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: Warner Bros Discovery

  1. Mr Bean Reaches 35 Million YouTube Followers in 35th Anniversary Year

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    Today, content powerhouse Banijay Entertainment reveals another milestone for the globally-loved Mr Bean – surpassing 35M subscribers on its main YouTube channel – as the brand marks 35 years on-air. In addition, Mr Bean: The Animated Series has extended its UK presence with the recent launch of the latest series on ITV2 this month, following its premiere earlier this year in the UK on ITVX and Boomerang.

    Cast your mind back…the year is 1990. The Hubble Space Telescope launches. Nelson Mandela is released from prison. East and West Germany are officially reunified. Madonna’s Vogue tops the charts. And Mr Bean lands on British screens. Immortalised by the comedic genius of Rowan Atkinson, Mr Bean premiered on ITV on 1 January 1990, watched by 13.45M viewers. Co-created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, in the 35 years since, it has been in continual distribution, broadcast in 200+ territories. The original live-action series delivered some of the most iconic comedy moments of all time, and in addition to two successful feature films in 1997 and 2007, in 2002 it was successfully reimagined in animation form. Now, in 2025, Mr Bean is an internet sensation, accumulating nearly a quarter of a billion subscribers across social media platforms.

    Rowan Atkinson says: “You have to evolve and keep the changes coming to maintain relevancy. I quite like the fact we’ve taken Mr Bean from the theatre, where he started in the 1970’s, to live-action, films, animation and now YouTube! Generations enjoy the character equally – he’s a child trapped in a man’s body, and that’s always fun to watch.”

    The fourth season of Mr Bean: The Animated Series premiered earlier this year in the UK on ITVX and Boomerang, and globally on Warner Bros. Discovery’s kids’ channels and streaming services through deals agreed by Banijay Rights. It is produced by Tiger Aspect Kids & Family (part of Banijay Kids & Family) and executive produced by Tom Beattie and Rowan Atkinson, who also provides the voice.

    Mr Bean Facts

    • Only 14 live action episodes were ever produced
      • There are 182 episodes (and counting!) of the animated series
    • Nearly 250M subscribers across social media platforms
      • 35M subscribers on main YouTube channel
      • 75M subscribers across all 19 Mr Bean YouTube channels
      • 148M followers across Facebook – the 4th biggest page in the world
      • 10M followers on Instagram
      • 11.5M followers on TikTok
    • Over 130 syndications of Mr Bean animated and live-action FAST Channels
    • The series spawned two films, Bean: The Movie and Mr Bean’s Holiday
    • Original theme tune composed by Howard Goodall
      • The opening line ‘Ecce homo qui est faba’ translates to ‘Behold the man who is a bean’
      • Goodall also composed the music for the live-action and animated series and the two feature films
    • First existed as part of a sketch at the Oxford Playhouse in 1979
    • Mr Bean was once a contestant in Blind Date for a 1993 Comic Relief special
    • According to his passport, Mr Bean’s first name is Mr
    • Creators toyed with the name of the character – Mr Cauliflower and Mr White were both considered
    • Mr Bean is known and celebrated all around the world
      • Reimagined in street art form from Kochi to Penang
      • Mr Bean’s image was even created out of rice varieties in a paddy field in China
    • Several of the iconic Minis were used during filming – one is on display at the National Motor Museum

  2. Global Buyers Catch Welsh Crime Drama The One That Got Away From Banijay Rights

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    Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of content powerhouse Banijay Entertainment, today announces that UK public broadcaster the BBC has acquired new crime drama series The One That Got Away for BBC Wales, BBC Four and BBC iPlayer, as MIPCOM 2024 gets underway.

    Produced by BlackLight TV (a Banijay UK company), the series has also been acquired by SVT in Sweden, RTÉ in Ireland and Warner Bros Discovery in New Zealand in deals negotiated by the Banijay Rights global sales team.

    Written by Catherine Tregenna (Law & Order UK, Lewis, DCI Banks) and starring Elen Rhys (The Mallorca Files, Craith/Hidden), Richard Harrington (Y Gwyll/Hinterland) and Rhian Blythe (Y Golau / The Light in the Hall, Craith / Hidden), The One That Got Away is a psychologically driven thriller that sees DI Ffion Lloyd (Rhys) partnering up with her ex-lover DS Rick Walters (Harrington) to find out who is responsible for murdering a nurse in a Welsh coastal town. The series is the English language version of Welsh-language drama Cleddau, an original series for Welsh language broadcaster S4C.

    Chris Stewart, SVP Sales, UK & Eire, Banijay Rights, who brokered the BBC deal, said: “The One That Got Away is a thrilling new crime drama that combines gripping murder mystery with an electrifying love story. Set against the coastal backdrops of beautiful West Wales and fronted by a stellar cast, the series reinforces the BBC’s reputation in showcasing the strength in Welsh storytelling and helping to bring the best in Welsh drama to a global stage.”

    Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says: “The One That Got Away is a deliciously dark and atmospheric thriller – sure to keep BBC viewers gripped to the very end…”

    Ben Bickerton and Phil Trethowan, Joint Managing Directors, BlackLight TV, said: “The One That Got Away is as interested in the personal as it is the professional, with high stakes and captivating characters. We’re delighted it’s found a home in the UK on the BBC and internationally in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Sweden, where we are sure it will hook and thrill the audience.”

    Filmed and set on location in Pembroke Dock, Wales, the shocking murder of a nurse opens old wounds in a small-town community, throwing a historic conviction into doubt, raising the horrifying prospect of a copycat killer and reuniting two former lovers tasked with finding the killer. With twists and turns leading to a heart-stopping finale, The One That Got Away is a forensic examination of a town, a killer and a relationship, past and present.

    The series was produced by Blacklight TV for S4C and supported by Welsh Government via Creative Wales. The drama 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 in Cannes.

  3. Banijay Kids & Family Boosts Mr Bean with Additional Licensing Agents

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    Banijay Kids & Family, a global leader in children’s entertainment, behind hit shows such as Totally Spies!, today announces three new licensing agent appointments for Mr Bean.

    IMG (Japan, South Korea and South East Asia), Spacetoon Licensing (Middle East), and License Connection (Benelux), will represent the brand’s licensing interests in their respective markets, plus Spacetoon Licensing has taken the live show rights in its region.

    Roubina Tchoboian, Head of Global Licensing at Banijay Kids & Family, says: “An iconic brand with astonishing traction and reach, Mr Bean celebrates a broad and truly international fanbase. By working in collaboration with IMG, Spacetoon and License Connection, alongside our existing agents, we will further extend the commercial activity of the brand, in line with the huge demand from worldwide audiences.”

    Earlier this year Banijay Kids & Family confirmed its representation of the worldwide licensing and merchandising rights for the Mr Bean brand, alongside the appointment of agents Bulldog in the UK, WP Brands in Australia and New Zealand, and Black White Orange in the Indian sub-continent.

    In January, it was announced Mr Bean: The Animated Series has been commissioned for a fourth run, produced by Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and ITVX, through deals agreed by Banijay Rights. Executive produced and voiced by Rowan Atkinson, 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.

    Banijay Kids & Family’s collective of first-class producers and talent is behind some of the biggest kids brands in the world. As brand builders and experts at amplifying IP, it delivers creative and impactful 360 brand strategies for its shows.

    Led by Benoît Di Sabatino, Banijay Kids & Family is part of content powerhouse Banijay Entertainment.

  4. Multiple Licensing Agents Appointed for Totally Spies!

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    Banijay Kids & Family, the global leader in children’s entertainment, behind hit shows such as Mr Bean: The Animated Series and Shasha & Milo, today announces the appointment of three licensing agents for the iconic franchise Totally Spies!.

    The hit series makes its anticipated return to screens later this year, with a seventh season airing on M6/Gulli (France), Discovery Kids LatAm, and across EMEA and the U.S. with Warner Bros. Discovery. License Connection will manage licensing deals across Benelux, Lotus Global Marketing will represent the brand in Brazil, and LIT Licensing Agency will cover the Nordics.

    First launching in the early 00s, Totally Spies! hooked a generation of fans with its iconic aesthetic and powerful female leads. The international licensing programmes will cater to both the existing adult audience and the 6-9-year-old target audience of the new series.

    Roubina Tchoboian, Head of Global Licensing at Banijay Kids & Family, say: “Totally Spies! already has a significant fanbase and there is huge potential for dynamic, original and exciting brand extensions. It has already been generating significant interest from the licensing industry, and with License Connection, Lotus Global Marketing and LIT Licensing Agency in place, we are in a great shape to roll-out our ambitious, long-term licensing programme.”

    The news follows the recent appointment of Bulldog Licensing to represent the Totally Spies! brand in the UK, where it will initially have a strong focus on the adult nostalgia market, across multiple categories, including apparel, fashion accessories, tech products, health & beauty, and stationery.

    Banijay Kids & Family’s collective of first-class producers and talent is behind some of the biggest kids brands in the world. As brand builders and experts at amplifying IP, it delivers creative and impactful 360 brand strategies for its shows.

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

  5. 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.

  6. Warner Bros. Discovery Acquires Season Seven of Totally Spies!

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    Banijay Kids & Family today confirms Warner Bros. Discovery has acquired the upcoming series of the hit spy-fi animation across EMEA and the US. French broadcaster Gulli, and Discovery Kids LatAm, have previously been announced as co-producers of the Zodiak Kids & Family France (part of Banijay Kids & Family) show.

    The 2D animated franchise, Totally Spies!, returns to screens in 2024, following its original six-season run beginning in 2001. Premiering on Cartoon Network US and later launching on Max in EMEA, the upcoming series follows the three legendary secret agents, Sam, Clover and Alex, as they move to a new city and take on a fresh crop of villains.

    Benoît Di Sabatino, Producer and Banijay Kids & Family CEO says: “With strong female leads and an aesthetic that has inspired a generation, Totally Spies! is an iconic show with a hugely passionate global fanbase, eager to join the agents on their latest adventures. The new series stays true to all the key elements that make the show so popular, but has been lovingly updated for a new audience, reflecting the modern challenges faced by both high-schoolers and spies alike!”

    Aurelie Wack, Acquisitions & Co-productions Manager, Warner Bros. Discovery Kids & Family, EMEA says: “We are thrilled to be bringing the much-awaited iconic spy trio Sam, Clover, and Alex to Max and Cartoon Network in EMEA. We cannot wait to welcome Totally Spies!’ passionate fanbase to our platforms and introduce the girls to a brand new audience. With strong female leads and a diverse offering of modern themes, the France-produced hit Totally Spies! broadens our appeal and demonstrates our commitment to European content.”

     The 26 x 22-minute season will be produced by Benoît Di Sabatino and directed by Stephane Berry, who directed five previous seasons of the show. Gary Milne and Ludovic Taron serve as Executive Producers.

    Zodiak Kids & Family Distribution handles global distribution for the franchise.

  7. Banijay Italia Produces First-Ever Wild Things – kids edition

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    Banijay today announces Banijay Italia will produce Wild Things – kids edition exclusively for Boing (Channel 40 of the DTT), a joint venture between RTI Mediaset and Warner Bros Discovery. This adaptation will see children, aged eight to twelve, take the lead in the family entertainment game show. Further access and amazing extra content will also be available on the Boing App this autumn.

    Teamwork is essential on Wild Things as pairs of contestants, a child and an adult family member, head into the forest to complete obstacle courses and imaginative challenges. But this won’t be easy, as the adult will be dressed in a comical woodland creature costume and unable to see anything. To triumph and take home the prize, the children must have communication skills, patience and put trust in their partner, all whilst trying to be the fastest. Will the adult partner be left stumbling around, going in the wrong direction, or will the pair be in-sync and the first to complete the task? The series will be hosted by famous Italian comedians, Andrea Pisani and Luca Peracino, known as The PanPers.

    The original series, Wild Things was created by IWC Media (part of Banijay UK), Mad Monk, and GroupM Entertainment Ltd. This format has been adapted in eight territories including Sweden, Argentina, and China, and has won multiple awards such as a Rose d’Or for TV Game Show and a Broadcast Digital Award for Best Entertainment Programme.

     

    Fabrizio Ievolella, CEO of Banijay Italia says: “Wild Thing – kids edition is a funny physical game show with exciting competitive tasks and hilarious interactions between the pairs. Our adaptation will see, for the first time, children taking the lead and guiding their adult family member. These variations make the format perfect for children’s channel, Boing.”

    Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay adds: “Wild Things showcases light-hearted competition with great costumes, and it’s fantastic to see its natural evolution for the younger audience. With Banijay Italia’s track record of producing great content, I know this new adaptation will be something the whole family will love.”

    Ana González, VP Kids Channels Southern Europe, Warner Bros. Discovery says: “We are thrilled to launch this funny and wacky original production on Boing featuring much-loved and popular duo, The PanPers.Wild Things – kids edition reaffirms our commitment to European production and to best in class kids and family content. It’s a perfect fit for Boing and we expect our fans to follow with passion and enthusiasm.”

    Banijay Italia has extensive experience working with a range of broadcasters and is home to a rich slate of titles including Celebrity Survivor (L’Isola dei Famosi), Peking Express, and Bake Off Italy. In addition, the company is behind original IP like Celebrity Chef, Dinner Club and The Ferragnez, the last two shows, as recently announced, will return for a second series on Amazon Prime Video.

  8. Banijay’s Pineapple Takes Celebrities to the Grand Canyon

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    Pineapple Entertainment, part of Banijay Nordic, today announces a new premium reality series for Warner Bros. Discovery, set in one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the Grand Canyon. The series will air soon in Denmark on Kanal 5 and discovery+.

     

    In Grand Canyon – The Greatest Adventure, a group of celebrities spend 16 days on the adventure of a lifetime, rafting 360 kilometres on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. This spectacular river is not only pristinely beautiful but also one of the most challenging rafting locations in the world. 

     

    Helped by adventurer Thor F. Jensen, the Danish A-list cast includes actors Andreas Jessen and Lise Baastrup, high-profile athlete Anne-Marie Rindom and handball champion Jesper Nøddesbo, musician Mohamed “Skinz” Ahmed and TV personality, host, model, actress Ibi Støving. The group must co-operate as they move through an ever-changing environment, learning about the cultural history of the landscape, and working together to establish a daily camp. To succeed, this adventure demands co-operation, inclusiveness, and community.

    Kathrine Skjold, Executive Producer at Pineapple Entertainment says: “Grand Canyon is like a non-scripted road movie through one of the greatest natural wonders in the world. The well-known faces are not competing in anyway, they must work together to successfully live off-grid, at the mercy of nature in the grandest scale. This is a rewarding eye-opener for the celebrities, as they embark on a journey where they question their own privileges.”

     

    Ole Rahbek, CEO of Pineapple Entertainment says: “We are delighted that Hou Film came to us, with the idea and access to this fabulous venue, that we turned into a format with cinematic production values showcasing the incredible natural phenomena, making it a perfect high-end series for Warner Bros. Discovery Denmark’s audience, that we at Pineapple Entertainment are proud to produce”

     

    Pil Gundelach Brandstrup, VP Content & Programming, Warner Bros. Discovery Denmark says: “There’s no doubt that Danes enjoy travelling abroad to inspire personal development. In Grand Canyon – The Greatest Adventure, the viewers follow more than just the physical turmoil of the group taking on the elements. They also get to follow the internal journey when they are pushed beyond their limits. This programme is also visually very impressive, immersing the audience in the mighty nature of the majestic Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.”

    Pineapple Entertainment produces a wide remit of fun, relevant and powerful content across all platforms. This includes a recent adaptation of the UK format One Night In…, as well as the Zulu Awards, Mormor på Mandejagt (Granny Goes Dating), late-night comedy talk show Natholdet (The Nightshift) hosted by Hadi Ka-koush and long-running reality show, Diamantfamilien (The Diamond Family). 

  9. Mumfie Secures a Herd of Sales

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    Banijay Kids and Family today announces a raft of sales for the all-new pre-school animated comedy series Mumfie (78×7’). A co-production between Zodiak Kids and Family France and Italian animation studio Animoka, alongside France Télévisions and Rai (Italy), the series has sold to ITV for ITVBe (UK), Warner Bros. Discovery (for its new preschool brand Cartoonito in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and South Korea), AMC Network International’s JimJam (CEE, MENA & Portugal), SVT (Sweden) and kids channel ejunior, from evision, part of e& life from e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) (UAE).

    Earlier this month, Mumfie was awarded Best Pre-School TV Series at the 2022 Cartoons on the Bay Pulcinella Awards. Directed by Daniel Dubuis, the adaptation is based on Britt Allcroft’s Magic Adventures of Mumfie. The series has recently launched in France and Italy, and it was previously announced that Mumfie has also secured a pre-sale from KiKA Germany.

    Delphine Dumont, Chief Commercial Officer, Banijay Kids and Family says: “The world of Mumfie is loved and treasured by so many, and it has been joyous to bring the characters to life once more, to delight a whole new generation of children. This raft of international sales is testament to the strength of the brand and the fantastic job the teams at Animoka and Zodiak Kids and Family Francehave done in creating a captivating, warm and uplifting series.”

    Mumfie features the optimistic young elephant Mumfie, alongside his best friends, Pinkey the flying pig and Jelly Bean the colour-changing jellyfish. Meeting an eclectic array of animal friends along the way, the trio embark on a series of adventures. In a world where nothing is quite as it seems, no challenge is too tough for the loveable Mumfie and his friends to overcome.

     

    Zodiak Kids and Family Distribution own international distribution rights to the series.

    Britt Allcroft’s Mumfie was a classically animated children’s musical series, first shown in the 1990’s. The series was lauded for its gentle storytelling and earned top ratings.