Red Seven off the mark with German Singing Bee

ProSiebenSat.1 Group’s new production arm Red Seven is up and running and will coproduce the German version of Singing Bee with fellow German producer Werner Kimmig, company managing director Jobst Benthues tells TBIvision.

The Gurin Company/Juma Entertainment-created, Zeal Entertainment-distributed, singing format is on NBC in the US. It is slated to debut on ProSieben later this year.

It will be the first TV project for the recently inaugurated Red Seven Entertainment, a new wholly owned production company that will service the ProSiebenSat.1 Group channels.

Red Seven boss Benthues says the company will produce light entertainment, comedy and docutainment series. It will develop shows that have been successful on specific ProSiebenSat.1 Group channels for the wider group, which following the acquisition of SBS includes channels all over Europe. ProSiebenSat.1’s commercial arm SevenOne International will then handle all international sales of Red Seven projects.

The Munich-based producer’s primary function is to service the channels of its parent company but it could look to work with other channels further down the line. Benthues says: "First of all production is just for the Group, but productions for third party broadcasters are possible as well."

It will also work on interactive and digital projects and is already producing Gina Lisa’s World, a short form online series that follows the eponymous Gina Lisa, a former Germany’s Next Top Model contestant.