News round-up: C5 & FilmRise prep prisoner show; Hulu plays country music; Lighthouse & Dog Ears get ‘Stage Struck!’

World’s Most Dangerous Prisoners

C5 & FilmRise meet ‘World’s Most Dangerous Prisoners’

Paramount-owned UK comcaster Channel 5 and US-based streaming service FilmRise have picked up true crime docuseries World’s Most Dangerous Prisoners.

Produced by UK indie Woodcut Media, and titled World’s Most Evil Prisoners in North America, the 10 x 60-minute series takes a fresh, in-depth look at some terrifying offenders whose atrocious crimes earned a whole-life sentence, but still went on to torture, kidnap and even kill while behind bars.

Series producer is Emma Griffiths, and executive producers are Koulla Anastasi and Matthew Gordon for Woodcut Media.

Hulu orders country music docuseries

Hulu in the US has commissioned It’s All Country, a docuseries exploring the people, topics and top moments in country music, hosted by musician and TV star Luke Bryan.

Produced by Omaha Productions, NFL Films and Walt Disney Television Alternative, the show will mark 100 years since the first country music record was made and will highlight the cultural impact and memorable performers and performances that make country music an American and growing global sensation.

Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning will executive produce.

Stage Struck!

Lighthouse & Dog Ears team for ‘Stage Struck!’

Irish animation houses Lighthouse Studios (The Cuphead Show) and Dog Ears (Puffin Rock And The New Friends) have partnered to co-produce a new children’s animation, Stage Struck!

The 52 x 11-minute series, aimed at 5-7-year-olds. Is based on Tor Freeman’s book Showtime for Billie and Coco, and is to be directed by Lighthouse Studios’ head creative Gilly Fogg, with a screenplay by Sian Ní Mhuirí. Lighthouse Studios’ MD Claire Finn serves as executive producer with Dog Ears’ creative director John McDaid as co-producer.

“We are excited to work with the immense talent of Dog Ears to create this effervescent series that introduces kids to the performing arts from around the world. It promises to not only entertain but inspire creativity, and we look forward to introducing Stage Struck! to our industry at Cartoon Forum and MIP Junior,” said Finn.

Out Of Office

Redseven Entertainment goes ‘Out Of Office’

Redseven Entertainment has acquired the rights to produce factual reality format Out Of Office in Germany.

The reality programme debuted on VTM in Belgium last year, following five people with burnout in a-social experiment. The participants get to work on a local care farm, teaming up with its regular employees: people with disabilities, or rather ‘special qualities’. Together they take on a demanding project.

Two worlds collide as they learn from each other along the way. At the end of the project, the participants decide whether to go back to their old jobs or take a different path in life.

Out Of Office was created and produced by PIT, VTM’s in-house development and production unit and is distributed by Be-Entertainment.