Thursday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Thursday, 12.45pm: BBC extends Amandaland

BBC1 comedy Amandaland is to return for a second series after becoming the BBC’s second biggest comedy launch in recent years.  

Produced by Merman and starring Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley, the Motherland spin-off has averaged 6.4m viewers since it landed on 5 February, just behind Ludwig which averaged 9.5m after 28 days and on par with The Outlaws (6.4m), according to Barb data.  

The series has been a hit with younger audiences, drawing 900,000 16-34-year-olds.  

The spin-off focuses on the character of Amanda, played by Punch, as she downsizes in South Harlesden while raising teenagers and dealing with her sniping mother, played by Lumley. Read more

Thursday, 11.23am: London TV Screenings reveals numbers

Organisers behind the London TV Screenings that ran last week have said the event attracted a record 850 buyers across all genres, with the 2026 dates already confirmed. 

Founding quartet All3Media International, Banijay Entertainment, Fremantle and ITV Studios confirmed next year’s event will take place during the final week of February. 

A London TV Screenings spokesperson said: “The London TV Screenings has rapidly become a stand-out, must-attend annual event for invited buyers, and we’re thrilled to see the 2025 edition welcoming even more decision makers from around the world.

“The showcase is now a go-to destination for unparalleled insights into the latest premium shows and formats. We look forward to planning an exceptional event for 2026, which will be tailored to the feedback we’ve heard from buyers and their experiences across the week.” Read more

Thursday, 10.15am: ProSiebenSat.1 revenues rise, profits slide

Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 has reported a 3.6% decline in profits in 2024, with a weak domestic ad market again being blamed.

P7’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) stood at €557m, down from €578m a year earlier. Revenues were up 2% to €3.92bn.

Chief exec Bert Habets said streamer Joyn remains central to his plans, although content from public broadcasters ARD and ZDF will no longer be available. Habets added that he expected TV ad sales “to continue to fall slightly, particularly in the first half of the year.”

The company, which many expect to be the subject of a takeover bid from shareholder MediaForEurope in the coming months, said last month that potential job cuts could be made as it looks to enact a new savings plan, having shuttered around 400 roles in 2023.

Thursday, 10.10am: Netflix ends The Recruit

Netflix has cancelled spy series The Recruit just over amonth after the show’s second season debuted.

The drama debuted in 2022 and was produced by Hypnotic and Lionsgate (having started out life with Entertainment One prior to its acquisition by the studio).

It starred Colton Dunn, who revealed the show’s demise on social media, with the streamer then confirming its cancellation.

Thursday, 9.25am: Paper Owl hires 9 Story’s Nora Kelly

Belfast-based producer Paper Owl Films has hired former 9 Story senior vice president of production Nora Kelly as its head of production.

Kelly, whose hiring comes following support from the UK Global Screen Fund, will oversee all productions at Paper Owl, planning and managing the company’s slate of projects, leading the production team and working across original IP and co-productions.

She is is relocating from Toronto and has worked on shows including Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, Wild Kratts, Blues Clues & You, Paw Patrol and True & the Rainbow Kingdom.

At 9 Story Media, Kelly had full oversight and leadership of all productions for the Toronto Studio. She has also held roles at Guru Studio, including director of production.

Paper Owl’s slate includes the animated Pablo spin off, Boy Meets School for BBC Children’s, Crayola Studios and RTÉJr, in partnership with CAKE, and preschool animated series Nikhil & Jay with King Banana and Cake for CBeebies.

Thursday, 9.20am: UK’s Channel 4 returns to Hunted

Channel 4 in the UK has recommissioned both series of civilian and celebrity Hunted for eighth and seventh outings respectively, following last year’s renewal pause.

Last year, Broadcast revealed the PSB had delayed its decision to renew the Shine format until the latest Celebrity Hunted had aired, due to the commissioning pattern falling out-of-sync with the TX schedule.

The eight series of Hunted is set to film this year, with casting currently underway, while the seventh edition, which broadcast across March and April last year, consolidated to 2.4m after 28 days, performing well with the 16-34 demographic, doubling the PSB’s slot average. 

Thursday, 9.12am: Hulu’s Ruby Franke secures record viewing

Hulu Original docuseries Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke has become the most popular yet for Disney-owned streamer in its first five days. 

Produced by UK indie Passion Pictures and directed by Olly Lambert, the three-part series tells the inside story of the notorious child abuse scandal surrounding the American YouTube family Eight Passengers, and last year’s conviction of ‘momfluencer’ Ruby Franke. It has access to the eldest children in the family as well as Franke’s husband Kevin. 

According to Hulu figures, the series has so far been seen by 7.9m around the world on the streamer, having held a spot in the top 15 since its premier on 27 February. It has overtaken the platform’s series Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini which previously held the top spot after landing in June 2024.

Thursday, 9.07am: TVNZ, RTL move into Building Superhomes

TVNZ (New Zealand), TV2 (Denmark), RTL (Netherlands), and DPG (Belgium) have struck pre-sale deals for the second season of Building Superhomes.

The show, which is sold via Silverlining Rights, is produced by Gosh TV for Channel 4 in the UK and follows maverick property developer Guy Phoenix as he creates multi-million-pound luxury homes for the mega rich.

Silverlining has also pre-sold spin-off Building Monaco’s Superhomes to RTL (Netherlands), TV2 (Denmark) TVNZ (New Zealand) and Prima (Czech Republic).

Building Monaco’s Superhomes, also produced by Gosh TV for Channel 4, follows Phoenix as he transforms a £20m apartment and rooftop terrace with unrivalled views over the famous harbour and racetrack. 

Thursday, 9.04am: A+E rebrands, reveals slate

A+E Networks has rebranded as A+E Global Media, led by president of global content licensing and international, Steve Macdonald.

The division houses multiple linear channels including History, Lifetime and A&E, A+E Studios, A+E Factual Studios, and A+E Digital.

Macdonald’s vast remit includes oversight of global sales, co-productions such as The Kollective, more than 60 FAST channels, owned and operated A+E entities in Asia, and its Lat Am joint venture.

The company also unveiled a raft of shows as part of its upcoming slate, including a new season of Storage Wars for A&E, Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny for History, and Lifetime doc The Judd Family: Truth Be Told.

Thursday, 8.55am: Serbie takes Kanal D drama

Kanal D International has sold romantic comedy Love of My Life (Hayatımın Aşkı) into Serbia.

The show follows a successful young woman determined to win the heart of her longtime crush and boss, Demir. It stars stars Hande Doğandemir, Serkan Çayoğlu, and Berk Hakman. Broadcaster details have not been revealed.

Thursday, 8.23am: Fox lands Jamie Foxx deal

Actor, comedian and producer Jamie Foxx, along with his Foxxhole Productions, has agreed a multiyear first-look agreement with Fox Entertainment Studios (FES).

Foxx will serve as executive producer and content originator across comedy, drama and animation genres, for which FES will have first-look. The agreement also gives FES exclusive rights to Foxx’s projects and producing services in the unscripted space.

A slate of scripted and unscripted projects are already in progress with the deal building on Foxx’s long-standing relationship with Fox. The pair worked on music gameshow Beat Shazam, which he co-hosts with his daughter Corinne Foxx, and police procedural Alert: Missing Persons Unit, which he executive produces. Foxx also previously worked with Fox on sketch comedy series In Living Color, on which he starred from 1991 to 1994.