Robot Wars Reboot Lands in Germany

LONDON: Passion Distribution has licensed the new U.K. version of the competition series Robot Wars to Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland.

Robot Wars sees amateur robot designers build fighting robots that will compete in a bulletproof arena. Germany’s kabel eins secured the free-TV rights for the new series. The 6×60-minute remake was commissioned from Mentorn Scotland and SJP Media by BBC Two in the U.K., where it will begin airing weekly at 8 p.m. starting Sunday, July 24. Dara O’Briain (Mock the Week) and Angela Scanlon (The One Show) will serve as hosts alongside returning commentator Jonathan Pearce.

Meanwhile, Manoto TV snapped up the free-TV rights to Robot Wars for Farsi/Persian speakers in Iran. Additional deals are currently being negotiated in territories worldwide. Passion has also tied up with Dazzler Media for the show’s U.K. DVD rights.

Elin Thomas, the director of global sales at Passion Distribution, remarked: “We are thrilled that such a high-profile partner, ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland, has acquired the German-speaking rights to the BBC’s exciting new reboot of Robot Wars. Germany is a key territory for Passion Distribution and Robot Wars‘s mix of entertainment, technology and tough competition has all the right ingredients for the German audience and will doubtless appeal across the generations. Meanwhile, here in the U.K. enthralled fans eagerly await the launch episode on July 24.”