ITV Studios acquires Elk Entertainment non-scripted formats catalogue

ITV Studios acquires Elk Entertainment non-scripted formats catalogue

23 June 2020 – In line with its intention to increase the acquisition of non-scripted IP from selected independent producers, ITV Studios has today announced the acquisition of all non-scripted formats and IP from the Swedish creator and distributor Elk Entertainment.

The deal, spearheaded by Mike Beale, Managing Director of the Global Creative Network will see the addition of 65 formats to the catalogue of the Group’s Global Entertainment arm located in The Netherlands, led by President, Maarten Mejis. Popular titles such as Invincible, Dead Poets, Pyramid of Dreams, Odd One Out, DIY Champions, Brainpower and All Inclusive will become part of the wider ITV Studios portfolio which includes the internationally renowned franchises The Voice, Love Island and Come Dine With Me.

ITV Studios acquired Elk Productions in 2017, renaming the business ITV Studios Sweden, and has since held exclusive rights to produce its entertainment formats in the Scandinavian region. In this new deal, the exploitation of all international rights to Elk’s formats transfer from distributor Elk Entertainment to ITV Studios.

Mike Beale, Managing Director, Global Creative Network at ITV Studios, said:

“Having worked with Estelle and Mattias over the last 15 years I am delighted that they have entrusted their brilliant non-scripted creations to ITV Studios. We are excited to represent these highly entertaining and robust formats globally, building on their solid success in the Scandinavian region.”  

Estelle Boden, Managing Director and Mattias Olssen, Head of Programming said"

“We have enjoyed many amazing years at Elk Entertainment but we are now looking to take a break and look for a fresh challenge. ITV Studios has been a great production partner to us in the Scandinavian region it feels a natural step to leave the catalogue in their safe hands. We are confident that the Creative Network and Global Entertainment teams will deliver super success for the catalogue internationally.”

The formats acquired by ITV Studios include:

·       Invincible, in which eight paralympic stars from different disciplines compete against each other to be crowned the nation’s best parasports athlete

·       Dead Poets Society which sees four famous artists tasked with transforming a classic poem into a contemporary hit song

·       Pyramid of Dreams (aka Stacked) a game show that generates a full spectrum of emotions from despair to joy

·       Odd One Out a visual quiz in which one couple attempts to answer 15 “odd one out” questions correctly to win a big cash prize

·       DIY Champions a primetime competition in which 10 amateur DIY-ers compete in amazing challenges to prove themselves the nation’s best handyman/handywoman and take home a cash prize

·       Brainpower a factual entertainment format exploring the evolution of the human brain and how it functions in today's rapidly adapting, modern world

·       All Inclusive a dating show in which a group of single mums and dads set off on an unforgettable vacation in the sun, all with the same aim - finding new love. Coming along for the ride are the parents’ biggest supporters - and biggest critics - their kids!

ITV Studios also acquires titles such as Cook it Yourself, Garden Masters, Herstory2, My Big Day, One Night Only, Portable Talk Show, RUN!/Spring!, Sapiens, Supercrafters and Think.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Full Format Descriptions:

Invincible
In Invincible, eight paralympic stars from different disciplines compete against each other to be crowned the nation’s best parasports athlete. Besides the fierce competition, viewers get to hear their inspiring stories and see how they motivate and learn from each other. A favourite with younger viewers, Invincible attracted a 21% share of 15 – 24 year olds for TV4 Sweden.

Dead Poets Society

In each episode of Dead Poets Society four famous artists are tasked with transforming a classic poem into a contemporary hit song. Working alone or as a group, the artists are encouraged to research the poet's life and the history surrounding their work. Each artist or group interprets the words in their own way and revisiting personal experiences in order to inspire the music, culminating in a live music event. Produced by ITVS Sweden for SVT1, a second season is in production. Dead Poet’s Society has also been produced in Finland (YLE) and Denmark (DR).

Pyramid of Dreams

A game show that generates a full spectrum of emotions from despair to joy, Pyramid of Dreams (aka Stacked) sees one couple face a pyramid of 15 shipping containers, of which one on each row is filled with dream prizes just for them. The couple must answer five questions correctly within a time limit – opening their chosen container on each level - in order to reach the ultimate ‘gold container’ at the top which holds the biggest prize of all.  If they can answer the final Golden Question - they will win big, answer it wrongly, they fall mercilessly back to the bottom and must start again. Three seasons of Pyramid of Dreams have been produced for TV4 Sweden, the second of which garnered a 23% share of all viewers on Friday and Saturday evenings during Primetime.

Odd One Out

Odd One Out a visual quiz in which one couple attempts to answer 15 “odd one out” questions correctly to win the big cash prize. Viewers at home can play along in real time with the app. Each question they answer correctly moves them one step up the money ladder. There are 2 safety levels on the ladder - reach them and they’re guaranteed that prize money, but answer incorrectly and they’re out of the game and they drop down to the last safety level. Five seasons of Odd One Out have aired on TV4 in Sweden, each attracting an increase on its primetime slot average. It has also been produced for Fox TV in Turkey.

DIY Champions
DIY Champions is a primetime competition in which 10 amateur DIY-ers compete in amazing challenges, from a DIY Obstacle Course to a Makeover Duel to prove themselves the nation’s best handyman/handywoman and take home a cash prize. DIY Champions performed 20% above the slot average when it aired on LRT in Lithuainia – and has become an even more topical format as viewers around the world spend more time at home.

Brainpower
Brainpower is a factual entertainment format exploring the evolution of the human brain and how it functions in today's rapidly adapting, modern world. From landing on the moon to mating via Tinder – while society has evolved our brains have not changed genetically, with serious consequences – episodes explore the challenges our brains face including digital life, stress and ADHA, and how we can better adapt them to the modern world. An unexpected hit in for SVT in Sweden, it regularly attracted audiences of 1 million viewers. A second season is in production.

All Inclusive

In All Inclusive a group of single mums and dads set off on an unforgettable vacation in the sun, all with the same aim - finding new love. Coming along for the ride are the parents’ biggest supporters - and biggest critics - their kids! Those who have managed to find love at the end of their stay can leave together to start their new adventure. All Inclusive was created for Sjuan Sweden, two seasons have also aired in Germany (RTL II) and The Netherlands (NPO3) generating an increase on each broadcaster’s slot average.

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