Tandem Preps Pillars Sequel

MUNICH: After successful airings of The Pillars of the Earth, a number of broadcasters, including Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1, are on board for the Ken Follett sequel World Without End.

Spain’s Cuatro, Austria’s ORF an Sky Italia are also set to air the sequel. Germany’s Universum Film has re-upped for home entertainment on the project.

Based on Ken Follett’s worldwide best-seller, The Pillars of the Earth was adapted for television as an eight-hour series by John Pielmeier and directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan. The program was seen by an average of 6.8 million viewers per night during its run on Sat.1 in Germany. The series produced an average market share of 25.3 percent in the key 14-to-49 demo.

World Without End is set 200 years after Pillars and will also be an eight-hour event. The project heads into production in summer 2011. World Without End will be produced as a German-Canadian co-production, with Tandem Communications, Scott Free Television and Take 5 Productions.

"The Pillars of the Earth has attracted a committed worldwide audience and has demonstrated it is a program with wide appeal and staying power," said Rola Bauer, partner and managing director at Tandem. "We have been privileged to work creatively with Scott Free and John Pielmeier on Ken Follett’s masterpiece The Pillars of the Earth and it’s a testament to the quality and all of the partners involved worldwide that we can do it again on World Without End. We are thrilled to already announce the first partners re-upping."

"Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth was a big step for Sat.1 and is certainly one of the greatest TV-events of 2010. We are really glad to be continuing the brilliant collaboration with Tandem Communications and Scott Free for the follow-up project World Without End," added Andreas Bartl, the chief German free-TV officer and member of the executive board ProSiebenSat.1 Media.

"With the now long-standing relationship between Tandem and Scott Free, it makes perfect sense that we are moving forward on World Without End together showcasing more of Ken Follett’s great storytelling and John Pielmeier’s wonderful adaptation," remarked Ridley Scott of Scott Free.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Tandem and Scott Free on World Without End," commented John Weber, the president of Take 5 Productions.