Channel 4 to Adapt Born On Format

LONDON: Channel 4 has commissioned the new celebrity-led historical biography series Born On, in a deal with Outline Productions and DRG.

Outline will produce the new 4×1-hour series, which is based on a format sold by DRG. The original Born On series was created by Norwegian production company Monster, part of the Nice Entertainment Group, for NRK.

Each episode will explore the lives of three individuals all born on the same day, one of whom is now a famous figure and the others still have stories to tell. The show blends together interviews, personal archive and revisits to people and places who have shaped their lives.

Rob Coldstream, commissioning editor for Channel 4, said: “Born On is a fresh, exciting new way to explore Britain’s contemporary social history through the powerful personal stories of individuals and their very different experiences of the same historical events.”

Laura Mansfield, the managing director of Outline Productions, added: “Bridget and I fell in love with this deceptively simple format and knew we could bring it to life for British audiences. Born On is a new way to get under the skin of some of our best-loved faces and see them from a different perspective and in the context of their peers, but also to uncover some truly remarkable people and unsung stories and gain a new insight into British social history.”

Noel Hedges, the executive VP of content at DRG, commented: “At DRG we are committed to investing in groundbreaking content that will appeal to viewers around the world. We have a long-standing relationship with NRK and a great deal of expertise in Nordic programming, and we are confident that the Born On format will achieve the same success in the U.K. that it has enjoyed in Norway.”