ITV Studios Global Entertainment announced a host of deals in Asia for over 1000 hours of scripted and non-scripted programming across its diverse and comprehensive catalogue. The various deals include shows ranging from exciting new dramas Gold Digger and A Confession to stunning blue-chip Natural History titles including India’s Wild Karnataka and Magical Land of Oz, and the record-breaking Love Island Australia. Package deals have been signed with True Visions in Thailand across drama, factual and entertainment and with FPT Telecom in Vietnam for a host of drama series’, while KT Corp in Korea has extended its scripted output deal.
Several titles from ITV Studios Global Entertainment’s rich collection of natural history programming have been picked up across the region. KBS in Korea has acquired India’s Wild Karnataka, narrated by the acclaimed broadcaster, writer and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, while Discovery Asia has snapped up the rights to Oxford Scientific Films’ Extraordinary Wild Tokyo and Atlantic Productions’ Judi Dench’s Wild Borneo. Among the shows in the True Visions deal are the character-driven relationship Gold Digger, produced by Mainstreet Pictures, Jeff Pope’s thought-provoking factual drama A Confession, as well as stunning blue-chip series Magical Land of Oz and season 19 of Hell’s Kitchen USA, while FPT Telecom’s deal includes Victoria (series 1-3) and all five series of the award-winning Poldark (series 1-5) – both of which are produced by Mammoth Screen – Scandinavian thriller Jordskott (series 1 & 2), Canadian comedy Little Dog (series 1 & 2) and Jekyll & Hyde.
Meanwhile, dramas included in KT Corp’s extended deal include forthcoming drama Sticks and Stones, written by Mike Bartlett and produced by Tall Story Pictures, Pieges, the thriller from ITV Studios France, Capa Drama and BE-Films, and the contemporary version of one of Australia’s most iconic drama franchises, Seachange, from ITV Studios Australia and Every Cloud Productions.
Elsewhere, NBCU Hayu in the Philippines has agreed a deal for series 1 & 2 of Love Island Australia. The record-breaking, award-winning global format, now commissioned in 14 territories, became the most-streamed show in Australian history outside of sporting events when it launched in 2018.
Other deals include Discovery India acquiring series 3 of Wild Planet Productions’s Biggest and Baddest, and Thairath TV in Thailand landing the rights to a selection of factual shows such as Born To Be Wild and Too Cute! Pint Sized.
In Korea, EBS has picked up the latest instalments of Michael Apted’s ground-breaking documentaries 7 Up and Me and 63 Up, and OBS has licensed hidden-camera comedy Tricked USA and nature series Life Cycles.
Augustus Dulgaro, Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific Sales & Distribution at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, said: “From gripping drama to stunning natural history, our catalogue offers something for everyone and we are delighted that viewers across Asia will be able to enjoy some of our biggest shows of the year.”
