All the latest news from the global content industry on Monday, 10 March

 

Monday, 3.01pm: Now You Know set for Paramount’s My5, YouTube

Paramount is launching a new four-part interview series via its UK-based streamer My5 and YouTube, with guests including Maya Jama, KSI, Big Zuu, and Mahalia.

Now You Know, which debuts 1 April, is hosted by Julie Adenuga and is a co-production between Pangaea Group and GroupM Motion Entertainment for BET.

It is directed by Luke Hyams and produced by Sunita Mirchandani Hyams, with executive producers for BET UK being Cicelia Deane and Shurwin Beckford. Melanie Darlaston is attached for GroupM Motion Entertainment.

 

Monday, 10.34am: BBC buys Thomas Vinterberg’s Danish drama

BBC4 in the UK has acquired the debut TV drama of Denmark’s Thomas Vinterberg, exploring the fallout of floods caused by climate change.

The 7 x 60-minute Families Like Ours is set in Denmark in a not-too-distant future where rising water levels mean the country needs to be evacuated, with the less wealthy dependant on government-funded relocation to challenging destinations. It follows a high school student in love for the first time forced to choose between the three people she loves the most.

The series was produced by Zentropa Entertainments for TV 2 Denmark, Studiocanal and Canal+ last year. It is distributed by Studiocanal. Read more

 

Monday, 10.29am: BBCS rejigs live action, animation with McNamara promotion

BBC Studios has promoted Gráinne McNamara to become VP of development for live action and animation, in a rejig of the company’s structure.

McNamara joined BBCS last year as executive producer on live action and development, tasked with creating new IP. 

The exec, who has held previous roles at 9Story Media Group, King Bert Productions and Disney, will now lead one development unit that will work across both live action and animation within BBCS Kids & Family. 

Cecilia Persson, managing director at BBCS Kids & Family, said: ”Our development function is the lifeblood of what we do and I’m delighted that someone of her experience and creativity will be at the forefront of our ambitious plans.”

McNamara added: “We have a very clear vision of where we want to take the Kids & Family business in order to drive global growth and develop an unrivalled content slate. Bringing our live action and animation development function together under one team will allow us to focus fully on these key areas and to continue creating the most innovative, impactful and inspiring content for family audiences around the globe.”

 

Monday, 10.01am: UK’s Channel 4 spins Chateau DIY

Channel 4 in the UK has ordered a competitive spin-off of long-running daytime series Chateau DIY, in which participants will have the chance to win a French castle worth up to £250,000. 

Produced by Sheffield-based Spark Media North, the 20 x 60-minute Chateau DIY: Win the Dream will follow 12 pairs of Brits as they compete in challenges to prove they have what it takes to win the property. They will face three weeks of heats testing their skills in design, renovation, and business acumen – guided and judged by the familiar faces of Chateau DIY’s main series.  

Since 2018, Channel 4 Chateau DIY has followed Brits packing up their lives in the UK to live in France. Last year, now-shuttered sister label Kindling Media handed over a bumper recommission of the format to Spark Media North and the production relocated to Sheffield. Read more

 

Monday, 8.42am: SBS launches £25,000 format call

SBS in Australia has put a call out for “original bold, thought-provoking and channel-defining” factual format ideas (3/4 x 60 minutes) that explore the subject of polarisation in Australia, with up to $50,000 (£25,000) in development funding on offer.

The Aussie broadcaster said it is looking for “inventive and ambitious series ideas to expose the growing divide in the nation’s public opinions and beliefs, and also look beyond to explore polarisation across society more broadly.”

The scheme is in its second year of operation, with the 2024 call-out focused on ideas exploring themes of inequality and social cohesion in Australian society. It led to SBS commissioning Robodebt (w/t), described as “a genre-bending and innovative series combining factual storytelling and high-end drama” that explores how Australians fought back against the notorious Robodebt scheme. It is being produced by CJZ and is set to premiere on SBS later this year.

Ideas must be submitted to the SBS factual pitching portal by emailing factual@sbs.com.au, with the subject title ‘New Factual Format’. Entries are now open and will close Sunday 4th of May 2025. 

 

Monday, 8.32am: Sky NZ adapts comedy podcast 

Shooting is underway in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington on Sky New Zealand’s comedy Small Town Scandal, a screen adaptation of comedian Tom Sainsbury’s iHeartRadio NZ original podcast of the same name.

Joining series creator, writer and lead Sainsbury in the eight-part series is Morgana O’Reilly (The White Lotus) and Alexander England (Offspring).

Small Town Scandal follows Toby (Sainsbury), a disgraced journalist turned true-crime podcast host as he investigates the suspicious death (by automatic lawnmower) of his millionaire uncle in a hometown filled with eccentric suspects.

The show is directed by Ghazaleh Gol and Calvin Sang, and  produced by Georgina Conder and Carthew Neal. It has been commissioned by head of Sky NZ Originals, Thomas Robins for Sky Open, Sky Go and Neon, made with the support of New Zealand On Air. The series will screen later in 2025.