Endemol Signs Middle East Deals

HILVERSUM: Endemol Middle East scored its first deal in Egypt with the commission of 13 weekly episodes of Fear Factor Extreme, while ten other Endemol shows sold across the region. 

Production will launch in early March on the new episodes of Fear Factor Extreme, which will debut in a prime-time slot on Al Hayat TV later this year. Meanwhile, Ton of Cash received a pickup for a second season on Abu Dhabi TV. Thirteen weekly episodes, as well as daily access shows, will launch in prime time later this year. 

Endemol Middle East now has a number of series airing across the region. These include talent series The Manager and chart show Top 20 for Rotana Music; entertainment show Male Female for MBC and ‘no talent’ show Top of the Flops for Abu Dhabi TV. Forthcoming productions include the Middle East version of Wipeout, and a version of Sony/2waytraffic’s Ba Ba Boom, which will debut on Future TV in early March. 

Ziad Kebbi, the managing director of Endemol Middle East, commented: "Since launching in 2007, Endemol Middle East has become the region’s leading producer and distributor of  entertainment programming. We have an extraordinarily rich and varied slate of shows in place and the success we are having with these continues to further build the local demand for Endemol’s formats."

Dany Karam, the creative director of Endemol Middle East, added: "I’m delighted to have secured our first commission in Egypt with Al Hayat TV and have every confidence it will be the first of many. It’s also great to have Ton of Cash coming back for a second run having seen it become such a hit for Abu Dhabi TV. It was our first show to be commissioned when we launched Endemol Middle East and so this represents another landmark in our continuing growth."