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: Shine TV

  1. Banijay Entertainment’s Banged Up Unlocks First International Deal with the Netherlands

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    Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces SimpelZodiak, part of Banijay Benelux, has sold the BAFTA-nominated format, Banged Up, to Dutch broadcaster EO, part of NPO, marking the show’s first international deal.

    Originally created by Banijay UK’s Shine TV, the producer behind hits Hunted and The Island, Banged Up launched on Channel 4 in October 2023, becoming one of the broadcaster’s most streamed shows. Known locally in the Netherlands as Hel of Hotel(w/t), the acclaimed factual format will be aired through Dutch broadcaster EO on the streaming platform, NPO Start.

    Banged Up is a revolutionary social experiment, where celebrities live the prison experience in a recently decommissioned jail, locked up alongside some of the country’s ex-criminals. As they attempt to survive the strict prison regime, they’ll discover what life behind bars is really like, learning to cope in an extreme and emotionally challenging environment that is far beyond their comfort zone.

    Justine Huffmeijer, Managing Director of SimpelZodiak says: “The themes in Banged Up are globally relatable, addressing issues of prisons and law enforcement, and the concept of second chances. This show is startlingly eye-opening, challengingpreconceptions at every turn. Its authentic and gritty reality delivers compelling viewing, and we’re interested to see how Dutch celebrities handle prison life.”

    Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations, Banijay adds: “Banged Up sparked important conversations in the UK, and we will undoubtedly see the same success in the Netherlands. This immersive format has strong travelling potential, uncovering critical questions about the prison system. With its dramatic and authentic approach, this format offers a glimpse into what it really is like to be ‘banged up’, and we expect further adaptations for this unique and fascinating programme.”

    Banijay Benelux label, SimpelZodiak, specialises in adventure reality, and factual entertainment for linear and VOD platforms. The company is behind local versions of global hits Survivor (known locally as Expedition Robinson), MasterChef, Temptation Island, and Hunted. Other credits include The Nation’s Brightest, Your Home Made Perfect, and Ik Vertrek.

    This title will sit alongside Banijay Entertainment’s vast catalogue of hit travellers like The Summit, Good Luck Guys, and Love Triangle; superbrands MasterChef, Big Brother and Survivor, and highly-anticipated streamer launches Bear Hunt and Building a Band (w/t).

  2. Banijay’s The Island Returns to France with M6

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    Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces Endemol France will revive gripping adventure reality format, The Island, for M6. Last on air in France in 2018, the return of the celebrity version promises to capture viewers once again with its high-stakes drama and authentic take on survival.

    Originally created by Shine TV, part of Banijay UK, and Bear Grylls Ventures in 2014 for Channel 4, The Island quickly became a global sensation. A long-running hit in the UK and produced in over eight territories, with celebrity versions airing last year in Denmark and Sweden, the unique format strips participants of modern comforts and challenges them to survive on an uninhabited island with limited resources.

    The returning series will see 10 celebrities pushed to their limits, using their survival instincts and resourcefulness in an all-new challenge, the trek. Set in Thailand’s most remote island, contestants must survive and navigate treacherous terrain to reach the extraction point, adding a layer of suspense and strategy never seen before on the show. The stakes are higher, the risks greater, and the drama more intense with French adventurer and explorer Loury Lag taking on the reins as the series’ host.

    Jean-Louis Blot, CEO of Endemol France says: “The Island’s authenticity and raw depiction of survival make it a standout show in the reality genre. It captures the essence of human resilience within a challenging environment, providing unforgettable viewing for M6 viewers. It’s exciting to reintroduce the format to audiences in France, and we’re eager to find new ways to elevate the experience that will leave audiences wanting more.”

    Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations at Banijay adds: “Survival reality formats have an enduring appeal, and The Island distinguishes itself as a unique title without the usual trappings of big prizes, eliminations, and winners. It’s great to see it comeback in France with Jean-Louis and his team at Endemol France. Longtime fans and newcomers to the show can look forward to an unparalleled season blending survival, strategy, and human endurance.”

    Endemol France, part of Banijay France, is a non-scripted juggernaut having produced recent hits such as Star Academy, LEGO® Masters, Celebrity Hunted, and LOL: Last One Laughing.

  3. The Write Offs Books French-Canadian Deal

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    Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay, today announces the fifth adaptation of factual entertainment format The Write Offs, with a new version set for French-Canada.

    French-Canadian broadcaster Télé-Québec will launch a new 4 x 30’ adaptation entitled L’Épreuve des Mots in primetime this month, with Montreal-based Sphere Media Productions on board as local producer.

    Originally created by Shine TV for Channel 4 in the UK, The Write Offs helps a diverse group of adults, who can’t read or write, to master basic literacy skills necessary for everyday situations. Each embarks on an eye-opening journey as they face tasks that encourage them to go truly outside of their comfort zones. The series concludes with a heart-warming and dramatic performance for their loved ones.

    The French-Canadian version will be hosted by Patricia Paquin whose own 13 year-old suffers from learning disorders; and features a cast of five contributors who all have primary school literacy and must complete a 16 week course. Following the Channel 4 version, The Write Offs has since been adapted in Australia, with two seasons on SBS, as well as in Denmark on DR and Germany on ZDF.

    Jane Rimer, SVP, Canada, Banijay Rights, who negotiated the agreement, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Télé-Québec and Sphere Media Productions to bring this important – and heart-warming – format to Quebec viewers. The Write Offs shines a light on a very serious global issue and demonstrates how television can be used as a force for good to literally change lives.”

    Nadine Dufour, Vice President of Content, Télé-Québec, said: “As a public television broadcaster, Télé-Québec’s mandate is to reflect the reality and challenges of Quebec through its programming. With 10% of the population considered functionally illiterate, we are proud to finally give a voice to those whom we see very little of in our Quebec media landscape.”

    Renaud Chassé, EVP, Unscripted & Documentaries, French content, Sphere Media Productions, added: “The adaptation of The Write Offs in Quebec has enabled us to understand that illiteracy is a challenge present in most countries. Since we announced this project, this issue has gained prominence in the media.”

  4. EndemolShine Germany Highlights Low Literacy Levels with Banijay’s The Write Offs

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    Banijay, the content powerhouse, today announces that EndemolShine Germany, part of Banijay Germany, will adapt The Write Offs for ZDF. The format created by Banijay UK’s Shine TV will be known locally as Lost for Words (w/t) and presented by Sabine Heinrich.

    The Write Offs gives a group of adults the incredible opportunity to change their lives and address the one thing that may be holding them back. Can you imagine not being able to navigate public transport or read a text? For many, this is a reality, as globally a large proportion of people struggle with the basic literacy skills necessary for everyday situations. In this empowering format, adults receive one-to-one tuition and embark on an eye-opening journey as they face tasks that encourage them to go outside of their comfort zones. The series concludes with a heart-warming and dramatic performance for their loved ones.

    Fabian Tobias, Managing Director at EndemolShine Germany says: “The Write Offs shines a light on an issue that affects 6 million people in Germany and up to now rarely discussed. Just as in the UK, Denmark, and Australia, we hope this new series will provide uplifting and relevant content whilst also inspiring those who do struggle with their literacy.”

    Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay says: “The Write Offsresonates worldwide, because shockingly-low literacy rates are not exclusive to one country. This is a daily reality for many people globally, and the show raises awareness and starts discussions among the wider public. It is powerful, empowering, stigma-reducing, and we’re looking forward to seeing where it goes next.”

    Originally created by Shine TV for UK broadcaster Channel 4, this commission marks the fourth adaptation of the factual series with The Write Offs having travelled to Denmark and Australia where a second series recently aired on SBS. Described in the UK as ‘a heart-warming, inspiring and education watch’, by Stylist UK and in Australia as ‘an unexpectedly joyous documentary series’, by The Saturday Paper Australia, the show has received international acclaim. In addition, the show had a positive social impact – a study from SBS found that 94% of Australians felt more aware of adult literacy following series one, and 91% said it gave hope to Australians with lower literacy.

    EndemolShine Germany is a leading production and entertainment company in Germany and is behind some of the nation’s best-loved non-scripted shows, with titles such as Big Brother VIP, Kitchen Impossible, Limitless Win, The Masked Singer, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

  5. Banijay’s Hunted Heads Into The Wild

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    Banijay today announces Dutch production label, SimpelZodiak has created a new spin-off of reality thriller Hunted. Already producing both the civilian and celebrity versions, SimpelZodiak will now bring Hunted into the wild to NPO 3.

     

    The stakes are higher than ever on Hunted into the wild as ordinary people must hide in an inhospitable landscape to evade capture. From the moment of the dramatic launch, the ‘fugitives’ are at the mercy of the wilderness as they try to remain undetected. Who can brave the heat, rain, and cold as professional hunters use their experience to track them down? Despite this new setting meaning the hunters can’t use surveillance cameras, the formidable team will stop at nothing to complete their task. Will one wrong move result in capture or will these Dutch participants be able to utilise the landscape to outsmart Marcel van de Ven and his team?

     

    Originally created by Shine TV for UK broadcaster Channel 4, Hunted has since been commissioned in 11 countries. Hunted continues its strong run in the Netherlands with the latest VIP series currently on-air and SimpelZodiak’s sixth season having achieved the best ratings to date.

     

    2021 was a successful year for the format with Endemol Shine Australia announcing they will produce an adaptation for Channel 10 and Belgium’s first season being the most-watched weekly show on Play4 that season. In the UK the format continues to be ratings hit, with the most recent series more than doubling the slot for younger viewers. In total, the number of series which aired was double that of 2020 including Italian, French and German versions for Amazon Prime Video.

     

    Justine Huffmeijer, Managing Director of SimpelZodiak says: “Hunted into the wild will have viewers on the edge of their seat as the drama surpasses anything we’ve seen before. We know how much Dutch audiences are captivated by the VIP and civilian versions so we can’t wait for audiences to see this fresh take.”

     

    Lucas Green, Head of Content Operations of Banijay adds: “Hunted is factual entertainment at its best. This new spin-off highlights the expanding potential for Hunted’s thrilling social experiment, as anonymity becomes increasingly harder in modern life. SimpelZodiak always produces high-quality programming, and we are sure this new series in the ‘escape genre’ will be no different. Having already established such a strong following for this format in the Netherlands, we know they are a safe pair of hands to further develop this new chapter of Hunted.”

     

    This new twist on the global brand adds to the award-winning Dutch production company’s burgeoning catalogue. Priding itself on creating high-quality content for both linear TV, streamers, and online platforms some of SimpelZodiak’s key credits include SAS: Who Dares Wins, Temptation Island, Your Home Made Perfect, Table for Two, and Survivor.

  6. 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.

  7. Channel 4 brings back iconic home-DIY show Changing Rooms

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    Bring on colour, patterns, textures and imagination… Minimalism begone! Changing Rooms is back and it’s bringing interior design legend Laurence Llewelyn Bowen with it.

     

    Channel 4, in partnership with Dulux, has commissioned Shine TV (part of Banjay UK) to make a new version of the legendary ‘90s and ‘00s home-DIY series, giving it a fresh lick of paint for an era of pinspiration and insta-interiors.

     

    Presented by Davina McCall, Changing Rooms sees two sets of homeowners from the same neighbourhood work against the clock to renovate a room in each other’s houses. They might not share the same tastes, but they are completely in charge of creating a new look for the chosen room – and anything goes.

     

    The homeowners will be making all the decisions about the makeovers, and as a nation of interiors and style obsessives, expectations are higher than ever. In true Changing Rooms style, the transformations will be spectacular, innovative and, quite possibly, unexpected.

     

    Along the way, our bold and creative homeowners will be supported by two handy teams of DIY experts and decorators, captained by LLB and a second interior designer who has an opposing style to that of the original Changing Rooms star. The show will be packed full of design and DIY hints and tips, teaching us how to be crafty on a budget by upscaling and adding sparkle to unloved or outdated corners of our homes.

     

    Davina McCall said: “I’m so excited to be presenting Changing Rooms. It’s a classic! It’s the perfect time to bring it back, everyone is going DIY and decor mad! I can’t wait to see all the amazing transformations – I might even get stuck in myself if I’m allowed to be let loose with a paint brush!”

     

    Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen added: “There’s no room for beige in our homes and, just as it was in the 90s, Changing Rooms is once more the homestyle antidote to Britain’s blues (and greys and taupes, and even Magnolia). It’s taken quite a lot of coaxing to get me under the Changing Rooms banner once more, but nothing like as much coaxing as it’s going to take for me to squeeze those leather trousers back on.”

     

    Jonny Rothery, commissioning editor for Channel 4, said: “With us all spending so long staring at our own four walls, there’s never been a better time to see the return of the nation’s favourite interiors show. Let the house swapping begin!”

     

    Mark Sammon, Director of Entertainment, Shine TV, said: “I’m delighted we’re bringing the Godfather of home makeover back to the UK. Changing Rooms is bigger, brighter and better than ever, and on a mission to bring colour to the walls of the nation.”

     

    Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux, said: “The nation has got its decorating mojo back which makes it the perfect time for Changing Rooms to return to TV. It will inspire a new generation to discover the power of colour, to get creative and improve the spaces they live and work in.”

     

    Changing Rooms is a 6 x 60’ primetime series. It was commissioned for Channel 4 by Jonny Rothery, commissioning editor, Formats and Features with Sarah Lazenby, Head of Formats and Features. It will be made by Shine TV and executive produced by Mark Sammon and Katie Brosnan, and the series producer is James Kane.