News round-up: RTL Deutschland acquires Jamie Oliver rights; SkyShowtime recruits A+E CFO; Particle6 to adapt ‘Madigan Chronicles’

Jamie Oliver

RTL Deutschland acquires Jamie Oliver rights

RTL Deutschland has struck a multi-year deal with Fremantle to become the exclusive German home of Jamie Oliver programming and lifestyle content.

The broadcaster takes exclusive rights to the celebrity chef’s entire portfolio of shows across pay-TV, free TV, and streaming via AVOD and SVOD.

Titles covered by the deal include Jamie Cooks the Mediterranean, which will launch on RTL Living on 12 October. In this series, Jamie Oliver delves into Mediterranean cuisine, crafting dishes that can be recreated at home with just five ingredients.

Jamie’s One Pan Wonders, meanwhile, premieres on free TV platform VOXup on 14 October, with the chef showcasing the art of preparing diverse dishes using just a few ingredients in a single pot or pan. Other shows include Jamie’s Quick & Easy, Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals and Jamie’s Super Food.

The new deal includes cross-promotion potential across all media owned and operated by RTL Deutschland and its parent company Bertelsmann including TV, streaming, digital and printed media and publishing of Jamie Oliver’s books.

Maximilian Bolenius, SVP of distribution, German-speaking Europe & Israel, at Fremantle said: “The deal will unlock a variety of synergy opportunities across the Jamie Oliver brand via the incredible media portfolio of RTL Deutschland and Bertelsmann.

“We’re proud to have a long-standing relationship with the Jamie Oliver team and thrilled that we can continue to feed the appetites of his fans across Germany.”

Mark Neil

SkyShowtime recruits A+E CFO

SkyShowtime has appointed Mark Neil as chief financial officer, recruiting him from the same position at A+E Networks EMEA.

Neil will join the company in January 2024 and will be based in London, reporting to CEO Monty Sarhan.

The hire follows current CFO Francesca Pierce’s appointment as SkyShowtime’s first chief administration officer. She will continue to report to Sarhan and will begin this new role in January once Neil formally joins as CFO.

Particle6 to adapt ‘Madigan Chronicles’

Particle6 Productions, the UK indie founded by Eline van der Velden, has acquired the rights to The Madigan Chronicles, Marieke Lexmond’s six-book series comprising titles such as The Dagger, The Magical Tarot Deck and The Wand.

The Madigan Chronicles is a mystical family drama about three generations of headstrong witches and their struggle to work together to keep a centuries-old promise and stop a dark witch from claiming a powerful elemental object.

A pilot script for The Dagger, the first book in the series, is currently being written by Lexmond, while Particle6 plans to develop the wider Madigan Chronicles world, ahead of moving into production, including through the creation if viral videos for WitchTok (on TikTok).