TVFORMATS
Ricochet has acquired the rights to make a U.K. version of the Australian series Muster Dogs from ABC Commercial.
Based on an original concept by producer Michael Boughen for Ambience Entertainment, the format was developed in partnership with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It has now delivered three seasons, with a fourth currently in production.
Ricochet will be working alongside Pippa Lambert at Hellcat Productions to adapt the format, which follows six animal farmers from across the country who are each given a puppy from the same litter and then face the task of training them up to be herding dogs in just one year.
Damon Pattison, creative director at Ricochet, said: “It’s a brilliant format and I think the combination of utterly adorable puppies, the beautiful British countryside and a dose of competitive reality will make this series a surefire hit in the U.K.’’
Isabella Del Grande, sales executive at ABC Commercial, said: “Muster Dogs offers an authentic, family-friendly version of reality TV. Perfect for co-viewing, it serves up the competition tropes and transformation narratives that audiences love—hooking them from the get-go and ensuring they are invested across the full arc of each season. I’m so excited to see Ricochet bring the British adaptation to life and give us a new collection of passionate farmers and gorgeous puppies to fall in love with.”
Monica O’Brien, producer and director at Ambience Entertainment, said “Australian audiences have fallen in love with this uplifting and heartwarming series, which not only celebrates the bond between handlers and their dogs but also showcases the diversity of our vast country, the joys and challenges of farming and the essential role of working dogs for the agricultural industry.”
Michael Boughen, creator and producer at Ambience Entertainment, said: “It’s incredibly exciting to see Muster Dogs expand beyond Australia. The success of the show speaks to the universal admiration for working dogs and the people who train them. I look forward to seeing the U.K. version bring its own unique flavour while staying true to the heart of the series.”
The U.S. format has also been optioned by Hellcat Productions, and ABC Commercial is in format discussions with partners in Spain, France and the Nordics.
