ITVS GE Licenses 500 Hours in Australia, NZ

LONDON: ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) has inked a slew of deals involving more than 500 hours of content with broadcasters in Australia and New Zealand.

Foxtel went for 360 hours of lifestyle programming for such Australian networks as The LifeStyle Channel, LifeStyle FOOD, LifeStyle HOME and LifeStyle YOU. The deals include the seventh season of the U.K.’s Come Dine with Me (ITV Studios), as well as the second seasons of the show’s Canadian and South African versions, which are produced by Proper TV and Rapid Blue, respectively. There is also the 11th season of Hell’s Kitchen USA (ITV Studios America), season four of Four Weddings UK (ITV Studios), May the Best House Win: UK season 5 (ITV Studios), UK Abroad (ITV Studios) and Four Houses USA (ITV Studios America).

Australia’s ABC picked up a 100-hour package containing such titles as The Audience UK (The Garden), Her Majesty’s Prison: Aylesbury (Wild Pictures), the fourth and fifth seasons of River Monsters (Icon Films), the third season of Miranda (BBC Production), The Midwives (The Garden) and Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan (Cream/Wildfire). In New Zealand, Rialto purchased 23.5 hours of drama programming, which includes Mrs Biggs (ITV Studios) and season three of Love/Hate (Octagon Films). Additionally, the tenth season of the U.K.’s Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV Studios) is headed to TVNZ in New Zealand as well as Network Ten in Australia.

Augustus Dulgaro, the senior VP for the Asia Pacific at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, remarked: "The number of hours acquired by leading broadcasters in Australia and New Zealand in these latest deals is a fantastic illustration of the breadth and quality of the ITVS GE portfolio."