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

Tag Archive: Star Academy

  1. 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.

  2. The Quest for Stardom Begins in Israel with Banijay’s Star Academy

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    Content powerhouse Banijay today announces entertainment competition format, Star Academy, will be adapted by, Endemol Shine Israel (a Banijay company) for Reshet 13.

    Last year, Star Academy successfully returned to France after a nine-year hiatus, produced by Endemol France for TF1. The reboot won the prime-time slot across key demographics and was the strongest talent show in France in 2022 across global and young demographics, and will return to TF1 in 2023. Originally created over two decades ago by Endemol Shine Nederland, Mojo Concerts & Zomba Records, the format has been adapted in 20 territories including Italy, The Middle East, and French Canada.

    Star Academy sees aspiring young artists welcomed into a renowned musical academy. Viewers will be able to follow their progress each day as they undergo intensive training in singing, dancing, and acting, under the guidance of expert teachers. At the end of each week, the contestants appear in front of a panel of judges and show off what they’ve learnt in a live performance that will determine if they have what it takes to be the next star.

    Amir Ganor, CEO of Endemol Shine Israel comments: “We are looking forward to showcasing the incredible array of talent in Israel and working with Reshet 13 on another great entertainment format. We were inspired by the reboot in France, and truly believe Star Academy will be an inspiring and engaging watch for the whole family.”

    Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay adds: “Star Academy is a much-loved entertainment format and following the successful reboot in France, along with this latest commission, we see huge international potential beyond these territories. Israeli audiences can expect competition, reality, live performances, and insight into the hard work of emerging talent as Endemol Shine Israel builds on its expertise within the entertainment space.”

    Endemol Shine Israel is an award-winning multi-genre production company, which tells compelling stories for the local and international market. Its slate includes Big Brother, Survivor, Money Drop and Game of Chefs, as well as premium scripted titles such as Fifty, Queens and Valley of Tears.

  3. Star Academy Returns to TF1

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    Banijay today announces that its French label Endemol France will bring entertainment competition format, Star Academy, back to the country after nine years. To produce the new season of this iconic program, Endemol France has called on DMLS TV, another label within Banijay.

    Fronted by the original host Nikos Aliagas, the most famous musical academy in France will soon welcome a new class. The casting call attracted 10 000 registrants in just 48 hours, showing a very strong interest in the new season.

    Singing, dancing, acting… to become complete artists, this school of excellence will offer the passionate and talented contestants an intensive training programme surrounded by the best teachers. Every day, viewers will be able to follow the progress of the students in a daily show on TF1.

    At the end of each week, the emerging talent will showcase what they’ve learned during the primetime. It is then up to a panel of judges and the viewers to decide who stays and who goes. Living and breathing the life of a singer, will they be able to put their mentoring into practice and be the next star?

    Originally created by Endemol France, Star Academy is a primetime favourite, having sold to 19 territories including Italy and the Middle East, where 11 seasons have aired. It most recently made a return to French Canada, exceeding the channel’s slot by 45% for 18–34-year-olds. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the show in France, with special episodes attracting an audience of over four million for French broadcaster TF1.

    Jean-Louis Blot, CEO of Endemol France says: “Star Academy delivers some of the most revered music training in the industry and we can’t wait to showcase a new generation of French talent. The exciting live performances, combined with the expert training the artists will receive, make an entertaining show for all the family.”

    Mathieu Vergne, CEO of DMLS TV comments: “Producing entertainment formats is in our DNA and it is a pleasure to work alongside Endemol France to bring this hit to viewers. We’re ecstatic to have Nikos Aliagas on board and to be reinvigorating the format, following the success of the 20th anniversary last year.”

    Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay adds: “The Star Academy format is a proven success around the globe, showcasing new talent, reality elements and an exciting competition. With Endemol France and DMLS TV’s expertise in this genre, audiences can expect an unmissable series.”

    A go-to production company, Endemol France has brought hit formats to France including MasterChef, LEGO®Masters and Celebrity Hunted as well as new titles like Chefs to Go and Domino Challenge. Having joined Banijay France in 2021, DMLS TV is also behind well-renowned brands such as a Chanson Secrète (The Secret Song), La Chanson Challenge (The Celebrity Song Challenge) and Duos Mystères (Mystery Duets).