Optomen Shores Up European Deals

LONDON, December 12: Optomen International has closed deals
for seven of its programs across eight European territories, including sales on
its popular Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares series.

In Poland, the BBC has picked up the first three seasons of
the BAFTA-nominated food magazine show The F Word and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, as well as the first season of Mary Queen
of Shops, with fashion retail expert Mary
Portas helping Britain’s shops and shoppers rediscover their sense of style.
Also in Poland, TVN has licensed the format Naked Chef.

Sales in Denmark and Norway include Viasat TV3 picking up
the U.S. version of Kitchen Nightmares
and Viasat TV8 bagging the first and fourth season of Ramsay’s
Kitchen Nightmares, along with first and
second season revisits.

Belgium’s SBS purchased Kitchen Criminals, which follows top chefs Angela Hartnett and John
Burton Race as they turn amateurs into chefs. SBS has also picked up Ramsay’s
Kitchen Nightmares and the U.S. version of
Kitchen Nightmares.

Both Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and the
U.S. version of Kitchen
Nightmares have also notched up deals in
the Netherlands with Filmlux.

In France, Planete bought The Entity, a horror documentary about an archetypal nightmare
that has caused victims to suffer manic depression, illness, marital break and
even attempted suicide.

Furthermore, Kanal Fem in Sweden picked up the U.S. version
of Kitchen Nightmares, and Eyeworks in
Germany bought the format rights for Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.

Commenting on the deals, Caroline Stephenson, the head of sales
at Optomen International, said: “The fact
that European countries with their own very strong food cultures love our
products just proves how strong our slate really is. Indeed, the breadth and
volume of deals we’re now doing internationally are an integral part of our
current strong growth.”

—By Kristin Brzoznowski