ITV in Deal for Brit Version of Paris Hilton Series

LONDON/SANTA MONICA, August 20: In a deal with Lionsgate,
ITV2 will create a British edition of Paris Hilton’s My New BFF, in addition to licensing the original American
version, set to air on MTV in the U.S.

The British series is being co-produced by ITV Productions,
Lionsgate and Ish Entertainment. The show will see the socialite scouring for a
new best friend in the U.K. The deal was brokered by Craig
Cegielski, Lionsgate's executive VP of programming and sales for
international television; Zai Bennett, the controller of ITV2; and Jay Kandola,
ITV's director of acquisitions.

"Everyone knows I love L.A.," says Hilton,
"but London, watch out—I'm coming to town and bringing my fast-paced
life with me. I'm in the U.K. all the time, but of course I can't bring all my
friends, so I've decided to look for a new BFF across the pond. I need a best
friend who is hot, who can keep up with me, and most of all, who is real and
won't be a backstabber. I'm not leaving London until I find that amazing girl
or guy who can meet the challenges of being my British bestie!"

"Working with ITV2 through the acquisition of the U.S.
series and simultaneously working with them on the commission of the U.K.
version has been remarkable," said Cegielski. "It speaks to the
incredible international star power of Paris Hilton that we can engage a
broadcaster such as ITV2 in the commission of this format prior to the launch
of the original program."

Bennett noted: "Paris Hilton is a worldwide phenomenon
and ITV2 is the perfect channel for her to make her first ever U.K. show.
Prospective new best friends should form an orderly queue…"

For the U.S. edition for MTV from Ish Entertainment, 20
potential best friends moved to Los Angeles to live in a house and compete in
tests of loyalty, endurance and girl politics to prove that they have what it
takes to be Hilton's new best friend. The ten-episode series is scheduled to
air in the U.S. on MTV in the second quarter. Ish is the new outfit from former
VH1 staffers Michael Hirschorn and Stella Stolper. "This is an innovative
way to take an exciting U.S. format and bring it to worldwide audiences,"
Hirschorn said. "Paris is an international star, probably the best known
personality in the world. For her to do this show in the U.K. is a huge
coup."

—By Mansha Daswani