Top Stories

SHERMAN OAKS: GRB Entertainment has placed several factual, automotive and wildlife titles, including Suburban Monsters, in France and French-speaking territories through a deal with AB Droits Audiovisuels.

NEW YORK: Smithsonian’s David Royle, Discovery’s Nesta Owens, RMC Découverte’s Corentin Glutron and ZDF/ZDF Enterprises’s Kristina Hollstein offered up insight into their programming and acquisition strategies at a MIPDoc panel moderated by World Screen’s Anna Carugati before receiving the inaugural World Screen Factual Trendsetter Awards.

LOS ANGELES: Endemol Shine USA, Endemol Shine North America's unscripted arm, has made a number of appointments, including naming Rob Day executive VP and head of unscripted production.

LONDON: The documentary series Extraordinary People is returning to Channel 5 for a new run.

LOS ANGELES: Entertainment production house The Company has hired Annie Gerhart, a former Sony Pictures Television and Ryan Seacrest Productions exec, as its VP of unscripted programming.

NEW YORK: Rob Shaftel, formerly the senior VP of development at ITV Studios America, has launched Hit+Run, a production outfit dedicated to unscripted programming.

LONDON: Scripps Networks Interactive’s Travel Channel has commissioned the tentatively titled Drive of My Life for the U.K. and EMEA region.

NEW YORK: Smithsonian Channel is airing a two-hour special next month to mark Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday.

LOS ANGELES: E!'s new series Total Bellas will feature WWE superstars Nikki and Brie Bella, serving as a spin-off of the network's hit series Total Divas.

LONDON: Passion Distribution has placed several factual entertainment and true-crime titles with international broadcasters, including Foxtel, which acquired season two of Mind of a Murderer.