News


UK’s $570m Sunderland studio backed by Fulwell 73 gets formal approval

The £450m ($570m) Sunderland-based development backed by Leo Pearlman and James Corden’s Fulwell 73 has received formal backing from local government. Crown Works Studios has secured approval from Sunderland council’s planning committee for the first phase of development, meaning construction can start on the site in the North East of England this summer. The project […]

Alloy Entertainment boss expands remit & extends WBTV deal

Leslie Morgenstein, founder and president of Alloy Entertainment, the US prodco behind Netflix’s You, has signed a new deal with Warner Bros. Television (WBTV). The exec has also taken on the role of chief creative officer at Alloy, which has been a part of Warner Bros. Television since 2012. During his time at the company, […]

Factual firm The Great Courses Studio appoints West One Int’l as global distribution agent

Newly launched US prodco The Great Courses Studios has appointed UK-based West One International to distribute its library of factual programming worldwide. The Great Courses Studios was founded earlier this year to spearhead the global expansion US factual educational brand The Great Courses. The studio is focused on creating content for the global TV market […]

Bavaria Fiction spins off documentary unit as Icon Docs to meet rising factual demand

German production outfit Bavaria Fiction has spun off its documentary division as Icon Docs, an independent label that will continue to produce content for both the local and international markets. Bavaria Fiction’s documentary unit was launched in March 2022 and is headed up by Bavaria Fiction’s doc chief Emanuel Rotstein, who will continue to report […]

News round-up: Italy’s TV8 extends ‘Lindt’ format; ABC Commercial unveils rom-com

Italy’s TV8 extends ‘Lindt’ format Sky Italia’s TV8 in Italy has extended its brand-funded competition show Maître Chocolatier – Talenti In Sfida into a second season. The show, produced by Banijay’s prodco Nonpanic, tracks a group of chocolate and pastry experts as they attempt to impress judges including MasterChef Italia’s Giorgio Locatelli with their creations. […]

Disney Channel greenlights ‘Wizards Of Waverly Place’ sequel

Disney Channel has handed a series greenlight to Wizards (working title), a sequel series to its popular teen sitcom Wizards Of Waverly Place. A pilot episode was filmed earlier this year, with the project now moving forward with a full series. Produced by Disney Branded Television, production on the new series begins next month in […]

Banijay, Fremantle, All3 & ITVS set London TV Screenings 2025 dates

Banijay, Fremantle, All3Media International and ITV Studios have set a date for next year’s London TV Screenings, as speculation around the future of the event grows. The 2025 edition will run from Monday 24 February to Friday 28 February, with organisers claiming that last month’s Screenings saw a 50% uplift in the number of buyers […]

Chrome Studios hires Wag’s Bri Marzigliano for unscripted move

Chrome Studios, the entertainment arm of London and LA-based branded content and commercials business Chrome Productions, has hired Wag Entertainment’s Bri Marzigliano to spearhead a move into unscripted. Marzigliano joins as VP of development as Chrome looks to begin production on premium character-focused entertainment across limited series, documentaries, formats and feature-length films. She will work […]

Fremantle completes Asacha Media Group acquisition

Fremantle has completed its acquisition of global production company Asacha Media Group and its portfolio of labels in France, Italy and the UK. The deal sees Fremantle take control of the outfit from Asacha’s founding partners, managers and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management. Fremantle struck a conditional agreement to acquire Asacha in February, which […]