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BBC Studios said on Thursday that it has acquired pan-Scandinavian production company Stv to “build on the company’s existing production capabilities and expand its footprint and presence in the region.”

The commercial arm of U.K. public broadcaster BBC said “the acquisition of Stv is in response to the growing appetite and opportunity for BBC content in the market.” Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

Based in Copenhagen with offices in both Norway and Sweden, Stv has been responsible for developing such successful factual entertainment formats as Big Love and Get Lost Honey and has also been the producer of local versions of the likes of Wheel of Fortune, Long Lost Family, and Bargain King. It is also behind the long-running scripted series The First Years across Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

“BBC Studios and Stv have an established relationship, partnering on original IP, Denmark Saves the Planet for TV2 and...

BBC Studios has bought Stv, the Copenhagen-based producer of a local Scandinavian remake of The Office. The Scandi company will be rebranded under a BBC Studios moniker.

This marks a step change for the British producer, which to this point has had formats licensing and co-production operations in Scandinavia, primarily through an agreement with Banijay.

The Stv deal, financial terms of which were not disclosed, builds out the BBC’s production capabilities in Scandinavia. Stv is based in Denmark but has offices in Norway and Sweden.

The company is behind original shows such as Big Love and Get Lost Honey and is the local producer for formats such as Long Lost Family, Wheel of Fortune and Bargain King. It also makes long-running scripted series The First Years in Denmark.

The news comes after BBC Studios and Banijay mutually agreed to end their local first-look formats agreement at the end of March.

BBC Studios has acquired pan-Scandinavian production company Stv.

The acquisition will help the British production-distribution powerhouse grow its footprint in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and build out its existing production outfits. Bbcs has said the deal is “in response to the growing appetite and opportunity for BBC content in the market.”

Based in Copenhagen with offices in Norway and Sweden, Stv’s credits include factual entertainment formats such as “Big Love” and “Get Lost Honey.” Stv also acts as the local producer for “Long Lost Family,” “Wheel of Fortune” and “Bargain King,” in addition to long-running scripted series “The First Years” across Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

BBC Studios and Stv previously partnered on “Denmark Saves the Planet” for TV2 and the ongoing development of a local version of “The Office.”

Stv’s three existing bases will be rebranded as BBC Studios Nordic Productions and the regional MD, Daniel Svarts, will report into Jan Salling,...

Amazon Freevee has teamed with MGM and Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal to add 23 Fast Channels.

Over the next few months., Freevee will launch 12 MGM channels, including single-title channels The Pink Panther, Stargate, Green Acres and The Outer Limits, alongside branded channels such as MGM Presents, MGM Presents: Action and MGM Presents: Sci-Fi, which will be programmed with premium movies and series including Capote and Red Dawn. They will join Paternity Court, In the Heat of the Night, The Addams Family and Teen Wolf, all of which are currently available on Freevee.

Freevee will launch 11 Wbd channels such as Cake Boss, Extreme Couponing, Ghost Brothers, Paranormal Lockdown, Say Yes to the Dress and Long Lost Family.

“Fast Channels offer Freevee viewers an always-on, 24/7, lean-back viewing experience that immediately connects them to a selection of TV shows, movies, and unscripted programming such as news, sports, and music,” said Ryan Pirozzi,...

MGM and Warner Bros. Discovery channels are coming to Amazon Freevee, adding to the free ad-supported streamer’s growing slate of programming.

The studio will launch 12 Fast channels focused on individual titles including “The Pink Panther,” “Stargate,” “Green Acres,” and “The Outer Limits,” alongside branded channels such as “MGM Presents,” “MGM Presents: Action,” and “MGM Presents: Sci-Fi,” which will be programmed with premium movies and series including “Capote” and “Red Dawn.” The MGM Fast channels join “Paternity Court,” “In the Heat of the Night,”“The Addams Family” and“Teen Wolf,” which are already live on Freevee.

Meanwhile, Warner will launch 11 Fast channels in June featuring Discovery and Wbd studio content such as “Cake Boss,”“Extreme Couponing,” “Ghost Brothers,”“Paranormal Lockdown,” “Say Yes to the Dress,”and “Long Lost Family.”

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Amazon Plans to Launch Ad-Supported Prime Video Tier (Report)

Freevee has rapidly expanded its Fast offerings over the last...

Paramount+ Acquires Drama ‘Compulsion’ From Eccho Rights: Paramount+ has added a drama from its Paramount Global stablemate Channel 5 to its collection in several territories around the world. The streamer has tapped distributor Eccho Rights for Compulsion, which recently aired in the UK, for exclusive rights in Australia, Latin America and the Nordics. Moving On producer LA Productions made the show in association with Sweden-based Eccho. The family drama, from writer Sarah Deane, follows a woman on the edge of losing everything who meets a stranger who seems to have the answers to her problems. Leanne Best (Cold Feet) stars alongside Anna Chancellor (The Watch) and Hayley Mills (Pollyanna).

Australia’s ABC Welcomes ‘Long Lost Family’: Australian public broadcaster ABC has wrapped a deal for the first eight seasons of ITV family reunion series Long Lost Family with Amsterdam’s Lineup Industries. In the UK, the human interest...

Exclusive: John Hesling, President of Maverick TV USA, is stepping down after four years at the Chrisley Knows Best producer.

Hesling joined the All3Media-owned company in 2017 and has been responsible for overseeing USA Network’s hit reality series Chrisley Knows Best, which recently wrapped up its ninth season, as well as multiple spinoffs including Growing Up Chrisley, which launched its third season last year.

He also scored a Netflix cooking competition series – American Barbecue Showdown – that has been renewed for a second season at the streamer.

It’s not clear what Hesling is going to do next, but he said that he is “excited” to try something new, adding that the industry is in “such a profound period of change” with distribution channels and creative possibilities that his “head is spinning with new ideas to take out to buyers”.

Simon Knight, Chief Executive of Maverick TV, will now oversee the U.

Discovery and Science Channel are teaming up with urban explorer Justin Fornal on “Uncharted,” TheWrap has learned exclusively. The new series will use modern technology and historical maps to investigate historical mysteries and legends.

Premiering this fall, the series follows Fornal as he cross-references information from old maps to seek long-forgotten information on legends such as a treasure ship buried in the middle of a California desert, and whether the Knights Templar secretly brought their treasure to the New World a century before Columbus arrived.

“With the use of old-school maps and the latest technology, Justin may have found just the right combination of tools to find the answers to mysteries that others before them have come up short in solving,” Science Channel general manager Marc Etkind told TheWrap.

Also Read: TLC 'Long Lost Family' Host Chris Jacobs Joins Discovery's 'Egypt Live' Team (Exclusive)

Fornal is the man behind the Baron Ambrosia character,...

Sunday night’s episode of Discovery’s “Expedition Unknown: Egypt Live” a team of Egyptian archaeologists and explorers did something that has never been done by opening a 2,500-year-old Egyptian mummy’s sarcophagus on live television.

A total of three mummies were uncovered during the two-hour event, including two high-priests and a female mummy whose sarcophagus identified her as a singer in the temple of the Egyptian God Thoth.

Several other antiques were also uncovered, including a wax head cast from the visage of one of the high priests, an ancient Egyptian board game, the remains of a family dog, and jars used to store a mummy’s organs.

Also Read: Discovery to Open Egyptian Sarcophagus in 2-Hour Live TV Event

The broadcast aired simultaneously on Discovery Channel, Travel Channel and Science Channel, where viewers watched the archeological excavation in real time. Josh Gates and Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass explored the remote burial site,...

Discovery, Inc. and BBC Studios have struck a “multi-million pound global content partnership,” the companies said on Monday, which will bring BBC’s “Planet Earth,” “Blue Planet,” “Life,” “Dynasties” and other natural-history titles to Discovery’s Svod platforms.

The 10-year deal, which should close in late spring, relies on Discovery launching a new global streaming service for natural history programming by 2020 that will operate outside the U.K., Ireland and China.

In addition to the hundreds of hours of already existing content, Discovery and BBC Studios will develop new landmark factual content together. The two companies will co-fund a dedicated development team within BBC Studios.

Also Read: Discovery's David Zaslav Made Nearly $130 Million Last Year

Discovery will now also take full ownership of UKTV’s “lifestyle” channels, like Good Food, Home, and Really, while BBC Studios gets the “entertainment” ones. Following completion, James Gibbons will manage the lifestyle channels as part of Discovery’s U.

TLC has renewed “I Am Jazz” for Season 6, which will air in 2020.

The GLAAD Award-winning reality series, which follows transgender teen advocate Jazz Jennings as she navigates life’s ups and downs alongside her close-knit and supportive family, recently wrapped its highest-rated season among women both 18-49 and 25-54. Its per-episode average of 1.4 million total viewers was the second-largest audience in series history.

“Jazz is the quintessential example of living authentically and embracing one’s true self and that is what TLC seeks to celebrate in all of our programming,” Howard Lee, president and Gm of TLC, told TheWrap. “Jazz’s story has inspired viewers across America, and never more so than this past year during the most important moment of her life. We are proud that Jazz and her family have allowed TLC to follow along on her journey and we look forward with great excitement to sharing the...

Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav hauled in almost $130 million in 2018, more than tripling his 2017 executive compensation, according to a Friday SEC filing.

That huge all-in number was mostly thanks to an enormous increase in Zaslav’s options award. In 2018, that category alone surpassed $100 million.

Zaslav’s annual salary remained unchanged at just $3 million per year. His stock awards, which tallied $14.8 million, were down slightly from 2017. But those options skyrocketed from $15.6 million in 2017 to $102.1 million in 2018. Finally, Zaslav’s non-equity incentive plan compensation rose a bit last year to $9 million.

Also Read: TLC 'Long Lost Family' Host Chris Jacobs Joins Discovery's 'Egypt Live' Team (Exclusive)

To add a little perspective, Discovery Inc.’s next highest-paid executive was Chief Development Officer Bruce L. Campbell, who took home $12.3 million in 2018.

Zaslav’s huge number comes about as the result of a new contract, one that goes through 2023. For Zaslav...

Chris Jacobs is joining Josh Gates’ team for Discovery Channel’s “Expedition Unknown: Egypt Live,” TheWrap has learned exclusively. Bring a flashlight, Chris.

Also added to the squad, we’re told, is Egyptologist Ramy Romany, who has dedicated his entire career to uncovering rare artifacts using the latest technology. The team also consists of Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass, and Mostafa Waziri, the secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt.

Jacobs has a long history with Discovery live events, serving as the digital host during Nik Wallenda’s tightrope walk over the Grand Canyon in “Skywire Live” and Chicago’s “Skyscraper Live.” Jacobs has also hosted “Discovery Live: Into the Blue Hole,” “Chopper Live,” “Gold Rush Live” and the live broadcast of the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction for Velocity (now MotorTrend). In addition, he is the regular host of TLC’s “Long Lost Family” and serves as host of the...

Discovery has set a two-hour special, Discovery Live: Into The Blue Hole, that will be broadcast live from the bottom of one of the largest submerged sink holes in the world. Into the Blue Hole will premiere Sunday, December 2 at 4 Pm Et/1 Pm Pt on Discovery. The special also will air globally.

Located 46 miles off the coast of Belize, the Blue Hole is known around the world for its crystal-clear water and its abundance of sharks and sea life. The remote spot has only been explored once, in 1971, by ocean expert Jacques Cousteau. The Discovery special will take viewers to the bottom of the sink hole via a submersible and document the findings. The on-board exploration team will include businessman/philanthropist Sir Richard Branson; explorer Fabien Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Cousteau; and Erika Bergman, the submersible’s pilot.

Hosted by marine biologist Luke Tipple (Discovery’s Shark Week) and presenter...

Beta Film has bought more of Lineup Industries, the Amsterdam-based formats business formed by former Sony and Endemol execs and which counts “Long Lost Family,” and “The Bully Project” among its shows.

Germany’s Beta is known for its stable of international drama. The deal with Lineup gives it a much stronger foothold in the unscripted world through a tie-up with a well-regarded formats specialist. Lineup also sells finished unscripted shows such as “Emergency Call,” which has been just been renewed by C8 in France and Vox in Germany.

The company was founded by seasoned industry executives Ed Louwerse and Julian Curtis, both of whom were previously at Endemol and Sony Pictures Television where they helped launch shows such as “Deal or No Deal” and “Fear Factor” globally.

Louwerse told Variety the deal means closer links with Beta but Lineup will continue to operate autonomously. It also gives the company extra funding for content.

TLC’s “This Is Life Live” is set to return next month, the network announced on Friday.

The Discovery-owned network will air a second go of it’s live event, which captures major milestones in the lives of families, across four nights beginning Sunday, May 13.

Produced by Fly on the Wall Entertainment, each two-hour episode will follow personal journeys of families who are about to experience an extraordinary circumstance on live television. According to the network, “whether these moments prove to be inspirational, shocking or heartbreaking, we’ll follow the twists, turns and surprises that come along with putting unfiltered moments on television.”

Also Read: TLC's 'Long Lost Family': Buckets of Tears Are Shed in Season 3 Trailer (Exclusive Video)

Last year’s event featured a paralyzed man walking at his wedding, two long-lost sisters reuniting and a deaf mother hearing her daughter say “I love you” for the first time.

“This Is Life Live” premieres Sunday, May 13 at 9/8c. Watch a promo for the show above.

Read original story TLC to Bring Back ‘This Is Life Live’ Week, Sets Mother’s Day Premiere (Exclusive) At TheWrap...

Digital-media company Studio71 has hired TV vet Andrew Strauser as senior VP of unscripted content.

In the new role, Strauser will be charged with developing and producing unscripted content for Studio71 across all platforms, reporting to Rabih Gholam, president of unscripted.

Strauser most recently served as head of unscripted for Jennifer Lopez’s production company, Nuyorican (“World of Dance”) where he oversaw all creative and development under its first-look deal with Universal Television Alternative Studio.

Prior to Nuyorican, Strauser worked at Discovery’s TLC for more than eight years as VP, talent development and casting, with a focus on developing talent-driven programming for TLC and its digital platforms.

While at the cable network, he created TLC franchise “Cake Boss” which spawned two spinoffs, “Next Great Baker” and “Bakery Boss.” He also developed series including “Playhouse Masters,” “All About Sex,” “Labor Games” and wedding specials for both Mario Lopez and Courtney...

Fans of TLC's Long Lost Family won't forget the heartbreaking story of Seanne. The 25-year-old woman appeared on the documentary-style show that helps people reconnect with their long-lost biological family members. Season 2 episode 7 — "All the Leaves Fell Off My Family Tree" — told the story of Seanne having an identity crisis after discovering her parents hid the fact that she was adopted. The mom decided to embark on a journey to find her birth mom in order to understand her true lineage. "Every part of me that I thought was pieced together with the people that I love was shattered all over the floor," she admitted during the episode. "If family can hold a secret that big for that long, then I felt a lack of trust in almost every relationship that I had with everybody else." She continued to explain that this lack of trust led her down a dark path.

Thirty years ago, one specific man’s world changed forever — and he’s just now discovering why.

In a People exclusive sneak peek at Monday night’s episode of TLC’s Long Lost Family, Daniel learns about the daughter, Kendra Poland, he unknowingly fathered three decades ago.

Two years after his one night spent with Kendra’s mother, Daniel, who is now 49, decided that he wasn’t “going to live in a closet and I sort of came to the conclusion that it was time to come out.”

Now, Daniel, who has happily been in a “solid relationship” with his partner for the last 11 years,...

TLC is continuing to ramp up the return of its onetime flagship home-makeover series Trading Spaces, saying today it will air a reunion special in spring 2018. The new Trading Spaces also is set to return in the spring with original host Paige Davis and fellow veterans Genevieve Gorder, Carter Oosterhouse, Laurie Smith, Ty Pennington, Hildi Santo-Thomas, Doug Wilson and Vern Yip. The reunion special, hosted by Long Lost Family‘s Lisa Joyner, follows the group getting…...

Before TLC’s iconic home-makeover series Trading Spaces returns for Round 2 in 2018, the original team is reuniting for a game of Where Are They Now.

RelatedTrading Spaces Returning to TLC

Paige Davis, who is returning to host Trading Spaces 2.0, will appear alongside Amy Wynn Pastor, Carter Oosterhouse, Doug Wilson, Frank Bielec, Genevieve Gorder, Hildi Santo-Tomas, Laurie Smith, Ty Pennington and Vern Yip in a catch-up special airing this spring (exact date Tbd), hosted by Lisa Joyner of TLC’s Long Lost Family.

As seen in the preview clip above, the original cast members will reminisce about their favorite room transformations,...

Ryan Santana made a courageous move — he came out to his family on live television.

On Monday’s episode for TLC’s live four-night event of This Is Life Live, audiences met a professional baseball player living in Australia who has been keeping his sexuality a secret from his family all his life. For the first time ever, he’s ready to reveal that he’s gay to his family and fellow teammates.

Though Santana has a very close relationship with his mom, he’s been afraid to tell her that he’s gay for fear that she wouldn’t accept him.

TLC will be bringing even more raw and real to the TV screen.

People can exclusively reveal that preacher and film and television producer DeVon Franklin is joining Emmy-winning journalist Lisa Joyner to co-host This is Life Live, a four-night TV event premiering April 23 on TLC.

The new live event will go inside the lives of families across the United States to deliver life altering moments as they occur in real time.

It will follow the personal journeys of families that are about to experience an extraordinary circumstance on live TV, as well as capture the inspiring, shocking and emotional moments from real life.

A woman wonders if the interracial nature of her parent’s relationship in the ’70s is what led to her being placed for adoption in a new clip from TLC’s “Long Lost Family.” In the episode, which airs Sunday, host Lisa Joyner heads to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to meet Leslie, who has always felt like someone’s dirty secret because she knows that her parents were a bi-racial couple. Her need to understand where she came from and seek out her birth mother reached a tipping point after having children of her own. She’s asked Lisa to try to uncover the mystery about.

There’s a lot going on tonight in the medium world including a chance to win a reading with Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo. First, Hollywood Medium Tyler Henry gets some company when Theresa Caputo takes on Hollywood in a live two-hour event on TLC beginning at 8pmET/7pmCT. Some of the celebs getting personal readings from Theresa include Lisa Joyner, who is host of TLC’s new Long Lost Family (which premieres tonight at 10pm), and her hubby actor/director Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men). “My father was my everything,” Joyner expressed in a preview clip. Theresa is able to share … Continue reading →

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