MTV strikes raft of int’l format deals

The international sales arm of US network MTV has closed a raft of format deals for Pimp My Ride, One Bad Trip and I Used To Be Fat, TBI can reveal.

Scandinavian broadcaster Viasat is to produce a local version of Pimp My Ride in Norway, where it will air on Viasat 4. The 10x1hour series will launch in April and will be produced by Limelight, the local production company run by Mona Halvorsen and Rune Supern Ohlsgaard, who are also the hosts of the show.

German broadcaster RTL2 will air a local version of reality series One Bad Trip after Spin TV closed a deal with Viacom International Media Networks. The four part series, which has not yet been produced for the US network, follows a group of kids on a dream holiday unaware that their parents are watching.

Meanwhile, STV Productions has optioned documentary series I Used To Be Fat for the UK and Banijay’s Nordisk has acquired the rights for Finland and Sweden.

Caroline Beaton, senior VP, international programme sales, VIMN, told TBI: “We have been focusing on formats and have had a very proactive approach, but it takes a good 18 months from talking about deals before you can start speaking about them on a production or commissioning level.”