

     

    Simon’s Cat is a worldwide phenomenon, seen in over 100 countries, with 7 million fans on Facebook, 2 million followers on Instagram, and more than 1 billion views on YouTube.

     

     Created by award-winning illustrator, animator and director, Simon Tofied, Simon’s Cat features the hilarious antics of a mischievous white cat and his long-suffering owner Simon. First seen on YouTube in 2008, the Simon’s Cat brand enjoys international success across multiple categories including gaming, publishing and apparel.

     

    There have been more than 80 million digital sticker downloads and in excess of 18 million mobile gaming downloads with further titles in development.

     

    Jane Smith, Group Director, Brand Licensing at Banijay Brands said: “WP Brands has a stellar reputation and we are thrilled to now partner with the business on these hugely popular brands. We have a shared passion and belief in the appeal for customers in Australia and New Zealand.”

     

    Lim Mi-Kyoung, Managing Director of WP Brands comments: “WP Brands is excited to be working alongside a phenomenal media partner like Banijay Brands and we are looking forward to further building on the consumer products offering in our market. We can’t wait to bring fans more opportunities to engage with these two exciting and wildly popular brands.’’

  7. Mark and Carl Fennessy to Step Down from EndemolShine Australia

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    Banijay today announces Co-CEOs, Mark and Carl Fennessy, will step down from their roles at EndemolShine Australia, with Peter Newman set to run the business as Chief Executive Officer. The brothers leave behind an incredibly healthy business, which they have led for over ten years.

    Mark and Carl Fennessy will depart EndemolShine Australia. During their tenure, they oversaw the merger of the Endemol and Shine businesses in Australia and have subsequently led the team’s development and production of many major global entertainment franchises. Industry leaders, they have spent the last decade entertaining the nation and audiences across the globe, leaving behind a healthy pipeline and back catalogue.

    Having been with Shine/EndemolShine Australia for eight years, most recently as Chief Content Officer, Newman will now strategically lead the business’ content pipeline and overarching operations. He joined Shine back in 2012 as Creative Director, before taking up the CCO post in 2018. Overseeing one of the biggest unscripted production slates in the world, he has been significantly involved in hits including MasterChef Australia, Big Brother, Australian Survivor, Married at First Sight and LEGO Masters.

    Prior to his appointment at Shine, he was Head of Production and Development at Australian broadcaster, SBS. Having begun his career in his native city of London, he has also held a number of roles across the UK’s independent production sector, most notably at the BBC. Throughout his career to date, he has developed, commissioned and produced a host of award-winning programmes, receiving an International Emmy and Best of Rose at the Rose D’or for Go Back to Where You Came From, AACTA awards for MasterChef Australia, Australian Ninja Warrior and Australian Survivor, and Logie awards for Gogglebox amongst others.

    Marco Bassetti Chief Executive Officer, Banijay comments: “The Fennessy brothers have long-served as commendable businessmen at the forefront of the country’s creative industry and we wish them all the best with where their artistic journey takes them next. We now welcome Peter who is a commercially sound producer and entrepreneur and has all the attributes we look for in our leaders. Having been close to the business’ creative core and key in driving the success of the label’s most recent hits, he is an incredible asset to Banijay as we continue to evolve our creative vision and set our strategy in Australia.”

    Peter Newman comments: “It’s been amazing to work with Mark and Carl over the last eight years and it’s an honour to take up the reins of this impressive newly-combined company. EndemolShine Australia has always been about supporting and empowering the great people behind the world-class production of our shows. I’m incredibly proud of our workplace culture, our focus on creative excellence and will ensure we continue to do what we do best; working with our broadcast partners to deliver their audiences outstanding content. Banijay generates some of the world’s best TV formats and I can’t wait to bring them to life here in Australia.”

    Mark and Carl Fennessy comment: “Ten years ago we commenced a journey with Elisabeth Murdoch to ‘Inspire, Create and Shine’. The period since has been like one long day filled with rewarding experiences and great success but the time has come for the next adventure. We’re grateful to the broadcasters for their support and we salute our incredible team of talented executives with whom we’ve had the privilege to lead. We look forward to a much-needed break and extend our best wishes to Banijay.”

  8. Noel Mpofu Appointed COO Of Screentime

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    Noel Mpofu has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Screentime (a Banijay Group company), effective immediately.

    With extensive experience in finance in the media sector, Noel joined the company as Chief Financial Officer in 2017. Previously Group Financial Controller at Southern Star Entertainment (now Endemol Shine Australia) he went on to establish his own agency specialising in television production royalty and residuals management, with clients including Screen Australia, SPA, AWG, as well as numerous production companies and networks.

    Noel Mpofu said: “I am thrilled to be stepping up within the Screentime management team at this exciting time. Screentime is well known locally for producing high-quality premium drama and nonscripted entertainment, and as we enter this exciting next phase as a significant global player under the Banijay banner, I look forward to being a part of the innovation of our premium content business.”

    Highly regarded creative Anthony Ellis joins Screentime as Head of Scripted working alongside Head of Production (Scripted) Kerrie Mainwaring. One of Australia’s most experienced script executives, throughout his career Ellis has been involved in some of our most iconic productions including writing the pilot, co-developing and script producing Always Greener for Channel Seven, before being appointed Network Script Executive at Channel Nine where he oversaw the scripting of numerous productions including McLeod’s Daughters and Stingers. He then returned to Channel Seven where he co-developed, wrote the pilot and script produced the hugely successful Packed To The Rafters. Appointed Head of Scripted Content at Fremantle Media in 2012, Ellis was instrumental in the scripting of the multi-award-winning Wentworth, supervised scripting on both Wonderland and the telemovie Mary: The Making of a Princess, as well as the acclaimed six-part drama Picnic at Hanging Rock.

    Upon the announcement Anthony Ellis said: “I am delighted to join Screentime and look forward to helping secure and build on its legacy of innovative, compelling and hugely popular drama.”

  9. Give in to Temptation!

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    Channel Seven today announced it will reboot one of the most sizzling reality shows in television history: TEMPTATION ISLAND.

     

    TEMPTATION ISLAND follows four dating couples at a pivotal time in their relationships, where they must mutually decide if they are ready to commit to one another for the rest of their lives – or go their separate ways.

     

    Together, the couples travel to an island paradise where they live the “single life”, housed separately with a bunch of sexy singles who try to tempt them away from their relationships. In the end, will the couples leave together? Will they leave with one of the island’s “tempters”? Or will they break up and go home alone?

     

    Seven’s Director of Network Programming Angus Ross said: “From risque parties to romantic adventures, Temptation Island is the ultimate test of faithfulness.

     

    “It’s a fascinating exploration of the familiar vs the fantasy relationship. Most of us have an ideal mate in mind and Temptation Island actually allows participants to meet that person and compare it with their present relationship. It then asks the question, will they stay or stray?”

     

    The recent return of TEMPTATION ISLAND in the US after 15 years saw a 92% above slot average for the 18-49 female demo on the USA Network. The series was recommissioned after just three episodes. The record-breaking season finale attracting 1.7m viewers, 68% above slot average.

     

    TEMPTATION ISLAND is a Banijay Studios / Screentime format. The original Australian series aired on Seven in 2002. The reboot will be produced by Seven Studios. Matt Apps is Executive Producer.

     

    Casting is now open to couples at a crossroad in their relationship, willing to put their love to the ultimate test. Tempted? Go to www.temptationisland.com.au now!