EXCLUSIVE: Christian Wikander, Banijay‘s Global Head of Scripted, is exiting after a year in post. A Banijay spokeswoman confirmed the departure and said the role will now be reviewed. When Wikander leaves next month, the current team will report temporarily to Chief Business Officer Frédéric Balmary, who was promoted last year. Wikander replaced Lars Blomgren
Banijay
Endemol Shine India CEO Abhishek Rege is leaving his post after 15 years with the company. The exec will work closely with his successor, who has yet to be named, during the transition. Rege joined Endemol in 2007 as Head of Commercial and Legal, and was elevated to Chief Operating Officer in 2012, then CEO in
Banijay has paused all activity in Russia until further notice. The global producer/distributor has “long historically had deals in-place across Russia,” according to a statement this morning, and it runs a production company in the nation: WeiT Media, which was established in 2009. Weit produces a Russian/Estonian version of The Bridge and the likes of Survivor, Wife
The BBC has struck a six-year deal for the MasterChef franchise and is moving production from London to Birmingham. MasterChef, MasterChef: The Professionals, Celebrity MasterChef and newly-announced BBC Three series Young MasterChef will air until 2028 and move to the UK’s second city’s Digbeth Loc in 2024. Produced by Banijay label Shine TV, the titles have established themselves as high-rating
Amazon Prime, Banijay & Others Boarded For UK Apprentice Scheme UK training body ScreenSkills is partnering with Amazon Prime Video, Banijay UK and a host of other big players to manage 40 apprentices, funded by an injection of government investment. Lime Pictures, Sky and APX Content Ventures are also part of the scheme, which is
As we enter 2022, the UK TV industry is desperate to put nearly 24 months’ worth of Covid-19 disruption behind it. But with the Omicron variant still raging, it could be a while until this comes to fruition. Industry execs have plenty else on their plates over the coming year, with British broadcasting under threat
The past year has been a fantastic one for the world of formats, as offerings from developing content giants such as South Korea travel the world and innovative ideas pop up in all corners. Below, Deadline has identified five key formats to watch out for next year, which we could see replicated in many more
Banijay Benelux Unveils SimpelZodiak MD Banijay Benelux has signed up Justine Huffmeijer as Managing Director of SimpelZodiak, which produces local versions of superbrands Hunted and Temptation Island. Reporting to Banijay Benelux CEO Peter Lubbers, Huffmeijer, who has previously worked for Benelux network RTL, where she also oversaw Temptation Island, will lead on the business operations and creative pipeline
Italian broadcaster Rai has commissioned The Bride, a six-part 1960s-set drama series from Banijay-owned Endemol Shine Italy. Described as a “touching tale of redemption and liberation,” by Banijay, the series centers on Maria, a young woman who marries Italo by proxy, a widespread practice in Italy at the time. Set amidst significant social change, Maria
EXCLUSIVE: Sir Lenny Henry’s Banijay-backed indie Douglas Road Productions is to spotlight Caribbean culture in the UK in an upcoming BBC2 arts documentary. Deadline hears production will commence next month in London on the show, which does not yet have a title. Commissioned out of Factual/Arts Director Patrick Holland’s department, the series will explore Caribbean
EXCLUSIVE: Banijay-owned Yellow Bird UK has optioned the rights to Alison Gaylin’s forthcoming novel The Collective and is planning to develop it into a major TV series. The If I Die Tonight and What Remains Of Me author’s latest work, which will be published in November, is centred around Camille Gardener – a grieving and
EXCLUSIVE: Banijay’s reality show Survivor is to return to Indian screens after a 10-year hiatus. The super-producer has signed a deal with Tamil entertainment network Zee Tam to produce a version of the adventure show for its streamer ZEE5. Banijay Asia will produce the series. Survivor previously screened on Disney’s StarPlus in 2012. Survivor tests