BossaNova in Co-Financing Pact with Channel 4

BossaNova Media and the U.K.’s Channel 4 are co-financing two history series, including Ancient Egypt by Train.

The four-part historical travelogue Ancient Egypt by Train is produced by Spark Media (Chateau DIY, Tool Club). It is fronted by anthropologist, TV presenter and author Professor Alice Roberts, who uses one of the world’s oldest rail networks to explore one of the world’s most ancient civilizations.

Ancient Egypt by Train is executive produced by Steve Havers and the legendary Paul Crompton for Spark Media and Paul Heaney for BossaNova.

The three-part Lost Temples of Cambodia, from Bright Button Productions, sets out to answer the questions that still hang over the largest religious monument in the world: the temple complex at Angkor Wat in northern Cambodia.

Lost Temples of Angkor is executive produced by Aaron Young and Freya Eden-Ellis for Bright Button, and Paul Heaney for BossaNova.

Channel 4’s senior acquisitions manager, Polly Scates,  said: ‘We’re always looking for a new way to bring history to the channel and these series are a wonderful way to do just that. We’re excited to take our audience with us on these ambitious, beautiful journeys and explore these historical sites through a new lens. It’s great to be in business with Bossanova, Spark and Bright Button and bring these exciting projects to life.’

Paul Heaney, CEO of BossaNova, said: “When we turbo-charged our Development Days to a hybrid online/in-person pitching event last year, our aim was to build on our success in matching the right ideas with the right broadcasters to get great television made, rather than just talked about. I reckon we’ve struck gold with Ancient Egypt by Train and Lost Temples of Cambodia. Both are spectacular examples of the ancient history/mystery genre that will deliver on their promise—and also, I hope, mark the start of many more creative ventures with Channel 4. I’m predicting that the only thing that won’t be a mystery about these two compelling series is that they’ll go on to sell around the world.”