BBC Worldwide Channels Takes Factual, Entertainment Fare

CANNES: A host of acquisitions were made in the entertainment and factual genres by BBC Worldwide Channels for BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and BBC Entertainment.

All five titles acquired by BBC Worldwide Channels come from ALL3MEDIA International. Among the pickups is Piers Morgan On…, which watches the Britain’s Got Talent host visit some of the world’s most glamorous locales and offer his unique view. The show is set to air on BBC Knowledge in Africa, Poland and Scandinavia. Reggie Perrin retells the story of a sales executive struggling to deal with modern life and its rules. The series heads to BBC Entertainment across Africa. Also new for Africa, The Undercover Princes follows the adventures of three bachelor princes as they travel incognito to find love. The series will air on BBC Lifestyle next spring.

There are also two one-off documentaries included in the deal: Libeskind and Cleopatra: Portrait of a Killer. In Libeskind, the life and influences of the architect, artists, philosopher and self-confessed populist Daniel Libeskind are recounted. The 90-minute doc heads to BBC Knowledge in Poland. Cleopatra: Portrait of a Killer looks at the legacy of the last Pharaoh of Egypt. The one-off will air on BBC Knowledge across Africa and Poland.

John Taite, the director of programming for EMEA at BBC Worldwide Channels, said, “We’re constantly on the lookout for high-quality programming that not only fits well with the BBC brand, but resonates with our international audience. These shows all travel particularly well and further illustrate the breadth and quality of programming reaching our viewers worldwide."