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NEWS PIMP MY RIDE SET FOR UK MAKOVER Whizz Kid’s chief executive, Malcolm Gerrie
TAC Studios deal brings Nate’s big African adventure to the US Nathan Fluellen
WHIZZ Kid Entertainment has struck a deal via its US agent partner WME to option the format rights to Pimp My Ride from Breakfast Anytime Inc, the US-based originators of the format. The original series of Pimp My Ride launched in 2004 to a weekly average audience of five million viewers on MTV USA. Since then it has been seen by 1.6 billion people worldwide and the format was sold to 171 territories. “I’ve always loved Pimp My Ride and between Whizz Kid and format originators Rick Hurvitz and Ari Shofet, we’re going to give this classic brand its own unique makeover,” Whizz Kid’s chief executive, Malcolm Gerrie said. “We are thrilled to be bringing it back to the UK and have exciting plans for its relaunch.”
3DD AND SKY DUET ON OPERA DOCS 3DD PRODUCTIONS and Sky Arts are co-producing a new series of opera documentaries for the summer of 2018. Currently in pre-production, The Legends Of Opera will feature 12 of the world’s greatest opera stars, including Luciano Pavarotti, Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland and Placido Domingo, performing in some of the world’s greatest opera houses, including Milan’s La Scala and London’s Royal Opera House. The series (12 x 60 mins) will also include contributions from leading critics, producers and directors. 3DD’s executive producer Dominic Saville said the series would “celebrate timeless and iconic artists” whose music and stories continued to captivate worldwide audiences.
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AC STUDIOS, a production arm of The Africa Channel cable network, has made its first original series sale in the US, with Urban Movie Channel (UMC) acquiring SVOD rights for the 13-episode World Wide Nate: African Adventures. Described as “extreme travel tourism”, the series is in production at locations across
Africa. It follows Nathan Fluellen, a thrill-seeker from Chicago with a magnetic personality and a penchant for pushing himself beyond his comfort zone. The international travel vlogger hikes mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo to reach the world’s largest lava lake, descends a 600-foot-tall waterfall in Lesotho, and treks through the Rwandan
jungle alongside silverback gorillas. “We are very excited to work with TAC Studios and launch this new series which we hope will be seen as a thrilling passport to the beautiful and rich continent of Africa. We look forward to premiering this exciting lifestyle show on UMC,” said Angela Northington, general manager and senior vice-president of content acquisitions for UMC.
Magnify to represent CNN Vision MAGNIFY MEDIA, the UKbased distribution and rightsmanagement specialist, has closed a three-year representation deal with CNN Vision, the UKbased global production business that makes CNN International’s premium lifestyle content, documentaries and specials. The deal, which was brokered by Andrea Jackson, Magnify Media’s founder and CEO, and CNN Vision development executive Sean Kierkegaard, will start with imme-
diate effect. Included in the agreement is all the non-news content, which totals more than 100 hours, and all future content that will be produced for the CNN International channel. Jackson said: “CNN is one of the most recognised global brands and we are proud to be working with its content. This deal adds a rich seam of quality non-scripted content to Magnify’s pipeline.” Programme highlights include In 24 Hours and Culinary Journeys.
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In 24 Hours (Magnify Media)