Factual round-up: ZDFE joins ‘Whales Off Our Coasts’; Mediaset strikes BBCS deal; A+E reveals lifestyle push

Whales Off Our Coasts

ZDFE joins Whales Off Our Coasts

Germany’s ZDF Enterprises (ZDFE) has joined upcoming special Whales Off Our Coasts as a coproduction and distribution partner.

The 1 x 50-minute show attempts to unravel the mystery as to why they suffer such immense trauma when they come close to our shores. It is currently in production by ZDFE sibling Doclights and NDR Naturfilm.

Mediaset strikes BBCS deal

Mediaset in Italy has snagged first-window pre-sales of natural history shows including Frozen Planet II from BBC Studios.

The pact also hands the Italian firm rights to Dynasties II and Planet Earth III, as well as the second season of Animals With Cameras and Mummies Unwrapped.

Salim Mukaddam, SVP of EMEA content sales, described the pact – unveiled on the fourth day of BBCS’s online only Showcase event – as a “substantial agreement”.

A+E reveals ‘lifestyle’ push

A+E Network has ordered 200 hours of new lifestyle programming for its Home.Made.Nation pillar, with shows destined for A&E Network, the History Channel, Lifetime and FYI.

The first tranche of shows will air on A&E, which will expand the Home.Made.Nation block to Sundays and broaden its offerings to include food content.

Rachael Ray’s Renovation Rescue (working title) explores renovation and remodelling of properties after fires and other disasters, with Intentional Content producing with Six West Media.

Rachael Ray also headlines FYI’s Rachael Ray’s Italian Dream Home, which follows the celebrity cook as she improves a property in Tuscany. Intentional Content is also behind that show.

Elsewhere, A&E will first air Food Fight, a “fun, new competition series” hosted by brothers and former NFL players Geoff and Mitchell Schwartz who travel across the country in search of America’s fiercest restaurant rivalries. Six West Media and Category 6 Media produce.

The two prodcos are also behind real estate show Flipping Down South and Living Smaller, which delves into the ‘tiny house’ phenomenon.