MIPTV Spotlight: ITV Studios Global Entertainment

CANNES: The big drama launch for ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) this year is Texas Rising, an epic series about the rise of the Texas Rangers.

“It boasts a world-class cast, including Ray Liotta, Bill Paxton and Olivier Martinez,” says Dan Gopal, the company’s executive VP for EMEA distribution and global digital partners. “The series is cinematic in its scale and visual style and we’re hugely excited to be hosting the World Premiere Screening at MIPTV.”

ITVS GE is also offering up Good Witch, a drama based on a Hallmark Channel movie that Gopal says “is a charming tale of a magical mother and daughter duo, and it makes perfect family viewing.”

There is also 10,000 BC, a social experiment that explores what life was like during the Stone Age. “10,000 BC is a unique and compelling social experiment that brings history to life, making viewers all over the world think about everything we take for granted in the 21st century,” says Mike Beale, ITV Studios’ executive VP of global development and formats.

Other format highlights include Get Your Act Together, featuring celebrities attempting to master variety acts, and Keep It in the Family, in which three generations of two families compete in a series of challenges.

In the way of kids' programming, a top priority for ITVS GE at the market in Cannes is to promote Thunderbirds Are Go, a reinvention of the classic children’s series from the 1960s. The show, which is produced by ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures, is set to premiere on ITV and CITV in the U.K. this spring. It has already been commissioned for a 26-episode second season, which is slated for broadcast in 2016 and 2017. “Its unique mix of CGI animation and incredible model sets gives each episode a theatrical feel rarely seen in children’s TV; it’s also a 360-degree property, with linear and nonlinear content designed to reach kids across all channels and platforms,” says Steve Green, the executive VP of kids’ content and distribution at ITVS GE.