ITV Studios Commissioned for Trio of Prime-Time Originals

LONDON: The entertainment formats High Stakes, Holding Out for a Hero and Born to Shine are all to be produced by ITV Studios for ITV1’s prime-time schedule.

ITV1 has given the go-ahead for 12 Yard Productions’ Holding Out for a Hero. The one-hour studio-based quiz show sees contestants playing to win money on behalf of someone else. Three contestants play in hopes to win thousands of pounds for their nominated hero’s cause.

From ITV Studios America, High Stakes marks the first time that ITV Studios’ U.S. production arm is producing for ITV1. The hour-long studio-based game show is filmed on an LED grid. The contestant’s path to winning lies in the grid, as each row is worth an increasing sum of money. Contestants must work their way through the grid, avoiding the hidden "fail numbers," which end the game.

Both Holding Out for a Hero and High Stakes were previously piloted for ITV1.

Born to Shine sees ITV Studios working in partnership with the charity Save the Children. The entertainment show sees talented youngsters coaching celebrities, who will have to try their hand at anything from tap dancing to rapping or playing a musical instrument. Each week three famous names will take to the stage to showcase their new skills taught to them through training with gifted youngsters. The series culminates in a large fund-raising extravaganza.

Kevin Lygo, the managing director of ITV Studios, said: “These latest commissions illustrate the breadth of fantastic new ideas originating from all areas of the ITV Studios business. We’re looking forward to working with ITV1 to successfully launch these new shows later this year. As Adam made clear in ITV’s Transformation Plan, we aim to reap the full commercial value of these program brands in the U.K. and around the world.”

Elaine Bedell, the director of entertainment and comedy at ITV, added: “It’s great to be working not only with ITVS in the U.K. but also with ITVS America and 12 Yard Productions on these three new formats. They will all play an important part in our summer and autumn peak time schedules."

Paul Buccieri, the CEO of ITV Studios America, said: “Piloting High Stakes has allowed us to use ITV Studios’ international infrastructure to great effect by piloting this new format for both a U.K. and U.S. network simultaneously. We’re delighted that the international potential of this show was recognised so early in its development.”

Denise O’Donoghue, the managing director of ITV Studios UK, commented: “With High Stakes having been developed by our US business and now commissioned by ITV1 and Holding Out for a Hero being developed and produced here in the U.K. for an Autumn transmission (and already creating much anticipation in the U.S.),  ITV Studios’ intellectual property is justifiably being more commercially exploited.  These changes do not happen overnight, the development process is rigorous, access to the best talent takes time. In addition, we anticipate piloting a number of other new ideas before the end of 2011.”