German nets remake BBC fact ent formats

German broadcaster ZDFneo has commissioned a local version of BBC Three format Junior Doctors: Your Life in Their Hands, while WDR is remaking BBC One’s The Food Factory. This comes after both broadcasters struck deals with Tower Productions, the JV between BBC Worldwide and All3Media.

Tower Productions also recently finished production of Love Production’s format Generation Gap, that sees young people volunteer for work in a care home for the elderly, for ARD and SWR.

ZDFneo has ordered 10 episodes of Junior Docs, a fly-on-the-wall format that follows doctors in their first two years in a hospital, to air later this year.

Meanwhile, WDR has commissioned six eps of The Food Factory – known locally as Freitag tischt auf! – to air weekly from October.

Stefan Oelze, managing director of Tower Productions said: “These are three strong formats that speak to, educate and touch people.  This is human interest television at its best, dealing with current issues and experiences in our communities. UK viewers really responded to the unique stories being told in these series and I know German audiences will be equally enthralled.”