Banijay is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay is present in 16 territories.
Banijay is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay is present in 16 territories.

Tag Archive: Cathy Payne

  1. Banijay Entertainment Lifts the Curtain on Must-See London TV Screenings Line-Up

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    Global content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces its top-tier premium line-up for its exclusive London TV Screenings event, Banijay @ BAFTA 195 Piccadilly. With a range of captivating and multi-genre programming, the group’s event will span three sessions on Wednesday, 26th February. 

    Headlining the 2025 showcase is Maigret the first contemporary television adaptation of Georges Simenon’s beloved detective novels, from the Golden Globe and BAFTA award-winning production company behind Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light; landmark documentary series 7/7: The London Bombings, marking the 20th anniversary of the London attack; and reality dating format 30 Dates in 30 Nights with several brand new formats to be announced on the day. Additionally, the powerhouse will spotlight highly-anticipated reboots including fan-favourite reality series Faking It.

    Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights says: “From high-end dramas to gripping factual series, this year’s line-up highlights the exceptional depth and quality of our burgeoning catalogue, reinforcing our reputation for delivering standout content across multiple genres to buyers worldwide. We cannot wait to come together later this month with our partners at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly for what has become an unmissable event in the TV industry calendar.” 

    James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Development and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations at Banijay Entertainment, comment: “The London TV Screenings is the perfect stage to showcase Banijay Entertainment’s latest and most innovative IP, alongside reimagined hit formats. Creativity is brimming across our footprint, and with global partners seeking bold new formats, our portfolio of buzzworthy titles truly set us apart.” 

    For its UK premium scripted slate, Banijay Rights’ offering includes Maigret for MASTERPIECE from Playground, which reframes Parisian Chief Inspector, Jules Maigret, as an unconventional young detective; a modern re-imagining of iconic detective series Bergerac, an U&Original series for U and U&DRAMA from Blacklight TV; Emmy-winning Baby Reindeer-creator Richard Gadd’s deeply personal drama Half Man for BBC and BBC Scotland, in coproduction with HBO, from Mam Tor Productions; Wild Mercury and Capricorn Productions’ psychological thriller FEAR for Amazon Prime Video; The Forge Entertainment’s Just Act Normal a comedy drama series about three stubbornly optimistic siblings with a dark secret, for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three; and The Feud, a domestic thriller for Channel 5 from Lonesome Pine Productions in association and North East Screen.  

    Crossing over to continental Europe is French crime series The Family Detective for TF1 from Shine Fiction; Dutch thriller Elixir for NPO and New8 from Banijay Benelux label Topkapi Films; and French horror thriller The Rose Family for Cine+ OCS from Black Sheep Films. Also featured are the eagerly awaited second seasons of Marie Antoinette, the CANAL+ Creation Originale, produced by CAPA Drama, Banijay Studios France and Beside Production; and Filmlance’s Swedish crime drama Fallen for TV4.   

    A range of fascinating documentaries headline the factual slate including 7/7: The London Bombings from The Slate Works for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer; true-crime series The Drowning Pool from Caravan for Channel 5; Workerbee’s gripping title Anatomy of a Murder; investigative climate justice documentary The Silence of the Earth, from Diagonal TV with Crescendo Media Production for TVE and ARTE; and CNN Original series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain from Hyphenate Media Group.  

    Banijay Entertainment’s formats continue to push boundaries, with a blend of original and highly-entertaining offerings including Meter/Jarowskij’s cross-country skiing competition Against All Odds for SVT; influencer-fuelled adventure Mission Unknown: Atlantic from Banijay Productions Germany for Prime Video; life-changing Danish reality format The Rest of Your Life for DR1 and DR TV; and Nordisk Film TV’s docu-format AI Love You for TV 2. 

    On the reality front comes 30 Dates in 30 Nights from Cuarzo Producciones (part of Banijay Iberia) for Mitele Plus (Mediaset España) and highly-anticipated popular reboots including Faking it; Ladette to Lady and hit extension LEGO Masters: Out of the Box.   

    From its third-party non-scripted portfolio is reality format My Name Is Gabriel for JTBC and Disney+; unique culinary format Atypical Critics featuring autistic food critics; ultimate gameshows Genius Game for ITV and Clone Heads; and competitive knitting series Game of Wool for More 4. This follows yesterday’s announcement of The Insider, the first format to stem from a newly-announced co-development deal between Endemol Shine Australia and Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) – a reinvention of Junya Ueda’s Actor Vs Reactors. 

     These London TV Screenings highlights complement Banijay Entertainment’s globally renowned catalogue, which includes superbrands Big Brother and Peaky Blinders; travelling hits The Fifty and Good Luck Guys from Banijay France’s B Prod; and streamer launches Celebrity Bear Hunt, co-produced by Banijay UK’s Workerbee, The Natural Studios and Talkback for Netflix; Last One Laughing UK from Zeppotron and Initial for Prime Video, created by Hitoshi Matsumoto and produced by Banijay Entertainment labels in 11 markets; and visually-stunning French drama Carême, a Shine Fiction (part of Banijay France) and VVZ Production for Apple TV+.

  2. Banijay Rights Partners with Diagonal TV and Crescendo on Hard-Hitting Climate Justice Documentary

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    Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces a powerful new feature-length documentary shedding light on one of the most pressing issues facing the world, climate justice. Produced by Banijay Iberia label Diagonal TV with Crescendo Media Production, in association with Banijay Rights, this gripping exposé takes centre stage at MIPCOM 2024, bringing the undeniable human rights story to global buyers.

    Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Eulogio Romero, The Silence of the Earth delves into the lives and deaths of three courageous environmental activists, Berta Cáceres, Paulo Paulino Guajajara and Aldo Zamora, who paid the ultimate price for defending the planet from corporate greed and environmental destruction. The documentary is not only an investigative thriller, but also a heart-wrenching drama, shining a light on the dark forces behind their deaths and connecting them to global climate change.

    The Silence of the Earth offers exclusive access to the victims’ families and unprecendented insights, revealing the corporations and local power structures complicit in these crimes. The film underscores the far-reaching effects of environmental destruction, extending far beyond the borders of Latin America, with the depletion of natural resources and forests  accelerating the threat of global climate change.

    Jordi Frades, Managing Director, Diagonal TV, says: “This documentary is not just a film, it’s a call to action. Climate change is the defining crisis of our time, affecting every person on the planet. Through Silence of the Earth, we bring to life the powerful and harrowing stories of the environmental activists who paid the ultimate price to protect the earth. Eulogio Romero masterfully blends investigative thriller with cinematic drama, delivering a deeply human narrative to engage audiences and inspire action.”

    Cathy Payne, Chief Executive Officer, Banijay Rights, says: “The Silence of the Earth is an urgent and vital documentary. By revealing the real-life consequences of environmental destruction, we hope to spark conversations on the intersections between corporate power, human rights and the climate crisis. With our global reach, Banijay Rights is committed to ensuring this essential story reaches audiences worldwide, and we believe MIPCOM 2024 is the perfect stage for its international debut.”

    The documentary will feature alongside Banijay Entertainment’s diverse factual line-up for MIPCOM 2024, including CNN Original travelogue series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain, feature-length documentary, Atomic People for the BBC, and docu-series 7/7: Three Weeks in July for the BBC and BBC iPlayer. Additionally, two feature-length premium documentaries from Scenery, a joint venture with Banijay Benelux, are available to buyers in Cannes: Front Row and LARA: The Man Who Took on Escobar.

  3. Banijay Rights Takes The Hardacres From Rags to Riches

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    Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay Entertainment, today announces landmark acquisitions of major new six-part period drama series The Hardacres ahead of MIPCOM 2024 in Cannes next week.

    In deals negotiated across the Banijay Rights global sales team, The Hardacres has been acquired by BritBoxin Australia, TVNZ in New Zealand, TV4 Sweden, MTV in Finland, DR in Denmark, RTÉ in Ireland, BBC Firstin Benelux and, as previously announced, Movistar Plus+ in Spain. Dazzler Media has acquired home entertainment rights for the series in UK.

    Produced by Playground (Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, All Creatures Great and Small), in association with Screen Ireland, Red Berry Productions and Newgrange Pictures for Channel 5 in the UK, the 6 x 60’ series chronicles the lives, loves and fortunes of the working-class Hardacre family as they move from a grimy fish dock to a vast country estate in 1890s Yorkshire, England.

    Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights and Executive Producer, said: “The Hardacres is a sprawling and captivating saga that follows an ordinary family on their rags to riches journey into an extraordinary new world. We’re delighted this series will form part of our exciting line-up of new scripted fare at MIPCOM 2024.

    David Stern, Joint Managing Director, Playground, said: “Inspired by CL Skelton’s epic novels, audiences will undoubtedly fall in love with and root for the Hardacre family as they try to answer the age-old question: Can money truly buy happiness? At its core, The Hardacres is a bold, gutsy, funny and incredibly heartwarming story about a family trying to do their best and stay together in a world that doesn’t always seem to share their values, all enhanced by the remarkable talent in front of and behind the camera which we cannot wait for viewers to experience for themselves.”

    The Hardacres was filmed on location in Dublin and Wicklow, Ireland, and was adapted for television by Amy Roberts and Loren McLaughlan (The Winter King, Call the Midwife) who serve as Lead Writers and Executive Producers. They are joined by Emma Reeves (The Worst Witch) who wrote episode three, and Liz Lake (Waterloo Road) who wrote episode four. Rachel Carey (Deadly Cuts) is Lead Director.

    The Hardacre family consists of Claire Cooper (The Continental, The Peripheral) and Liam McMahon (Hunger, The Secret, Warrior Nun) as loving married couple Mary and Sam Hardacre, alongside Julie Graham (Time, Ridley, Penance), as Mary’s wily mother, Ma, and their three kids, Joe, Liza, and Harry, played by Adam Little (Ackley Bridge, Coronation Street), newcomer Shannon Lavelle and Zak Ford-Williams (Better, Bridgerton).

    The series, commissioned by Deputy Chief Content Officer, Paramount UK, Sebastian Cardwell, alongside Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Drama, Channel 5 and Paramount+, is produced by Alex Jones (Witness Number 3, Penance) and co-produced by Jackie Larkin (Strike, Mrs Wilson); Executive Producers are Sir Colin Callender CBE (All Creatures Great and Small, The Undeclared War) and David Stern (Howards End, The Last Tycoon) for Playground, Lesley McKimm (My Name is Emily, Sunlight) for Red Berry Productions, Cathy Payne and Simon Cox for Banijay Rights and Nada Cirjanic and Andrew Byrne for Screen Ireland.

    The Hardacres is one of several scripted highlights on Banijay Entertainment’s slate for MIPCOM 2024, which includes Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light and the re-imagining of iconic detective drama Bergerac. The company will exhibit at C.20 at MIPCOM 2024.

  4. Banijay Entertainment Showcases Must-See Slate for MIPCOM 2024

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    Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces this year’s standout titles across all genres for MIPCOM 2024, bolstering its position as the number one European studio.

    Leading the charge is the re-imagining of iconic detective drama Bergerac; original new competition format, Three Are The Champions; Dutch reboot By Land, Air and Sea; and high-end travelogue series, Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain. Additionally, the powerhouse will celebrate its latest travelling formats launched last MIPCOM, including The Summit and Deal or No Deal Island.

    This year’s premium UK scripted offering includes the revival of Bergerac for UKTV’s U&DRAMA and free streaming service, U; the much-awaited Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light for the BBC and Masterpiece PBS; Welsh crime drama The One that Got Away for S4C; We Go Again (w/t), a comedy drama for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer; and The Feud, a domestic thriller for Channel 5. From New Zealand is new returnable crime procedural A Remarkable Place to Die for TVNZ, ZDF, and Acorn TV, and crossing over to Europe, is Italy’s pop band drama Accidentally Famous for Sky Italia; Dutch thriller Elixir for NPO and New8, and French crime drama The Family Detective for TF1. Anticipated returners Marie Antoinette for Canal+, PBS, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer and SAS Rogue Heroes for BBC iPlayer and MGM+ will also be highlighted. 

    New formats making their international debut include the Dutch reboot of iconic entertainment programme By Land, Air and Sea, and Germany’s ratings success Three Are The Champions for RTL. Australia brings competitive renovation show Dream Home, insightful comedy travelogue Origin Odyssey, and music themed social experiment Headliners; the US launches new dating series The Never Ever Mets, and from the UK is strategic reality format, The Fortune Hotel. Building the next generation of superbrands, Banijay Entertainment will also highlight its successful travelling formats, including blockbuster adventure reality series The Summit; latest MasterChef iteration, Dessert Masters; and spin-off Deal or No Deal Island.

    On the factual front, CNN Original travelogue series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain will headline, alongside feature-length documentary, Atomic People for the BBC, as well as docu-series 7/7: Three Weeks in July for the BBC and BBC iPlayer. In addition, two feature-length premium documentaries from Scenery, a joint venture with Banijay Benelux, are available to buyers in Cannes: Front Row and LARA: The Man Who Tried to Save Colombia.

    Cathy Payne, CEO Banijay Rights, says: “Our dynamic line-up for this year’s MIPCOM truly highlights the continued growth and global appeal of our catalogue. From riveting dramas such as Bergerac and Wolf Hall, to high-end factual series like Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain, we are eager to present a diverse and competitive slate that celebrates the power of storymaking and the outstanding talent behind our IP.”

    James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Development and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations at Banijay, add: “Our offering of distinctive and fresh formats coming from the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, UK, and the US, underscores our commitment to creating popular IP like Three Are The Champions, and evolving classic favourites like By Land, Air and Sea. The success of our new travelling hits, The Summitand Deal or No Deal Island, speaks to the creativity of our talented teams across the footprint, and illustrates our expertise in building the next generation of superbrands.”

    The UK continues to offer strong premium scripted content, including the modern re-imagining of Bergerac, based on the original series created by Robert Banks Stewart and starring Damien Molony (The Split, Brassic),produced by Blacklight TV, a Banijay UK company. Blacklight TV also brings The One That Got Away, a thriller about a nurse’s murder that questions a historic conviction. Additionally, The Forge, recently acquired by Banijay UK, presents We Go Again (w/t), a new comedy drama from Janice Okoh about three stubbornly optimistic siblings with a dark secret.

    Launching this year, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, a Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures co-production, continues the Tudor saga of Thomas Cromwell’s complex journey. Additionally, The Feud, a Lonesome Pine Productions title in association with Banijay Rights and Northeast Screen, uncovers dark secrets through a family’s contentious home renovation, leading to a spiral of paranoia and fear.

    Screentime New Zealand’s A Remarkable Place to Die, features a detective facing a series of intriguing local homicides, and from Groenlandia, a Banijay Italia company, and Sky Studios, comes Accidentally Famous, depicting the rise of Italian pop band 883.  Elixir, a thriller from Banijay Benelux label Topkapi Films, along with NTR and BNNVARRA, revolves around a pharmaceutical scandal, while The Family Detective, from Banijay France’s Shine Fiction, brings a new crime drama about a family immersed in solving police cases. Finally, the group celebrates eagerly awaited second seasons of Marie Antoinette, The CANAL+ Creation Originale, produced by Capa Drama, Banijay Studios France and Beside Production; and SAS Rogue Heroes produced by Kudos (a Banijay UK company) and created, written and executive produced by Steven Knight.

    Banijay Entertainment will showcase an array of formats available for adaptation globally. Three Are The Champions from EndemolShine Germany and Potatohead Pictures (part of Banijay Germany), has a second season greenlit, and spotlights three celebrities as they compete in challenges against top champions. Adrenaline-fuelled reboot By Land, Air and Sea from EndemolShine Nederland (part of Banijay Benelux) features contestants navigating creative obstacle courses using custom-built vehicles. Dream Home from Endemol Shine Australia for Channel 7 sees six teams face-off in an epic renovation showdown, while Origin Odyssey for SBS explores cultural roots in a new comedy travelogue, and Headliners for SBS, is a celebration of music and inclusion. Elsewhere, the US brings The Never Ever Mets from Bunim/Murray Productions (part of Banijay Americas), a returning series for OWN, where online dating comes to life. And from Tuesday’s Child, the producer behind hit competition reality series, LEGO Masters, is strategy gameshow The Fortune Hotel for ITV.

    Banijay Entertainment’s travelling formats will be celebrated with the 9Network and Endemol Shine Australia original series, The Summit, which has travelled to three territories, including the US, with more to be announced; spin-off Deal Or No Deal Island by Endemol Shine North America, which has been renewed for by NBC; and Endemol Shine Australia’s MasterChef spinoff, Dessert Masters, which has recently launched in Brazil, showcasing top pastry chefs competing in high-stakes challenges.

    Crossing over to factual with Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain from Hyphenate Media Group, takes viewers on a delectable culinary journey in Spain. Minnow Films’ Atomic People explores the human fallout from atomic bombs, while Slate Work’s 7/7: Three Weeks in July, explores the 2005 UK terrorist attacks in a compelling docu-series. Meanwhile, Front Row, from Scenery and Pretty Matches and Executive Produced by award-winning actor and producer Sarah Jessica Parker, highlights the resilience of Ukrainian ballet dancers during wartime where an unlikely friendship forms between a dancer and a front-line soldier, while LARA: The Man Who Tried to Save Colombia recounts the extraordinary reconciliation story behind Pablo Escobar’s most famous assassination.

    These MIPCOM highlights complement Banijay Entertainment’s globally renowned catalogue, which includes superbrands like Big Brother and Peaky Blinders, new travelling hits such as The Fifty and Good Luck Guys, and its highly-anticipated streamer launches Bear Hunt, co-produced by Banijay UK’s Workerbee, The Natural Studios and Talkback for Netflix; Last One Laughing UK from Zeppotron and Initial for Prime Video, created by Hitoshi Matsumoto and produced by Banijay Entertainment labels in 11 markets; Culte from Banijay France’s label Screenline Productions and 27 Tribe for Prime Video; Billionaire Island from Banijay Nordics’ label Rubicon; and the second series of The Rig, from Banijay UK’s Wild Mercury for Prime Video. The company will exhibit at C.20 at MIPCOM 2024.

  5. My Kitchen Rules cooks up global success

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    The Seven Network’s hit cooking show My Kitchen Rules continues its global success, with strong overseas sales of the Australian series and the commissioning of international versions.

    Seven’s distribution partner, Banijay Rights, the global sales arm of content powerhouse Banijay Entertainment, has negotiated strong long-term sales agreements for My Kitchen Rules Australia with key overseas networks, including TVNZ in New Zealand, M-Net in South Africa, UKTV in the UK, DPG Media in Belgium, TVA in French-speaking Canada, SIC in Portugal, Talpa in the Netherlands and TV2 in Hungary.

    My Kitchen Rules Australia is also a strong performer on Amazon Prime Video in the US, delivering an average of 12 million streamed minutes a month. Seasons one to 12 of the Australian series is a top 20 title for Amazon Prime Video in the US.

    Over the years, 36 seasons of My Kitchen Rules have been produced under format license in 15 countries, making it one of Australia’s most successful television exports. Leading Israeli TV network, Keshet Media Group recently commissioned a fifth season of the series.

    Keshet Media Group Head of Programs and Acquisition, Ilanit Siman Tov Hirsch, said: “Keshet is very pleased with commissioning the fifth season of the format in Israel. Last season was My Kitchen Rules’ highest rated season. The show reflected the hottest topics Israelis talked about and became the talk of the hour, thanks to the honesty of the participants that many Israelis could relate with.”

    Banijay Rights CEO, Cathy Payne, said: “My Kitchen Rules is one of the stand-out culinary formats in Banijay Entertainment’s burgeoning catalogue, with a loyal international fanbase.Featuring everyday cooking by some of the best amateur cooks, this much-loved series continues to appeal to audiences worldwide across multiple platforms, as demonstrated by our ongoing global deals.”

    Seven’s Director, Distribution and Content Partnerships, Richard Henson, said: “We are delighted to see My Kitchen Rules Australia continue to resonate in global markets. Distribution partnership with Banijay Rights is one to be proud of and we look forward to working with the team to extend further format and finished tape sales in key territories.”

    My Kitchen Rules, which is produced for Seven by ITV Studios Australia, was the #1 cooking show in Australia last year. It reached 6.1 million Australians on Channel 7 and 883,000 on 7plus, and grew its average total TV audience by 10% year-on-year to 1.04 million. On 7plus, live streaming jumped 32% and BVOD climbed 15%.

    The 2023 Grand Final reached 1.7 million viewers on Channel 7 and 101,000 on 7plus. It delivered the biggest My Kitchen Rules Grand Final audience since 2019 and was up 15% on the 2022 final.

    The 2024 season of My Kitchen Rules launches soon on Channel 7 and 7plus.

  6. Banijay Rights Appoints Isabelle Helle as SVP German-Speaking Territories and Poland

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    Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay, today announces the appointment of Isabelle Helleas SVP German-Speaking Territories and Poland.

    Helle will be responsible for executing Banijay Rights’ co-production sales strategy across German-speaking Europe and Poland, where she will represent the leading distributor’s 185,000+ hour-strong catalogue.

    An experienced senior sales executive, Helle was formerly Director of BBC Worldwide Germany and has most recently been running her own consultancy, managing various domestic and international projects including high-end coproduction deals in territory.

    Based in Cologne, Germany, Helle will report into Claire Jago, EVP EMEA Sales and Acquisitions, Banijay Rights, who said: “Isabelle is an extremely well-respected sales executive with a deep understanding of the German-speaking market. We are thrilled she joins the Banijay Rights sales team as we look to continue our success across Europe.”

    Isabelle Helle, SVP German-Speaking Territories and Poland, Banijay Rights, added: “Banijay Rights is one of the pre-eminent distributors in the international content industry so I’m delighted to join a team of this calibre. There is real opportunity for growth in German-speaking territories and Poland and I look forward to getting started.”

    Led by CEO Cathy Payne, Banijay Rights represents a world-class, multi-genre portfolio of standout programming including Survivor, Big Brother, MasterChef, Peaky Blinders, Rogue Heroes, Marie Antoinette, Grantchester, Mr Bean and Black Mirror.

  7. Banijay Unveils Compelling Slate Ahead of London TV Screenings

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    Media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, today announces a compelling offering for its dedicated London TV Screenings event – Banijay @ BAFTA.

    Hitting the 2024 line-up is the highly-anticipated high-end scripted series Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light; and premium documentary Front Row. Elsewhere, the powerhouse will also be celebrating travelling formats with adventure reality, The Summit; and spin-off, Deal or No Deal Island. Packed with distinct, high-quality programming across all genres, the group’s event will span three sessions on Wednesday 28 February.

    On the scripted front, Banijay’s premium offering includes UK dramas Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light for the BBC and Masterpiece PBS, based on the final novel of Hilary Mantel’s multi award-winning trilogy; The Hardacres for Channel 5; Steven Knight’s This Town for the BBC; Welsh drama The One That Got Away (Cleddau) for S4C; and Invisible Boys for Stan. Buyers can also expect a preview of eagerly-awaited second seasons of Marie Antoinette for Canal+ and the BBC, and Rogue Heroes for the BBC and MGM+.

    Supercharging its documentary offering, Front Row takes centre stage with Anatomy of a Murder and Four Kings for Prime Video.

    To complement the scripted and documentary offering, Banijay will showcase a blend of fresh and highly-entertaining formats including adrenaline-fuelled travelling success The Summit for Nine Network; new spin-off, Deal or No Deal Island created for NBC; adventure reality format and ratings winner Shaolin Heroes for TV2; recent Channel 4 factual reality VOD hit Banged Up; innovative game show Upside Down for RTL4 and The Fortune Hotel for ITV1 and ITVX. A light will also be shone on global superbrands and prized returning formats like Survivor, Big Brother, Star Academy, and reality formats Love Triangle and The Fifty.

    Cathy Payne, CEO at Banijay Rights says: “This year’s line-up for Banijay @ BAFTA truly illuminates the breadth of our catalogue and ability to showcase outstanding content across multiple genres. From high-end dramas to acclaimed factual series, we look forward to coming together later this month to celebrate great talent, captivating storytelling and stand-out IP. We really do have something for everyone…”

    James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Development and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations at Banijay comment: “The London TV Screenings provides an incredible opportunity for Banijay to demonstrate its commitment to delivering exciting emerging IP as well as tried and tested formats and reboots, which continue to compel audiences globally. From Shaolin Heroes to The Summit, and iconic format Deal or No Deal, we are sure to enthral buyers seeking fresh, innovative, and proven formats.”

    For its scripted slate, Banijay Rights is highlighting Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, a Playground and Company Pictures co-production directed by Peter Kosminsky, and adapted for television by Peter Straughan, which follows Thomas Cromwell as he navigates the moral complexities of the Tudor court following the execution of Anne Boleyn. Another period drama from Playground in association with Screen Ireland, Red Berry Productions and Newgrange Pictures is new returnable six-part series –The Hardacres- based on CL Skelton’s novel series, The Hardacre Saga.

    Meanwhile, from Kudos and Nebulastar, and co-produced with Mercury Studios, in association with Kudos North, Stigma Films, and Nick Angel for the BBC, the much-anticipated This Town tells the story of an extended family and four young people who are drawn into the world of the ska movement and two-tone music.

    BlackLight Television (a Banijay UK company), in collaboration with Banijay Rights and Creative Wales for S4C, are delving into Welsh drama with The One That Got Away (Cleddau), which combines a gripping murder mystery with an electrifying love story.

    Crossing over to Australia, Invisible Boys from Feisty Dame Productions, Screenwest and Lotterywest, WA Regional Film Fund, Screen Australia, and Banijay Rights for Stan Originals, is a powerful drama created for television by director Nicholas Verso on the challenges faced by a group of gay teens in the remote coastal town of Geraldton.

    In factual, the feature-length premium documentary from Scenery and Pretty Matches, Front Row, Executive Produced by award-winning actor and producer Sarah Jessica Parker, and directed by Miriam Guttmann (Sundance Film Festival selection Seeds of Deceit), highlights the resilience of Ukrainian ballet dancers during wartime, where an unlikely friendship forms between a dancer and a front-line soldier.

    From Workerbee comes two gripping documentaries, Anatomy of a Murder, a feature length true-crime story centring around the daughter of an Iranian family, who has spent over thirty years and millions of her fortune to try and find her mother’s killer; and Four Kings for Prime Video, exploring the history of British boxing through four men coming from the same London neighbourhood who heralded a golden era and changed the way Britain viewed its black athletes.

    Meanwhile, on the reality competition front, The Summit, a 9Network and Endemol Shine Australia original series, produced by Endemol Shine Australia, continues to climb through the ranks with a second season in the works, and a first international adaptation for CBS by Endemol Shine North America with more to come soon.

    From Endemol Shine North America, Deal or No Deal Island completely reimagines the iconic game show as an epic adventure. This new spin-off series for NBC is set on the Banker’s private island as he searches for his ultimate opponent in a high stakes competition with over $200,000,000 up for grabs.

    From Metronome is Shaolin Heroes for TV2 Denmark, where celebrities undertake the ultimate test by embarking on a transformational journey alongside world-class Shaolin Masters.

    Joining Banijay’s factual offering is Banged Up, created by Shine TV for Channel 4. In this fact-ent format social experiment, which veers into the documentary space, six male celebrity inmates are incarcerated in a UK prison environment alongside their reformed criminal cellmates. The series explores the question, ‘does prison work’?

    From EndemolShine Nederland, Upside Down sees two celebrity teams undertake all kinds of topsy turvy challenges and Q&A games unlike anything they have seen before, because everything in this innovative format, is upside down.

    Highly-anticipated reality series The Fortune Hotel from Tuesday’s Child for ITV1 and ITVX invites viewers into a luxury Caribbean resort filled with glamour, opulence and deception. Contestants are paired up and compete to win a briefcase, one holding the ultimate cash prize and another an Early Checkout Card.

  8. Global Buyers Have Fallen for Filmlance’s Sofia Helin & Camilla Ahlgren Crime Drama

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    Banijay Rights today announces the first international sales of Fallen, the new crime drama from Banijay Nordic label Filmlance and Bron (The Bridge) screenwriter Camilla Ahlgren and actor Sofia Helin, as this week’s Göteborg Film Festival TV Drama Vision conference gets under way.

    In deals negotiated across the Banijay Rights global sales team, Fallen has been acquired by CANAL+ Group’s POLAR+ channel in France, MHz Choice in the US, NPO in the Netherlands, SBS in Australia, ERTin Greece and Syn hf in Iceland.

    Created and written by Ahlgren along with Martin Asphaug and Alex Haridi, the six-part series stars Helin (The Bridge, Lust, Emmy-winner Atlantic Crossing) and Hedda Stiernstedt (The Restaurant, Wallander, Beforeigners) and is a co-production between, TV4, Film i Skåne and Filmlance, in collaboration with ZDF.

    Fallen sees Helin play Iris Broman – the new head of Kalla Fall, a group solving cold cases in Malmö – who due to a tragedy moves from Stockholm down to the small southern town of Ystad, where she lives in her half-sister Kattis’ (Stiernstedt) house by the sea. But when Iris arrives in Skåne, a cold case becomes topical again and everything is turned upside down, intertwining the lives of several characters.

    Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights, said: “As this week’s Göteborg Film Festival begins, we are thrilled to announce that Camilla Ahlgren’s latest riveting drama has been acquired across Europe, the US and Australia. With a stellar cast fronted by Sofia Helin and Hedda Stiernstedt, this new Filmlance series delivers incredible suspense and excitement for international buyers and we can’t wait to continue expanding its presence worldwide.”

    Camilla Ahlgren, Creator and Head Writer, says: “Since 2017 when we began developing Fallen, our journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, and it’s been fantastic to collaborate with Sofia Helin and Filmlance once again. It’s affirming to see the series find its audience, and I’m proud that people around the world will now be able to watch it too.” 

    Fallen is produced by Filmlance’s Anna Wallmark, and Lisa Dahlberg serves as executive producer at TV4. The lead director is Linnea Roxeheim (Portkod), working with Olof Spaak.

    Led by Hanne Palmquist, Filmlance is part of Banijay’s unrivalled network of over 60 scripted labels. The company is behind critically-acclaimed drama and films for the local and international market including Ronja the Robber’s Daughter with Viaplay for Netflix, Top Dog for CMore/ TV4, as well as long-running hit Beck(CMore/ TV4), and international successes JJ+E (Netflix) and Caliphate (SVT/Netflix).

  9. Bean is Back

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    Tiger Aspect Kids & Family (a Banijay Kids & Family company), today announces its hit comedy, Mr Bean: The Animated Series, has been commissioned for a fourth run, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and ITVX, through deals agreed by Banijay Rights.

    Executive produced and voiced by Rowan Atkinson, season 4 will comprise 52 x 11’ episodes, bringing the total number of episodes across all series to 182 x 11-minutes. It will air on Cartoonito and HBO Max across EMEA, on Warner Bros. Discovery’s kids channels and streaming services across South East Asia and South Asia, and on ITVX Kids in the UK and Eire from 2025, which will be the 35th anniversary of the first live-action episode. The animation follows the antics of Mr Bean and of course Teddy, as they embark on a series of adventures, making plenty of mischief along the way.

    Rowan Atkinson says: “I have always enjoyed this iteration of the Mr Bean character and the particular freedoms he has in animated form. We can take him into space or down a tin mine, without me personally having to suffer the consequences. The animation process creatively is always fascinating and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into the new series very much.”

    Tom Beattie, MD Tiger Aspect Kids & Family/Series Producer says: “It’s a real pleasure to have the opportunity to go back to such a special series. Mr Bean is an iconic comedy legend and it’s an honour to work with Rowan to create this physically funny series.” 

    Cathy Payne, CEO Banijay Rights says: “One of the most loved characters in television comedy history, Mr Bean’s amusing escapades are cherished by children and families across the world. So we’re thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with Warner Bros Discovery and ITV on this wonderful animated series which captures Bean’s world so brilliantly.”

    Zia Sands, Lead Content Acquisitions, Partnerships & Co-productions, KIDS, EMEA, Warner Bros Discovery says: “We’re thrilled to continue our long standing partnership with Mr Bean, making Cartoonito its home across EMEA  alongside our kids channels and streaming services in South and South-East Asia. Mr Bean’s comedy antics continue to resonate universally, and we are excited to bring our audiences more of what they love.”

    Darren Nartey, Senior Acquisitions Manager for Film and Kids at ITVX says: “We are so looking forward to welcoming back a British icon to ITVX Kids in 2025, and can’t wait to share more of Mr Bean’s unique sense of humour with the young and the young-at-heart.”

    Mr Bean is a British icon, with the original live-action series first hitting screens in 1990. It has since been broadcast in 195 territories, with the series in continual distribution for over 30 years. Co-created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, the eponymous hero was played by Rowan Atkinson, who now voices the globally successful animated series, which launched in 2002. The brand also attracts significant digital audiences, with over 140 million followers on Meta, making it the biggest TV brand on the platform; over 72 million subscribers and 19 billion lifetime views across official YouTube channels; 10 million followers on Instagram; and 14.2 million likes on TikTok.

    Produced by Tiger Aspect Kids & Family (part of Banijay Kids & Family), MD Tom Beattie is Exec Producer along with Rowan Atkinson. Dave Osborne will direct the series, Arnold Widdowson is producer and the head writers are Ciaran Murtagh and Andrew Barnett Jones.

    Led by Benoît Di Sabatino, Banijay Kids & Family is part of media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay.

  10. Banijay Rights to represent music documentary features The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process and My Name’s Ben Folds, I Play Piano

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    Banijay Rights today announces it has the global distribution rights to theatrical feature documentary The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process and feature concert film My Name’s Ben Folds, I Play Piano, as MIPCOM 2023 gets underway this week.

    Both films come from powerhouse South Australian team of Oscar-nominated director Scott Hicks and celebrated producers Kerry Heysen and Jett Heysen-Hicks, with their world premieres set for this month’s prestigious Adelaide Film Festival.

    The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process explores the power of the musical brain. Inspired by the 25th anniversary of his movie Shine, director Scott Hicks reveals the creative process of elite international musicians, with unprecedented access to their private worlds, processes, and obsessions. The film Shine is the linking device between four musicians /contributors: David Helfgott (subject of the original movie), celebrated musician Ben Folds, Australian rock star Daniel Johns, and Simon Tedeschi, who was hand double for the young David in the original movie.

    My Name’s Ben Folds, I Play Piano is a symphonic concert spectacle featuring Emmy award-nominated composer and rock maestro Ben Folds with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. The film offers unique coverage of the rock pianist including the remarkable creation of a new song from scratch, live onstage, via audience participation when Folds achieves the extraordinary feat of inducing the crowd to sing a choral refrain in three-part harmony.

    Both documentary features are Beyond May 30 Entertainment productions in association with Banijay Rights.

    Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights, said: “These are two unique and highly entertaining premium documentary features that showcase world class musical talent and the inner workings of their craft. Both are excellent additions to our MIPCOM line-up and we’re in no doubt they will be highly sought after by international buyers in Cannes.”

    Scott Hicks added: “I’m delighted to be working with Banijay Rights on the release of my latest music-based documentary features, celebrating superstar musicians in their private worlds and exploring their unique creative processes.”

    Both features join Banijay’s outstanding slate of titles at MIPCOM including documentary highlights Four Kings (w/t) and Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can Can, as well as The Other Mrs Jordan, Sharon and Ozzy: Home to Roost, Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy and The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson. These autumn highlights complement the 172,000 hours of globally renowned, stand-out IP within Banijay’s catalogue.

     

    Visit us at C.20 in front of the steps of the Palais des Festivals.

  11. Banijay Reveals Premium Scripted Slate for MIPCOM 2023

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    Media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay today reveals its array of stellar scripted titles for MIPCOM 2023 with This Town, Three Little Birds, Fallen, Murder in Hanko, Brocéliande, and Rivière-Perdue, headlining the offering for international buyers.

    Cathy Payne, CEO Banijay Rights says: “With new angles, gripping scripts, and clever character development, we are heading into MIPCOM with a strong slate which is sure to capture the attention of broadcasters and platforms worldwide. These titles are great additions to our rich catalogue, reflecting the evolving market and our commitment to representing the best content out there.”

    Christian Wikander, Global Head of Scripted at Banijay comments: “This portfolio of fantastic stories is a testament to the distinct identities and unrivalled creativity of the talent and labels across the Banijay footprint. As well as resonating with a wide audience, scripted titles like La Caza. Monteperdido which is being adapted for France as Rivière-Perdue, are perfect for local remakes with their compelling narratives and universal themes. Collaboration continues to be at the heart of what we do, and with multiple co-productions amongst this offering, it is great to see our companies partnering with those in the wider industry to maximise and ensure the reach of innovative, original ideas.”

    The UK continues to offer a strong slate of premium scripted with This Town, a major new drama from Peaky Blinders and SAS Rogue Heroes creator, Steven Knight, set in a world of family ties, teenage kicks and the exhilarating music of a generation. This Town tells the story of a band’s formation against a backdrop of violence, capturing how creative genius can emerge from a time of madness. The series is produced by Kudos, part of Banijay UK, and Nebulastar for the BBC, and co-produced with Mercury Studios, in association with Kudos North.

    In addition, Three Little Birds, from Tiger Aspect, in association with Douglas Road Productions (both Banijay UK companies), for ITV and BritBox International, tells the story of three woman who travel to Britain from Jamaica in the late 1950s to start a new life in the ‘mother country’. It is a triumphant celebration of immigration, community and the strength of Black womanhood inspired by the story of writer and Executive Producer Sir Lenny Henry’s mother and all those who have travelled from one country to another to make a new home.

    From the producers of Bron (The Bridge), Top Dog, and Beck, is Fallen, the highly-anticipated crime drama created and written by Camilla Ahlgren, the screenwriter behind iconic series Bron (The Bridge), along withMartin Asphaug and Alex Haridi. Starring Sofia Helin and Hedda Stiernstedt, it is produced by Filmlance, co-produced with C More, TV4, ZDF, and Film i Skåne.

    Jarowskij Finland is also meeting the demand for strong crime series with Murder in Hanko. Set for Nelonen and Ruutu, it sees Vera, a police officer, become entangled in a murder investigation and the return of her estranged father, Ruben. Exploring familial ties amidst a shocking and tense backdrop, the gripping series is based on author Matti Remes’ Ruben Waara novels.

    Banijay is also highlighting Brocéliande, the latest thriller from Banijay France’s Shine Fiction in co-production with Les Films du Printemps for TF1. Is it just a coincidence that renowned biologist Fanny Legoff is the last person to see two people before they disappear? Will she be able to prove her innocence and find out who is really behind these crimes?

    Rivière-Perdue, a co-production between Terence Films and Gétévé Productions, along with TF1, is the first adaptation of La Caza. Monteperdido, the hit drama based on Agustín Martínez’s best-selling novel of the same name, which Banijay Iberia’s DLO Producciones created. With tremendous casting the series centres around the mysterious reappearance of Anna five years after going missing. Commissioner Balthus and Captain Alix Stern must embark on a race against time to piece together what happened and find Lucie who disappeared at the same time.

    With over 60 scripted production labels within Banijay, these titles join a strong slate of premium diverse fiction that includes drama, series, and feature films. The portfolio includes critically-acclaimed hits including The Sixth Commandment, streamer commissions like Carême and Billionaire Island, and returners including Rogue Heroes, Marie Antoinette, Anonymous, The Rig, Beck, Domina and more. Banijay also represents scripted formats available for adaptation including familiar titles such as Bron (The Bridge), Penoza,Broadchurch, Younger, and newer titles including Anonymous, Fallen, Dance Brothers, Soul Sister and Then You Run. 2023’s hot picks follow a strong year of around 130 launches for Banijay in 2022, of which 70% were non-English language.

  12. Marie Antoinette’s Reign Extended with CANAL+

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    Content powerhouse Banijay and Newen today announce the landmark historical drama, Marie Antoinette, has been ordered for a second series by CANAL+, with filming expected to begin in autumn.

    Created by Deborah Davis (The Favourite), the new series of Marie Antoinette will continue the extraordinary story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle (Ku’damm 56/ 63), with Louis Cunningham (Bridgerton) as the king of France, Louis XVI.

    At the height of their power, while Marie-Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis. The incessant attacks of Provence and Chartres against the royal couple stir up the hatred of the nobles while disastrous consequences are looming with The Affair of the Necklace. From Versailles to the Palais-Royal, the revolt rumbles…

    The season two writing team is led by Louise Ironside, joined by Charlotte Wolf, Francesca Forristal and Andrew Bampfield. Ed Bazalgette will direct the first four episodes.

    The  CANAL+ Creation Originale, produced by Capa Drama, Banijay Studios France, will once again be distributed globally by Banijay Rights. The first series has been sold to over 70 territories, including PBS Distribution in the US,  BBC First in Australia and BBC Two and iPlayer in the UK, which reported consolidated viewing figures of 2.1 million for its premiere in 2022, and a raft of broadcasters across Europe and LatAm.

    Cathy Payne, CEO of Banijay Rights says: “Without a doubt, Marie Antoinette has been a popular drama with our buyers worldwide, and this is testament to the world-class producers in France who have created a premium, returning series for the international market. The flawless, high-quality production is filled with glamourous talent and lavish locations, and we’re thrilled to offer a landmark new season of this unique interpretation of the fashionable French queen to global audiences.”

    Marie Antoinette is produced by Claude Chelli and Margaux Balsan for Capa Drama, Stéphanie Chartreux for Banijay Studios France.