Lionsgate Strikes Deal With Eureka Productions To Ramp Up Formats Business In Australia

Lionsgate is looking to ramp up its formats business down under by striking a deal with Australian producer Eureka Productions, run by MasterChef producer Paul Franklin and Restaurant Startup creator Chris Culvenor.

The U.S. studio has struck an exclusive partnership agreement with Eureka that will see the latter represent, sell and produce all Lionsgate entertainment formats and non-scripted series to broadcasters throughout Australia.

Eureka Productions has produced over 160 hours of programming in less than three years including The Chefs’ Line and The Employables for SBS and The Single Wives for Seven Network as well as remakes of The Voice for Nine Network, Australian Spartan for Seven and Drunk History for Network Ten. Eureka is also producing series in the U.S. including projects for Animal Planet and Oxygen.

It will work alongside Lionsgate’s EVP and Head of Worldwide Alternative Programming Jennifer O’Connell, and Lionsgate’s President of International Television and Digital Distribution Peter Iacono, and their creative and distribution teams.

Lionsgate unscripted slate includes Kevin Hart: What the Fit for YouTube, Music City on CMT, Norm MacDonald Has A Show, which will launch on Netflix later this month, and You Kiddin’ Me, Kim Kardashian West-exec produced prank show for Facebook Watch.

The deal was brokered by Lionsgate’s UK exec Paula Warwick and Stephanie Sanet of Dembitzer & Dembitzer LLP on behalf of Eureka Productions.

Franklin and Culvenor said, “We’re delighted to be working with Lionsgate, a visionary leader in the development of creative ideas, for a broad range of networks and platforms. When it comes to unscripted content, U.S. and Australian audiences share very similar sensibilities and we’re looking forward to bringing Lionsgate’s growing catalogue of formats to Australia.”

“We’re delighted to partner with world-class developers and producers Paul and Chris to bring our premium unscripted series to Australia,” said Lionsgate’s O’Connell. “Our diverse content will have great appeal in this territory as we continue to expand our nonfiction television business globally.”

Iacono added, “Paul and Chris have exemplary track records and key relationships in the development, production, and distribution of highly successful, non-scripted television in Australia. Our new affiliation will enable us to extend our existing formats and create new formats to bring back to the U.S. and other international territories.”