Banijay Launches French Format Fund – Global Briefs

Banijay Launches French Format Fund

Banijay is seeking to elevate the best French formats by launching a fund with local format investment fund La Fabrique des Formats. Titled, Fonds La Fabrique – Banijay, the fund will identify local shows that the pair believe can make it to screen and travel beyond the territory. A selection committee made up of industry experts will be tasked with identifying the best projects, both non-scripted and scripted, and the fund will invest in a range of areas to elevate these shows to channels and platforms. The creators of the chosen formats will receive tailor-made support and funding to develop their creations. “This partnership further fosters our regional know-how,” said François de Brugada, CEO of Banijay France. “Being headquartered in France, along with our local knowledge and global ambition, it is naturally our role to support the creative community here to ambitiously develop the next-generation of hits for France and the world.” Banijay France produces the likes of Fort Boyard and gameshow Chacun son Tour. La Fabrique des Formats Founder Philippe Chazal added: “We are very excited by this partnership with Banijay as this new fund significantly strengthens our ability to invest in the development of new, original content and to build format projects.”

UK’s Channel 4 Greenlights Alex Horne Comedy & Mega Sarah Beeny Order

UK’s Channel 4 has ordered an Alex Horne comedy and another big order for a daytime show from outdoor personality Sarah Beeny, who has launched production outfit Knockers Group. The Horne Section TV Show will be penned by Taskmaster creator Horne and will see him combine with the band that he has worked with for several years. The show was initially a Channel 4 pilot but other than that, Channel 4 has issued little detail. “Alex is an extraordinarily talented comic; unique, charming and unpredictable, and The Horne Section TV Show is set to mirror all these qualities,” said Channel 4 Head of Comedy Fiona McDermott. Meanwhile, Sarah Beeny’s New Country Lives from Knockers and Outline Wales will see the host, who already presents a range of Channel 4 programs, follow urban-dwellers as they relocate and start new lives and careers in the country, with recent polls showing 50% of British people want to quit urban lives and own a smallholding. Channel 4 has also greenlit a third series of Sarah Beeny’s New Life in the Country along with a Christmas special. Both shows will be produced by Wil Edwards, who has joined Outline from Boomerang. Channel 4, which is soon to be controversially privatized, has also ordered a second run of similar format The Great Garden Revolution.

A+E Global Content Sales Ups Lori Hall To VP, International Post

A+E Networks Global Content Sales, the distribution wing of A+E, has upped Lori Hall from Senior Director to VP of International Programming. This hands her oversight of A+E’s FAST channels in addition to her role as lead product knowledge advisor to the company’s international channels and global sales team. She’ll continue to report to Liz Soriano, Senior VP of International Programming, who called her “a longtime rising star.” Hall was previously VP of Program Planning, Scheduling and Acquisitions at Ovation TV.

NBCU & Discovery In Big LatAM Factual Buy

NBCUniversal Latin America and Discovery Latin America have picked up more than 200 hours worth of factual content in the region from Beyond Rights. NBC acquired the majority, taking the like of Confessions of a Serial Killer, Murder Made Me Famous, Fatal Vows and Inside Crime, while Discovery picked up Love It Or List It UK and all nine runs of Botched Up Bodies. . “There is a great appetite for good true crime and lifestyle content in Latin America, and we not only have several compelling titles in each genre, but also many returning series and franchise extensions,” said Lenneke de Jong, Beyond Rights VP of sales for Latin America.