News round-up: ITV buys ‘Oprah With Harry &; Meghan’; Banijay picks up ‘Name That Tune’ rights; Reelz to visit ‘Titanic’

ITV buys Oprah With Harry & Meghan

ITV in the UK has acquired Oprah Winfrey’s recently recorded interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Oprah With Harry & Meghan will debut on Monday, 8 March at 21.00 on ITV following the deal with ViacomCBS Global Distribution, which sells the programme.

The two-hour special was produced by US-based Harpo Productions and is set to air on CBS in the US on 7 March. The interview will cover the duo’s work as royals, their marriage, motherhood and their philanthropic work, as well as their recent move to the US.

Kevin Lygo, ITV MD for media & entertainment, said: “This interview is already a national talking point and ITV is pleased to be able to offer UK audiences the opportunity to see it.”

Banijay picks up Name That Tune rights

Banijay has picked up distribution rights to veteran entertainment format Name That Tune.

The deal will see sales division Banijay Rights selling the format globally, outside of the US, Canada, Australia, Russia and Poland.

The format was created in the 1950s and requires two contestants to prove they possess more musical knowledge than the other by guessing an array of songs. It is owned by US prodco Prestige Entertainment, which had previously been selling rights internationally.

It has been adapted in 26 markets to date, including the UK, Australia and Brazil. TV8 is working with Banijay Italia for a domestic adaptation this spring, while the format returned to screens in the US recently following a deal with FOX.

Carlotta Rossi Spencer, head of format acquisitions, said: “Name That Tune has already proven popular with an international audience and we have no doubt we can extend its reach into new territories given its notoriety in the market as a highly entertaining, relevant, family show.”

Reelz to visit ‘Titanic’

US network Reel and Spiegel History (Geschichte) have picked ups rights to Titanic: Stories From The Deep.

The 4 x 60-minute show, which is sold by Distribution360, has been produced by Infinity Filmed Entertainment Group and Partners In Motion. It uses cutting-edge technology and the unique collection of artefacts salvaged from the underwater resting site of the wreck to tell personal stories of those onboard.

The series was originally financed by UKTV’s Yesterday, Viasat History, Foxtel and Canada’s Hollywood Suite, with the participation of the Rogers Documentary Fund.

ZDFE takes Canada’s White Night global

ZDF Enterprises has acquired global sales rights to Canadian drama White Night (aka Nuit Blanche).

The show, which is from Canadian production firm Pixcom, was commissioned by Radio-Canada and is set to start filming this spring.

It has been created by Julie Hivon and will be directed by Sébastien Gagné with Pixcom’s Dominique Veillet (The Wall) as producer. The show tells the story of a supermodel who goes on to launch a global cosmetics empire.