Press Releases

Revealed back with Nazi Titanic and Sir Peter Jackson's Stunt Pilots

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:53:30 +0000

Channel 5 today announced the spring run of one of its longest-running and most successful fixtures: the Revealed historical documentary strand. March 2012 will see the channel broadcast four powerful stand-alone stories, each with a brand new discovery at its heart.

The year’s first batch of Revealed documentaries launches with the bizarre tale of the forgotten propaganda film made by the Nazis about the sinking of the Titanic, and goes on to cover: an investigation (by the production company that made The King’s Speech) into the birth of the RAF that uses Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson’s fleet of replica WWI aeroplanes for spectacular airborne experiments; shocking new evidence of a cover-up following the massacre of hundreds of US troops on the Devon coast during WWII; and – on the eve of its 30th anniversary – a new and very personal insight into just how close we came to losing the Falklands War.

The run kicks off a great year for history on the channel. The spring Revealeds will be followed by Rory McGrath’s Pub Dig, in which Rory and archaeologist Paul Blinkhorn unearth massive Roman buildings, Neolithic hunting camps and Tudor dockyards beneath the picnic tables of the nation’s beer gardens. Two more major history series and several anniversary-related specials will be announced in coming months, and Revealed will be back for another run in the autumn.

John Hay, Commissioning Editor for Factual at Channel 5 comments, “History programming is absolutely central to Channel 5, and Revealed defines our approach to the genre. This run is full of simple, strong, unspun stories that deliver all the pleasure of a thriller or an action film while being packed full of proper scoops and shocking revelations along the way.”

______________________________

More about the programmes:

Nazi Titanic: Revealed tells the story of the forgotten 1942 blockbuster in which Nazi propagandists recast the famous disaster as a story of German courage and Allied weakness. If the script was far-fetched (it features a heroic German first officer whose warnings about an iceberg are foolishly ignored…), the story of the film’s production was more extraordinary still: a tale of power, betrayal, and perhaps even murder, which saw essential wartime resources diverted to the production, the director jailed and possibly executed on Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels’ orders, and – in the last days of the war – the sinking of the ship used for the filming. More died in that disaster than on the Titanic itself. Using Goebbels own diaries, unseen home movies shot behind-the-scenes during the production, the original production design book, the art director Maurischat's personal diary - also unpublished - this will be one of the year’s more surprising and unexpected ways of marking the original disaster’s 100th anniversary.

WWI Top Gun: Revealed reveals how aeroplanes won the First World War for the allies and marks another 100th anniversary – the foundation of the Royal Flying Corps, precursor to the RAF. But rather than focusing on the showboating pilots, this film uncovers how rival backroom mechanics battled to invent aerial warfare from scratch in just four years – a deadly race that rivaled the computer age for sheer speed of innovation. A bemused military establishment didn’t always realize their worth: a year before war broke out, the British turned down an approach from Anton Fokker, whose invention went on to put the Germans on top for most of the fighting. But these neglected geniuses set the template for all modern conflict. The film is being shot entirely in New Zealand in collaboration with The Vintage Aviators – Oscar-winning director Sir Peter Jackson’s fleet of replica WWI aircraft – by the production company that made The King’s Speech. It’ll tell its story, and do its historical detective work, through a series of dazzling airborne experiments.

In The Secret D-Day Scandal: Revealed, we uncover how a rehearsal for D-Day on a sleepy stretch of the Devon coast turned into a bloodbath resulting in the death of hundreds of allied soldiers – and uncover evidence of a cover-up that persists to this day. Exercise Tiger was the Allies' worst training disaster of the 20th century – a tragic combination of allied incompetence and enemy infiltration that was hushed up until 1984. But even the admissions made then may conceal the real truth. The official death toll remains 749. But in this film, we follow historian and retired policeman Richard Bass as he uncovers inconsistencies in the documentation and the official memorials, and talks to UK and US servicemen who survived and civilian witnesses – many of whom have never spoken before. Bass uses recently discovered top secret documents and film archive as well as underwater excavations to show that the official secrecy surrounding the disaster could conceal a death toll far higher the authorities have ever admitted.

Finally, in the run-up to the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War, we revisit the conflict through one man’s shocking experience in The Great Falklands Gamble: Revealed. Royal Marines company commander Ian R. Gardiner has never spoken publicly about his war but to see it through his eyes is to realise the enormous risk we ran in the South Atlantic, and to appreciate afresh the courage and resilience of the troops who ensured eventual victory. Appalling weather, patchy air defences, poor communications and even incompetence sometimes stacked the odds heavily against the British in an operation that the Americans had already decided was a military impossibility. But this very personal account will reveal how Gardiner and his colleagues overcame them. By explaining hair-raising realities of individual battles, it’ll shed new light on the victory that we all remember.

Notes to Editors:

Production credits:

The Nazi Titanic: Revealed is a Blink Films UK production and the Executive Producers are Stephen Marsh and Dan Chambers.

WWI: Top Gun: Revealed is made by Bedlam Productions and the Executive Producers are Simon Breen and Simon Egan.

The Secret D-Day Scandal: Revealed is made by Liverpool Street Productions and the Executive Producers are Alex Sutherland and Tris Payne.

The Great Falklands Gamble: Revealed is a Quickfire Media production and the Executive Producer is Mark Fielder.

About Revealed:

Revealed was launched in 2002 and quickly became one of the channel’s best-loved strands. These four films follow a successful autumn 2011 run that included Quickfire’s Mysteries of the Vampire Skeletons: Revealed and a series of one-off specials including Testimony Films’ Bomber Boys: Revealed, broadcast as part of the channel’s Remembrance Week.

About Channel 5 Factual:

Channel 5 attracts over 45m viewers per month and regularly outperforms its terrestrial competitors. Indeed, across the peak hours of 8-11pm in 2011, Channel 5 outperformed BBC TWO on more than 50 occasions and Channel 4 more than 60 times. The channel’s factual output commands particularly strong audiences. Recently, World’s Scariest Plane Crashes pulled in 1.9 million in the 8pm slot. 2011’s Royal Navy Caribbean Patrol averaged 2.1 million viewers at 9pm. Two parter Jack The Ripper: The Definitive Story averaged 1.8 million whilst Red Sea Jaws pulled in an average of 1.8 million and Amy Winehouse: The Untold Story averaged 1.4 million at 10pm. Long-running strand Extraordinary People also remains hugely popular – Losing One Of My Giant Legs delivered 2.1 million viewers in August 2011, beating BBC TWO and C4 across the hour, while The Woman Who Lost Her Face pulled in 1.9 million last October – again beating BBC TWO.

For further information, please contact Lesley Land or Carly Coughlan at The Outside Organisation on 0207 436 3633 lesley.land@outside-org.co.uk or carly.coughlan@outside-org.co.uk

For all Channel 5 news, please follow www.twitter.com/channel5press

Big Body Squad

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:24:07 +0000

Channel 5 has commissioned IWC Media and GroupM Entertainment to make Big Body Squad, a brand new 6 part series that will follow the men and women tasked with looking after the ever growing needs of our ever expanding nation.

Today there are almost a million morbidly obese people in England alone, more than double the number since the year 2000, and by the end of this decade it’s predicted that more than a third of us will be obese.

Big Body Squad joins the supersized ambulance teams, fire crews, equipment specialists, builders and carers across the UK as they service Britain’s ‘Big Society’ and deal with all the associated complications and risks that come with mobilising an obese nation.

As the number of obese people increases so does the demand not only for equipment such as hoists and lifts, and heavy duty medical equipment; but also the training necessary to ensure bariatric patients are safely transported without injury. With limited budgets, for the NHS and local councils it’s often a case of having to weigh up manpower versus equipment.

Big Body Squad gives a thorough insight into all aspects of the specialist training and the risks associated with dealing with these patients.

During this series we’ll follow the specialist ambulance teams who take to the road in their £90,000 adapted ambulances designed to transport plus size people, meet the crews and their patients, and learn about life on both sides of the stretcher.

The show explores what it’s like to be so large you can’t tackle even the simplest of life tasks alone, and follows those responsible for some of the more awkward and sensitive jobs – such as bed bathing a person who weighs 50 or 60 stone. Jobs like these need to be carried out every day; it’s a lifeline service and not just physically; the programme also meets the carers who can be a supersize person’s only link with the outside world.

Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor, Entertainment, Daytime & Soaps said: “This is a very thought provoking series that presents hard facts and unearths some interesting findings. Obesity is on the increase in Britain and somebody has got to take the strain. Physically and financially.”

Elspeth O'Hare, Executive Producer, IWC Media, said: “We have been given amazing access to what is mainly a hidden world. It has allowed us to see the shocking reality of what it’s like to live at these extremes of bodyweight.”

Notes to Editors:

-Commissioner for Channel 5 – Greg Barnett

-An IWC Media/GroupM Entertainment –Production.

-Executive Producer - Melanie Darlaston – GroupM Entertainment

- Executive Producer - Elspeth O’Hare – IWC Media

- Series Producer – Jo Scott – IWC Media

- IWC Media is a Zodiak Media Company.

-X6 1hr Episodes

Stories include:

• London Ambulance Service calls out the supersize specialists on a 999 job with a difference. Elizabeth needs to get to hospital, fast, but London Ambulance can’t get her out of her house without extra help. Can our team solve the problem and get her there in time?

• At almost 60 stone, Keith hasn’t left his house for 10 years except to go to hospital. With 8 men and an extra large stretcher needed to get him back into his house, it’s a job only a specialist team can tackle. But Keith is getting bigger, heavier, and wider and the doorways in the house are getting tighter. Getting stuck is painful and distressing, but increasingly it’s the reality for a man of his size. We meet the specialised supersize ambulance team working to minimize the distress moving means for Keith.

• Moving house is stressful for anyone, but 48 stone Brenda hasn’t been out of her house for three years so this is an extreme house move. It’s going to take a massive team to pack up her old house and get her into a new home more suited to her size. The biggest problem might be getting her out the door, as her fears of life outside threaten to overcome her. We follow her journey as a team of professionals work to get her out of one house and into another.

• Being supersize has a massive impact on fertility. We meet new mum Ceri as she finally takes her baby home after a long, traumatic and ultimately life threatening battle to become a mother.

• As more and more of us require the services of extra large ambulances, new teams are being trained and sent out on the road. We follow these rookies through their training to the first job on the road – meeting Rookie Rob who’s first supersized job turns out to be a dramatic dash to hospital with a plus size patient in severe pain. How will Rob cope as he’s forced to monitor and medicate his patient, as he and his driver navigate the worst London’s treacherous rush hour traffic can throw at them.

~End ~

For further information, please contact Julie Miller at the Channel 5 Press Office on 020 8612 7751 -Julie.miller@five.tv

For all Channel 5 news, please follow www.twitter.com/channel5press

Marco Pierre White's Kitchen Wars

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:30:14 +0000

Soon to be cooking up a storm on Channel 5…

Channel 5 today announced its first in-house produced series, Marco Pierre White’s Kitchen Wars.

The series will air this summer where the enfant terrible chef will use his exceptional culinary eye to sort through hundreds of couples in one of the country’s biggest ever cooking competitions.

Starting on the streets of Britain with the Kitchen Wars’ mobile kitchen and building to an intense studio finale, it’s not just the famous Michelin starred chef who needs impressing; Marco will also ask members of the public to exercise their taste buds to help him find the victorious couple. That victor will be chosen from couples who run restaurants from across the breadth of the UK; from cafes to curry houses, from gastro pubs to greasy spoons. They’re competing for a place in a specially designed studio restaurant, where three kitchens will feed three sets of diners – all at the same time! It’s not just about being a good chef; it’s about having the skills to run the best restaurant. Only one couple will triumph - So who will be crowned champion of Marco Pierre White’s Kitchen Wars?

Marco Pierre White says, “This is a very exciting new programme for me to be involved with because although I’ve been a chef, run restaurants and taught all manner of people how to cook, this is the first time I’ll be judging professional restaurateurs. Really good restaurants balance great food with brilliant service and that’s all about the partnership between the chef and front of house. That’s why a lot of restaurants are run by couples so I’m off on the road to find them. The best will then compete in a specially designed space where they’ll run their restaurants, side by side, cooking meals and delivering service to real diners. Only one couple can win – who has the talent, the strategy and the skills to impress me and the Great British public.”

Andrew O’Connell, Head of Factual, News and Current Affairs at Channel 5, says, “We are delighted to be working with a personality like Marco Pierre White who is one of Britain’s leading chefs. This show will feature the best of British competing at something that really captures the public’s imagination.”

Louise Rainbow, the show’s Executive Producer at Channel 5, is equally galvanized by the production, “The show concept will create a nail-biting series, and we just couldn’t resist it. It’s an ideal first step into creating the content that we want on the channel, and something we want to explore much more moving forward.”

~End~

Note to Editors:

Episodes 1 & 2 - Auditions And Heats - The series begins with a bang as Marco takes the show on the road in his mobile ‘battle kitchen’. He travels the UK to audition hundreds of hopefuls desperate for a place on the show and then whittles them down to the very best from each region.

Episodes 3-6 – Semi Finals - The top twelve couples take turns to compete in the show’s unique signature studio set that throws three kitchens and three restaurants, packed with seventy-five diners, into a single space for the toughest service of the contestants’ lives.

Episode 7 – Grand Final - The series builds to the grand final where the competition gets tougher again; Four couples must cook a marathon service for the British public, as well as a spectacular meal for some special celebrity guests.

- 7 x 60 minute programmes in series.
- Commissioner for Channel 5 - Andrew O’Connell, Head of Factual, News and Current Affairs
- Executive Producer for Channel 5 - Louise Rainbow.

For further information, please contact:

Channel 5 Press Office

Julie Miller
julie.miller@five.tv
Tel: 020 8612 7751

or amy.whittow@outside-org.co.uk
Tel: 020 7436 3633

For all Channel 5 news, please follow www.twitter.com/channel5press

Holiday Heaven On Earth

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:27:56 +0000

Channel 5 today announces a brand new travel show for a new generation. Holiday Heaven on Earth will take viewers across the globe from the comfort of their own homes, showing them how to access the world’s best travel experiences without breaking the bank.

The ten part series, which will air on Channel 5 in February, will see presenters Emma Wilson (Angela & Friends, The Oprah Winfrey Show) and Darren Kennedy (This Morning, Project Parent, Operation Transformation) joined by a host of celebrity co-presenters including Rav Wilding, Emma Crosby, Jeff Brazier, Lisa Butcher, Joe Swash and Jenny Frost.

From luxuriating on idyllic beaches and polar bear watching in the Arctic to camel riding in exotic Oman to the lantern festival in Taiwan, Holiday Heaven on Earth will leave no stone unturned in its quest to deliver the perfect holiday experience and get a slice of luxury with value for money in mind. In each 30-minute episode, the presenters will explore three different locations seeking out something to suit everyone; from thrill-seeking adventures and exhilarating city breaks to family holidays relaxing in the lap of luxury.

Emma Wilson will jet to far afield locations such as St Vincent and The Grenadines whilst Darren Kennedy will take on trips to Hong Kong, Macau, San Diego and The Hague. Guest presenter Rav Wilding will showcase Switzerland, Emma Crosby will be exploring the cities of Jordan, Joe Swash will be visiting Malta, Jenny Frost will going to see the Northern Lights in Canada, Jeff Brazier will be skiing in Tremblant in Canada and Lisa Butcher is heading to Chicago. Personally road testing everything the location has to offer, the presenters will uncover a hidden side to places you thought you knew and will advise on everything from recommended hotels, restaurants and any hidden gems.

Michelle Chappell, Commissioning Editor for News, Current Affairs & Documentaries at Channel 5 comments, "With Brits now travelling more than ever before and budgets getting tighter and tighter, Holiday Heaven on Earth will endeavour to showcase the best of what the world has to offer without breaking the bank. Channel 5 is thrilled to be working with the Heaven on Earth travel guides and Blink Films on this exciting new series.”

Dan Chambers, Executive Producer for Blink Films comments, “What I didn't realise when we started on this series is just how many amazing holiday destinations there are out there. We're setting out to show you how you can get to the most special places on earth without having to take out a mortgage.”

~ENDS~

Notes to Editors:

Holiday Heaven on Earth is a Blink Films production.

The Executive Producer is Dan Chambers and the Series Producer is Caroline Blackadder.

For further information, please contact Julie Miller at the Channel 5 Press Office on 020 8612 7751 -Julie.miller@five.tv

For all Channel 5 news, please follow www.twitter.com/channel5press

Celebrity Wedding Planner

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:38:48 +0000

Channel 5 puts the most important day of your life in the hands of celebrities, as they take on the role of Celebrity Wedding Planner

A day usually organised by a blushing Bride and Groom to-be is now about to fall into the hands of some very inexperienced Wedding Planners… for better and for worse.

Celebrity Wedding Planner is a new must-see commission, coming exclusively to Channel 5 in January. Everything that’s vital to ensure the big day goes with a bang will be the responsibility of somebody famous. And we mean everything. From choosing the all-important dress, to the venue, the food and the flowers. This series will see some of our best-loved celebrities pushed to their absolute limits and the nerves of the impending newlyweds frayed beyond belief. You see, there’s just one catch – the brides and grooms, to be on this show have to hand total control of what should be the happiest day of their lives to their new wedding planner. So are the bells going to chime, or will the bride be bawling her eyes out?

Taking on the role of wedding planners in this series will be Celebrity Big Brother & X Factor twins Jedward, former Atomic Kitten Kerry Katona, Apprentice stars Raef Bjayou and Stuart “The Brand” Baggs, and Big Brother 2010 winner Josie Gibson.

The cameras will follow the famous planners as they attempt to pull together that dream wedding for our celebrity obsessed brides and grooms and hope to sprinkle some celebrity stardust on their special day. In each show the wedding planner has a limited time-frame to get a celebrity style wedding organised coupled with a limited budget – and what’s more, the celebrity’s identity is kept secret for the majority of the episode! There can be no going back.

Will it end in tears of joy or tears of despair? Can our celebs be the toast of the wedding or will the big day be ruined? Only time will tell…

Greg Barnett, Channel 5’s Commissioning Editor for Entertainment, Daytime & Soaps comments, “A wedding day is arguably the most special day of a person’s life – our four couples are incredibly brave to trust their celebrity wedding planners with every element of such a momentous occasion.

Richard Foster, Managing Director of GroupM Entertainment comments, “Planning a wedding is supposed to be one of life’s great stresses. Letting a celebrity plan it on your behalf is either inspired thinking, or borderline crazy. Either way it should make for compelling viewing." 

Celebrity Wedding Planner (4 x 60 min) is a Renegade and GroupM Entertainment co-production and will TX on Channel 5 from Friday 6th January 2012 at 10pm.

Notes to Editors:

For all the latest about Channel 5, follow us at twitter.com/channel5press

For further information and press requests please contact Melissa Nathan in the Channel 5 Press Office on 020 7436 3633 or melissa.nathan@outside-org.co.uk

Channel 5’s Christmas Crackers

admin — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:38:35 +0000

Channel 5 will be hosting a variety of festive television this Christmas that is guaranteed to keep the entire family entertained over the holiday season.

Kicking off this festive line-up is an array of quality films and feature length dramas. BAFTA nominated Hugh Bonneville stars alongside Ray Winstone, Marc Warren and James Faulkner in Ben Hur, an epic, action-packed, big budget TV adaptation of the classic tale of the struggle of the Roman Empire. The JK Rowling Story – Magic Beyond Words is also a film not to be missed. Viewers can also enjoy classic Christmas films and family favourites such as A Christmas Carol, Wizard of Oz, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, Bad Santa, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and the famed Golden Globe nominated musical, The Producers.

Channel 5 also has a stocking full of comedy film premieres including Will Ferrell’s hilarious Step Brothers, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The Brothers Soloman starring Will Arnett. There will also be a special TV premiere of 21 which stars Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth which is based on a true life story about student card counters attempting to con Las Vegas Casinos out of millions of dollars.

This Christmas, the magic of Oz arrives on Channel 5 in style. Enjoy the classic film Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland followed by the Disney produced sequel Return to Oz. If that’s not enough, Christopher Lloyd and the stars of The Lord of The Rings join forces in new TV drama The Witches of Oz in which Dorothy is living in present day in New York. Featuring eye-popping special effects, this new drama can be enjoyed by the entire family. On Boxing Day, Channel 5 will also air a day of musicals followed by Britain’s Favourite Christmas Songs which is guaranteed to have all the family on their feet this Christmas.

There is plenty to amuse all the family this Christmas with our Classic Comedy Night including the hilarious Morecambe & Wise Christmas Special. In addition, don’t miss out on Carry on Night, a one-off special introduced by Barbara Windsor, paying homage to the very best of the famed comical British film and television series with a special airing of the first Carry on Christmas from 1969. The evening also includes TV spin-off drama Cor Blimey! and a collection of the Greatest Carry on Films from the last three decades.

Channel 5 also presents a special Mistletoe & Crime Night featuring back-to-back festive episodes of the award winning drama series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and NCIS. Featuring your favourite characters, Christmas is sure to be dramatic for NCIS’ police force and CSI’s Las Vegas forensic scientists.

Returning to Channel 5, The World’s Strongest Man is back for its 34th year continuing the classic Christmas TV tradition of watching the world’s strongest men battle it out in exotic locations. With the final set in North Carolina, this year’s event is hosted by James Richardson & Caroline Pearce and sees British competitors Laurence Shahlaei and Terry Hollands face other musclemen from around the world in challenges such as the Car Deadlift, Truck Pull and the dreaded Atlas Stones.

Viewers can indulge in extra helpings of some of their favourite shows with New Year specials from Eddie Stobart Christmas Special and the technology experts at The Gadget Show.

Looking back at the year’s most shocking moments from the world of celebrity, Most Shocking Celebrity Moments of 2011 takes a light-hearted look back at a year filled with outrageous behavior from the world of the rich and famous. The countdowns continue with TV’s 50 Greatest Magic Tricks and the Greatest Christmas TV Moments, which will countdown a collection of the best festive television and film scenes.

Fed up of missing your favourite Aussie soaps during the annual Christmas break? Then worry no more! Celebrate the very best of the year’s most memorable moments from Home and Away and Neighbours, exclusively on Channel 5 in a very special nightly event to run as a festive treat over 5 nights in December.

For further information, please contact:

julie.miller@five.tv

- 020 8612 7751

When Paddy Met Sally

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:37:23 +0000

When two worlds collide...

Channel 5 has commissioned Initial, an Endemol Company to produce a brand new two part factual entertainment series called When Paddy Met Sally.

When Paddy Met Sally explores the very different lives of Sally Bercow and Paddy Doherty and what happens when their two worlds collide.

As wife of the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sally is used to being in the public eye, whilst Irish Traveller Paddy is notoriously private. But now, having been thrown together on Celebrity Big Brother, they will once again live alongside each other in this intriguing new Channel 5 series.

The series will see Sally move in with Paddy for two weeks to experience every aspect of a traveller’s life. With Paddy in charge the first week, Sally will have to fully immerse herself into his customs and traditions.

For Sally, the experience will be a true culture shock as it will be her job to take on the domestic duties at the chalet as well as living in the midst of Paddy’s big family of children and grandchildren. Just how will Sally cope with the challenges of being a traveller’s wife?

By the second week, the tables will turn as Sally takes control and gets to dictate the rules. As head of the house, Sally will be able to make some serious changes. From instituting a cleaning Rota, to forcing Paddy to cook dinner for the family, how will Paddy be able to adapt to life on the site with a woman in charge?

Nick Samwell-Smith, Creative Director at Initial comments; “When Paddy Met Sally explores the unlikeliest of celebrity friendships in a unique and entertaining setting. When two very different worlds collide, viewers can expect conflict, debate and a whole lot of fun. Whatever happens, after two weeks living in each other pockets, their lives will never be quite the same again.”

When Paddy Met Sally is Executive Produced by Paul Coueslant at Initial. The Commissioning Editor at Channel 5 is Steve Gowans.

For further information, please contact:

Julie.miller@five.tv - 020 8612 7751

Katie.greenaway@endemoluk.com - 0208 222 4994

World's Toughest Trucker coming soon to Channel 5

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:14:24 +0000

Coming to Channel 5 in January ‘World’s Toughest Trucker’, a programme that sees recognised and respected truckers from different countries go wheel to wheel in a series of real-life trucking challenges from around the world.

The series sees 8 contestants paired up, representing US, Canada, England, Scotland, Australia and Sri Lanka. These vastly experienced professional drivers will have to master the most formidable wagons, show off the trickiest skills and conquer some of the world’s toughest terrains- and most challenging climates.

Over the series, all will have to tackle extreme but real trucking jobs, be it transporting cattle through the Australian outback, carrying fragile load through the Indian Himalayas or delivering riverboats in the Brazilian Amazon. They will also visit Canada and Mongolia.

The truckers will be expected to overcome every aspect of highly specialised jobs, from loading timber with grapple cranes to negotiating the world’s biggest truck lifts.

Channel 5 announce celebrity fronted teen issues documentaries

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:56:06 +0000

Channel 5 today announce they have signed up Kym Marsh, Kate Thornton and Jodie Marsh to front a series of inspiring hour long documentaries in which they explore their teenage demons.

The three celebrity authored documentaries, which will air on Channel 5 in the New Year, consist of Crackit produced Kym Marsh: Teen Mums and Me, and Dragonfly/Group M Entertainment co-productions Kate Thornton – Anorexic: My Secret Past and Jodie Marsh – Bullied: My Secret Past‬. Each film will track both the autobiographical story as the celebrity talks candidly about how a particular issue affected their adolescence, revisiting the people and places that defined their experiences– and will also show how people in Britain today are dealing with the same concerns.

In Kate Thornton – Anorexic: My Secret Past takes a candid look back on her experience of her own eating disorder and meets a series of experts and other sufferers to gain a first hand insight into the debilitating illness. The film will consist of interviews with Kate’s friends and family and medical experts will be on hand to reveal new information and facts of both a general and personal nature to Kate. We will also meet people who are currently suffering from eating disorders, both at their homes and in clinics – it’s a hugely emotional and informative journey for Kate as she learns exactly how much eating disorders affect the sufferer and family around them.

In Jodie Marsh – Bullied: My Secret Past‬, the model and bodybuilder looks back on her experiences of being bullied and explores the ever-increasing seriousness of bullying in Britain today. Jodie reflects on her traumatic time at school where she was ruthlessly bullied; an experience that scarred her for life – she will meet victims of bullying as well as experts who offer an insight into the scale of this social problem. The film will attempt to investigate how the problem has changed, from verbal and physical bullying to the current generation of adolescents who suffer at the hands of cruel cyber bullies. In this emotional and at times uncomfortable film, Jodie will talk frankly about how the bullying she suffered at school has followed her through life and has even defined her as a person. Long before pop stardom and Coronation Street fame struck, Kym Marsh was a teenage mum.

In the documentary, Kym Marsh: Teen Mums and Me, the actress and singer will go back to her roots to uncover what life’s like today for the country’s teen mums. As the daughter of a teenage mum herself, Kym grew up on one of the poorest estates in Wigan and was just 19 when she gave birth to her son David – daughter Emily followed three years later and she struggled to get by, living on next to no money and sharing nappies with her sister. In this deeply personal journey, Kym will visit a number of Manchester teen mums to experience the day-to-day reality of their lives, the stigmas attached to being a young mother and how they manage to raise children when they’re attempting to juggle college, work and a social life. We’ll also have unprecedented access to Kym's mum Pauline and alongside intimate family archive, we’ll find out what life was really like for the Corrie star when she was in the same position as the young mums she’s interviewed.

Andrew O’Connell, Head of Factual, News and Current Affairs at Channel 5 comments, "It’s not often you see a celebrity talk so candidly about issues that may have affected them whilst growing up. Kate, Jodie and Kym’s stories are both inspiring and full of hope. These three celebrities are living proof that these teenage demons can be overcome and that life can go on.”

Kym Marsh: Teen Mums & Me is made by Crackit Productions. The Executive Producer is Elaine Hackett and the Producer/Director is Joanne Timoney.

Kate Thornton – Anorexic: My Secret Past is a Dragonfly production. The Producer/Director is Paul Durgan.

Jodie Marsh – Bullied: My Secret Past‬ is a Dragonfly production. The Producer/Director is Rob Rawlings.

--

For further information, please contact Lesley Land or Julie Miller at the Channel 5 Press Office on 0207 436 3633 lesley.land@outside-org.co.uk or julie.miller@five.tv For all Channel 5 news, please follow www.twitter.com/channel5press

Benidorm ER

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:04:58 +0000

Benidorm ER… and the Brits who keep it busy…

Coming soon to Channel 5, Benidorm ER. Channel 5 has gained exclusive access to the Clinica Benidorm, one of Spain’s top hospitals, where unfortunate Brits head when they end up in Costa Casualty. We find out what happens next when Brits who are on holiday and end up sick or injured, forced to swap the sun-bed for a hospital bed.

More than a million Brits head to Benidorm every year and it’s a destination that holds a special place in the heart of many a British tourist. Thousands more make the life-changing decision to pack up not just their suitcases, but their entire lives and families and head over to the Costa Blanca for a new life in the sun.

In Benidorm ER, an observational documentary series, we follow the medical teams as they cope with the unpredictable dramas thrown at them by the British tourists – from children to pensioners, from stag & hen revelers to ex-pats rushed to A&E following falls by the poolside, drink-induced accidents, allergic reactions and a myriad of other life threatening emergencies.

Surprisingly, the busiest time of year at the Clinica Benidorm is the winter. From October onwards, Brits flock there in huge numbers, pensioners and party-animals, all desperate to dodge the cold at home. The older tourists in search of winter sun really live it up, however many over-do it and end up suffering heart attacks, respiratory episodes, strokes, kidney failure and even brain hemorrhages. Add to that the huge numbers of stag and hen trippers who head for Benidorm, then it’s easy to see why the hospital needs a team of British translators on hand each day.

As well as being a first port of call in an emergency, the Clinica Benidorm also offers the kind of treatment and technology not available elsewhere in the area, so British patients from across the Costas head here for chemo, cardiac surgery, kidney dialysis, radiology, MRI Scanning, as well as vascular surgery and even neurosurgery. Most of the medical staff and paramedics speak English. Some are English.

Benidorm ER will follow the patients and their families, the doctors, nurses, receptionists and translators who make up the hospital’s 280 staff:

•    Dr Antonio Blasco - Cool and yet chaotic. A top orthopedic surgeon, who is always rushing around. Funny, with endless facial expressions, he is happiest at the end of shift when he can don his leathers & saddle up his Harley Davidson
•    Maureen Santana – The calm in the eye of the hurricane. The British receptionist who married a Spaniard and has worked at the hospital for 23 years. Maureen is the first port of call in the hospital. Maureen deals with up to a thousand calls a day from her little booth in reception. She always has an amusing anecdote. She does Pilates, but calls it Pilots!
•    Dr Patrick Welter – He's German, very busy, very talented & very tall. He speaks perfect English and when he’s not at the heart of life and death situations in A&E, he can be found chatting up the receptionist in oncology, who is actually his wife!
•    Dr Carmen Ruiz – runs A&E with Patrick. Delightful woman with a re-assuring bedside manner for the patients who find themselves injured and miles from home. She also speaks good English.
•    Dr Jeremy Braat – charismatic, young Dutch heart consultant, with a ready wit, delivered in perfect English. Trained in the USA, he’s got a laid-back style which disarms everyone who meets him.
•    Celine Hertogh – Dr Braat’s beautiful young assistant and the ring-leader when it comes to organizing staff social evenings. Together they form a formidable Dutch double act, always joking but deeply professional.

~End~

NOTES TO EDITORS:

•    Channel 5’s Commissioning Editor - Michelle Chappell
•    X6 1 hour Episodes
•    Production Company - Blakeway North
•    Series Producer, Blake McGrow
•    Executive Producer, Sarah Murch

For further press information contact:

Julie Miller
Channel 5 Press Office
Tel: 020 8612 7751 or julie.miller@five.tv

Charley Boorman's Extreme Frontiers

admin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:19:28 +0000

Charley embarks on his wildest adventure yet....

Coming soon to Channel 5, Charley Boorman’s Extreme Frontiers. He’s ridden through Africa in the award winning series ‘Long Way Down’, braved the wilds of the North on his 20,000 mile ‘Long Way Round’ adventure and now Charley Boorman, accompanied by producer/director Russ Malkin, is about to launch his latest adventure – a new and exciting adventure expedition that really gets under the skin of an entire country.

Charley Boorman’s Extreme Frontiers follows Charley’s epic 10,300 mile journey across Canada, the world’s second largest country. Travelling principally on motorbikes, the series sees Charley and Russ traversing each of the 10 Canadian Provinces, 2 Frontiers, 3 Oceans and 4 Extreme Frontiers from East to West revealing a unique insight into this beautiful country.

Never before has Charley had the opportunity to deeply explore one country. Each episode sees them embark on a series of dangerous, frightening, inspiring and hilarious tasks from canoeing to rodeo, heli-mountain biking to ice hockey. Charley Boorman’s Extreme Frontiers also sees Charley braving the impressive 8,000m peak Mount Fable in Alberta and overcoming his claustrophobia whilst wreck diving in Lake Huron. Every challenge reveals the breathtaking wilderness of Canada, its people and its diverse culture. It sees the team delve into its rich history whilst being pushed to the limit in a series of often tough challenges.

Charley Boorman commented: "I absolutely loved filming this series, but I have to say it was one of the toughest trips I have ever been on due to the intensity, the tough challenges we embarked on and the sheer distance we travelled. During the 6 week expedition I experienced some of the scariest and uplifting moments of my life but as always it was the amazing characters I met along the way that stick with me. Canada is an awesome country and Extreme Frontiers Canada is a great way for people at home to learn more about this amazing place whilst having a good laugh at me at the same time trying to do things like climb Mount Fable when my legs have turned to jelly!"

Charley once again delivers an outstanding performance with his boyish charm and great sense of humour. The series was filmed across six weeks through June and July 2011 during the months of the midnight sun. Travelling throughout these two months provided exceptional cinematography footage and additional time for filming. You will see the team adventure across infinite landscapes in enduring summer light offering a totally unique, in-depth and beautiful picture of the country like no other before it.

Notes to Editors:

The series will comprise of 1X4 1hr episodes
TX – Week 48, week commencing 28th November
To see unseen clips from Charley’s adventure visit the Charley Boorman’s Extreme Frontiers website: www.extremefrontiers.co.uk
Commissioned by Steve Gowans
Produced by Big Earth
Charley Boorman’s Extreme Frontiers DVD and book will be available nationwide in the 1st week of January 2012

See below for a rundown of some of the key challenges featured in the show:

Hunting for icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland
Riding the tidal bore in Nova Scotia
Dirt biking in New Brunswick
Exploring the history of Quebec
Wreck Diving in one of the second largest of the great lakes, Lake Huron in Ontario
Learning how to become a Canadian ice hockey player with First Nation player Reggie Leach in Ontario
Canoeing on the Bloodvein River for 3 days & overnighting with the First Nation indigenous community in Manitoba
Learning how to do Rodeo the hard way in Maple Creek Saskatchewan
Training how to become a cowboy in Alberta
Climbing 8,000 m peak Mount Fable with Canadian mountaineering Barry Blanchard legend in Alberta. Barry famously trained Sylvester Stallone in ‘Cliffhanger’
Experiencing the world famous Calgary Stampede opening parade in Alberta
Learning how the indigenous Tuk community survive in the Arctic circle in the Northwest Territories
Learning how to mine for gold in Dawson City up in the Yukon
Trekking on the world’s 3rd largest glacier in the Yukon
Flying over the Coastal Mountain Range in a glider in British Columbia
Heli-biking in British Columbia
Pot holing in British Columbia
Finishing the trip with a huge biker convoy across Vancouver Island into Torfino on the Pacific Ocean

For further press information contact:

Julie Miller
Channel 5 Press Office
Tel: 020 8612 7751
julie.miller@five.tv
or Amy.Whittow@outside-org.co.uk

Or

Charlie Bell
Campbell-Bell Communications
Tel: 020 7731 1499
charlie@campbell-bell.com

Channel 5 to mark Remembrance Week

admin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:41:13 +0000

Channel 5 teams up with Dougray Scott, Testimony Films and Brightside to mark Remembrance Week

In the week leading up to this year’s Remembrance Day (11/11/11), Channel 5 is clearing its 7.30 slot for a remarkable project to keep alive a fragile part of our national memory: Lost Heroes of World War One. The five-part series draws on a unique archive of veteran interviews to tell the story of the war in the words of the men and women who lived through it – our last first-hand account of the conflict. The week also features a one-off Revealed special uncovering the story of the British Bomber pilots who narrowly escaped death in a Nazi concentration camp, and interviewing the several of the survivors for the first time.

Over the last two decades, Steve Humphries of Testimony Films interviewed 100 veterans of the First World War about their experiences of the conflict. Though the last of them has now died, in Lost Heroes of World War One they tell the story of the war in their own words: moving, often shocking, occasionally funny and frequently surprising, but always startlingly vivid and honest. Among those interviewed are Harry Patch and Henry Allingham, who died in 2009 aged 111 and 113 respectively. Dougray Scott, star of Mission Impossible II, Enigma and Regeneration, has lent his support to the project and narrates the films. They will be stripped across the week in the following order: The Call to Arms, The Bloodiest Battle, The Home Front, Deadlock and Journey’s End. The series was executive produced by Sally Kenchington for Brightside Films.

In the same week, Channel 5 is also broadcasting Bomber Boys: Revealed - a one-hour special, also made by Steve Humphries, telling the story of the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command crews. The programme reveals for the first time how German hatred of the men they dubbed “Terror Fliers’ led to some downed pilots being sent not to POW camps, but to a concentration camp, and in the film, several of these veterans – British RAF crew members who survived Buchenwald – speak for the first time. The programme also features rare colour archive footage of the raids. With a new memorial to the Britain’s bomber boys set to be unveiled in Green Park, this film pays tribute to these the forgotten heroes of World War Two.

John Hay, Commissioning Editor for Factual at Channel 5 comments, "I’ve long admired Steve Humphries, both for his belief in the simple power of first-person testimony and his extraordinary ability to get people to open up to him. His dedication has preserved forever a crucial chapter in our collective experience. We’re hugely grateful to Dougray Scott for his support in bringing the series the attention it deserves and to Sally Kenchington for her tireless work crafting the films and bringing them to air. In Bomber Boys: Revealed, the story Steve has uncovered takes a subject many of us half-know and brings it to a fresh and utterly shocking new dimension.”

Bomber Boys: Revealed is a Testimony Films Production. The Producer/Director is Steve Humphries and the Editor/Director is Andy Attenburrow. The Executive Producer is Sally Kenchington.

Lost Heroes of World War One is a Brightside Films/Testimony Films Production. The Executive Producer is Sally Kenchington.

For further information, please contact Lesley Land at The Outside Organisation on 0207 436 3633

lesley.land@outside-org.co.uk

For all Channel 5 news, please follow www.twitter.com/channel5press

About Channel 5 Factual

Channel 5 is the fifth terrestrial broadcaster. Launching on 30th March 1997 it attracts over 45m viewers per month. The channel’s factual output commands strong audiences, be it for new or returning series. 2011’s Royal Navy Caribbean Patrol averaged 2 million viewers across its six week run on a Monday at 9pm while Royal Navy Submarine Mission averaged 1.2 million for its three part run. Long running Extraordinary People, meanwhile, continues to perform well – Losing One Of My Giant Legs delivered 2.1 million viewers in August of this year, beating BBC2 and C4 across the hour, while The 8 Limbed Boy pulled in 1.8 million in October – again beating BBC2. Indeed, across the peak hours of 8-11pm so far this year Channel 5 has outperformed BBC2 on more than 50 occasions and Channel 4 more than 60 times.

About Testimony Films

Bristol based Testimony was formed in 1992 by producer, director and writer Steve Humphries, described by Broadcast Magazine as “the king of oral history”. Testimony has made more than a hundred programmes for BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5. They are one of Britain’s most successful independent producers of life story based social histories and have a reputation for consistently delivering big ratings and critical acclaim. Many Testimony programmes have won major national and international awards including BAFTA and Royal Television Society Best Documentary awards, The BFI Archive Film Award, The Chicago Film Festival Gold and Silver Hugos and the San Francisco Film Festival.

Fifi’s Nature Trail on Channel 5’s Milkshake!

admin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:59:22 +0000

Every day a star from the Flowertot Garden will be making a special guest appearance in the studio with the milkshake! presenters to explore the real life crawling, buzzing and fluttering friends that can found in the great outdoors.

Fifi's Nature Trail celebrates wildlife, and encourages girls and boys to discover the world around them and develop an appreciation of nature. With videos shot on location at London Zoo, the Milkshake! presenters introduce the audience to real butterflies, snails, ants, bees and spiders.

With clever clues and fun facts, the audience will guess which creature is discovered on Fifi’s Nature Trail each day. There are plenty of songs, dances and special themed episodes as well as lots of entertaining games and activities to accompany

Fifi’s Nature Trail on the milkshake! website.

Fifi and the Flowertots has blossomed into one of the most-loved pre-school programmes on-air in Britain. The award-winning series starring the voice of Jane Horrocks, is beautifully constructed by Bob The Builder creator, Keith Chapman, and brings to life a series of wonderful characters that inhabit an enchanting garden-filled world called Flowertot Garden.

For more information on Fifi and the Flowertots, please log onto www.fifiandtheflowertots.com

7 November - Bumble's Special Lunch
Fifi & Kemi (Bees)
Fifi has invited the other tots over to lunch but she is not very well. Bumble gamely steps in and offers to cook for her. What could possibly go wrong?

8 November - Stingo Has Visitors
Bumble & Derek (Ants)
Stingo's treehouse has been invaded by ants. Fifi is determined to get rid of them, as she doesn't want Stingo and Slugsy staying with her a moment longer than necessary!

9 November - Flowertot Fairies
Fifi & Amy (Butterflies)
The twins are sure they have seen fairies in the garden and set out on a hunt to prove it to Fifi. Will they find any?

10 November - Dr Webby
Bumble & Jen (Spiders)
Bumble's sneezing has got so bad, it is keeping everyone awake at night. Webby gives Fifi a recipe for a cure for sneezes… will it work?

11 November -Compos Chaos
Fifi & Derek (Snails)
Primrose can't make her garden grow and turns to Fifi for advice. She is amazed when Fifi points out that you need to water and weed a garden. And surely she can't really mean putting that yukky compost everywhere can she?

About Milkshake!

Channel 5’s milkshake! is home to some of the World’s favourite preschool characters. There is a range of stimulating and engaging programmes that include strong story led animation, genuine documentaries for preschoolers and presenter led high quality musical entertainment. Channel 5 broadcasts 24 hours of children's programmes every week. Milkshake! is on air from 0600 - 0915 every weekday and 0600 - 10.00 on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information visit: www.channel5.com/milkshake

Channel 5 Press Office
Julie Miller
020 8612 7751

London: The Inside Story

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:23:22 +0000

Behind the scenes of Britains’s most famous borough

Today Channel 5 announced a brand new commission, London: The Inside Story is a 6-part series behind the scenes of Britain’s iconic borough of Westminster.

From riots to Royal weddings, Soho sex shops to Hollywood film premieres, pest control to planning for the Olympics, Westminster is the capital’s beating heart.

There are more restaurants, bars, businesses and film premieres than any other area in the UK. But Westminster also has one of the highest crime rates, biggest overcrowding problems and more homeless people than anywhere else in the country.

The programme has exclusive front-line access to Westminster Council, the organization responsible for running Britain’s most exciting borough. In this action packed, fast-moving series, we’ll see the people and unique jobs that keep the capital running 24/7.

Michelle Chappell, Commissioning Editor of News, Current Affairs and Documentaries, says: “I hope viewers will enjoy the ground-breaking access gained in the capital’s busiest boroughs. It’s a fascinating and often amusing insight into the diverse and challenging roles of the people who keep London running. It proves there’s more to Westminster than Boris and Big Ben.”

Cameras will follow all the action from the events team preparing for the Notting Hill Carnival to the trading standards team raiding rogue traders and the Food Standards Agency, who police the thousands of restaurants that populate the area.

There’s also exclusive access to some of the more poignant roles that the council takes on, such as worker Kerry Cosgrove, the council’s Funerals Officer, whose job it is to organise funerals for the 40 to 50 people who die without relatives to organise a funeral for them.

For the workers who serve on the frontline of this extraordinary borough, the job is hugely diverse and highly challenging. It’s an area of staggering contrasts; the second wealthiest borough but with one of the highest crime rates; a vast space that ranks as the third worst area for overcrowding. And yet Westminster Council workers must find ways to meet the needs of its diverse population, keep order and provide vital service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Channel 5 follow those working on the frontline as they negotiate 2011 - a year which will see them face shrinking funds and ever increasing demands, increasing civil unrest and preparations for the Olympics 2012 – the biggest event to hit the capital in year.

Note to Editors:

The programme is produced by Popkorn TV Ltd

6 x 60 minute episodes

Channel 5 Commissioning Editor – Michelle Chappell

Major events in the city will be captured by following these Westminster Council workers:

Food Inspectors – who monitor standards in takeaways, street vending stalls and Michelin starred restaurants as they have the power to investigate and shut down unhygienic kitchens, dodgy dealers and faulty products
Noise Team – who offer a 24/7 service dealing with all from loud parties to feral foxes, pollution to pubs and clubs patrol (recently involved in a dispute with The Punch Bowl, Guy Ritchie’s Pub, where they equipped nearby residents’ houses with microphones to monitor noise levels)
Lord Mayor - Susie Burbridge – as she wines and dines VIPs from all walks of life
City Wardens – who provide “on street presence” and are responsible for problems ranging from nightmare neighbours to rubbish, from prostitutes to a build up of rats; from drug addicts to impromptu street performers
Licensing team – who raid unlicensed sex shops and supervise the incineration of pornographic books and DVDs
Pest Control – Cathy Smith used to work in IT but wanted a career change. Now she spends her days waging a battle against rats, cockroaches, maggots and all manner of strange insects
Funeral Officer – Kerry Cosgrove who was appointed to act as a family for the rising number of people who die without anyone concerned enough to bury them. She plays investigator (searching the homes of the dead for clues as to connections) as well as professional mourner (if necessary she arranges the funeral, a ceremony at which she may be the only attendee)
Parking Wardens – running the country’s largest traffic operation is no easy task
Events Team – who work closely with the GLA to organize major events such as film premieres for high profile stars
Registrar – Alison Cathcart – who conducts weddings in weird and wonderful locations across the capital

For further press information contact:

Julie Miller
Channel 5 Press Office
Tel: 020 8612 7751 or julie.miller@five.tv or amy.whittow@outside-org.co.uk

milkshake! acquires Jelly Jamm for the UK

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:07:37 +0000

milkshake! (Channel 5) has acquired Jelly Jamm, an exciting new 3D CGI animated musical series developed and produced by Spanish indies Vodka Capital, 737 Shaker and RTVE and Bandai.

Aimed at preschoolers, Jelly Jamm (52 x 11’) is a comedy series that celebrates creativity, music, fun and friendship. Jelly Jamm follows the adventures of five wacky friends who, through their comedic adventures, learn to live in harmony on the magical planet ‘Jammbo’; where all music in the universe originates from.

Jelly Jamm is a truly unique pre-school show with its own standout animation style, lovable and contrasting characters, vibrant colours, and hip catchy original music that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Additionally, Jelly Jamm will be rolled out as a true 360 degree brand with an integrated strategy for toys, books, home entertainment, music, L&M and a ground-breaking online musical world designed to engage children in learning and composing music through interactive edutainment games.

Steven J. Posner, Managing Partner at Vodka Capital, comments: “Jelly Jamm is gaining a tremendous amount of traction globally. We are premiering this fall in over 150 countries and are absolutely thrilled that milkshake! has jumped on board. Milkshake! is a fantastic partner in the UK and a perfect complement to the premiere of Jelly Jamm on Cartoonito in the UK.”

“Jelly Jamm will be an excellent and delicious addition to milkshake!'s brilliant array of preschool programmes. The vibrancy, comedy and music is bound to delight our young audience.” says Jessica Symons, Commissioning Editor of Children’s, milkshake! (Channel 5).

Steven J. Posner comments: “As independent producers, it’s always very challenging to gain the support of important European broadcasters for shows that have not proved themselves in the market. We are extremely fortunate in having milkshake! as a key partner in the UK and they will certainly be a huge help in making Jelly Jamm a big hit.”

Jelly Jamm screeners will be available at MIPJR next month.

For further information:

Vodka Capital:
Steven J. Posner
steven@vodkacapital.com

milkshake! (Channel 5):
Channel 5 Press Office
julie.miller@five.tv

Notes to editors:

milkshake! (Channel 5):

About milkshake!
Channel 5’s milkshake! is home to some of the World’s favourite preschool characters. There is a range of stimulating and engaging programmes that include strong story led animation, genuine documentaries for preschoolers and presenter led high quality musical entertainment. Channel 5 broadcasts 24 hours of children's programmes every week. Milkshake! is on air from 0600 - 0915 every weekday and 0600 – 10.00 on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, visit www.channel5.com/milkshake

Vodka Capital:
Vodka Capital develops, structures financing and provides strategic management for cross-platform entertainment brands with clear international potential.

Jelly Jamm

Aimed at 4-6 year olds, Jelly Jamm is set on the magical planet Jammbo, origin of all music in the universe. A comedy series which celebrates creativity, music, fun and friendship, Jelly Jamm follows the adventures of five friends and the fun times they have as they learn to live in harmony on Jammbo, a planet that has a one-of-a kind relationship with music.

Current broadcast deals include EMEA Pay TV rights with Turner, LATAM Pay TV rights with Discovery Kids, Terrestrial TV rights in the UK (milkshake!), Spain (RTVE), Italy (Boing), Turkey (Boomerang) and Mexico (Televisa). With the current broadcast agreements in place, Jelly Jamm premieres this Fall 2011 in over 150 countries.

Jelly Jamm will be rolled out across all platforms including TV, music, toys, DVDs, merchandising, videogames, books and an innovative online edutainment website. Current key licensing partners include Bandai as European Toy Master, Big Picture for DVDs in Southern Europe, Planeta for Books in Spain, Portugal, Italy and LATAM. Turner Enterprises will be handling L&M across EMEA.

Technical Information:
- Format: 52x11´
- Genre: Musical Comedy
- Target: 4-6
- Technology: 3D CGI

New US drama Dallas to launch exclusively in the UK

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:56:18 +0000

LONDON and BURBANK, Calif. (Tuesday 11th October 2011) — Channel 5 today announces that it has secured the exclusive rights to the debut of the new U.S. drama series DALLAS, via a deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution. The announcement was made by Jeff Ford, Channel 5’s Director of Programmes, and Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros. International Television.

The all-new 10-part series, based upon one of the most popular television dramas of all time, centres on the bitter rivalries and family power struggles within the Texas oil and cattle-ranching Ewing dynasty. The series stars Josh Henderson (90210), Jesse Metcalfe (Desperate Housewives), Jordana Brewster (Fast Five), Julie Gonzalo (Veronica Mars) and Brenda Strong (Desperate Housewives), and they will be joined by iconic stars of the original DALLAS: Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, and Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing.

The original DALLAS aired from 1978 to 1991 and revolved around a long and bitter rivalry between brothers J.R. (Hagman) and Bobby Ewing (Duffy), which eventually led to J.R. losing control of most of the Ewing industries. In the new DALLAS, this explosive rivalry now lives on through another generation, with the future of the family fortune in the hands of the Ewing offspring, cousins John Ross Ewing (Henderson), the son of J.R. and ex-wife Sue Ellen (Gray), and Christopher Ewing (Metcalfe), the adopted son of Bobby. Brewster stars as Elena, who is involved in a love triangle with Christopher and John Ross. Gonzalo stars as Christopher’s fiancée, Rebecca. And Strong stars as Ann, Bobby’s wife.

Jeff Ford, Channel 5’s Director of Programmes said, “We are thrilled to be bringing the new look Dallas to Channel 5. With its alluring mix of wealth, seduction, scandal and intrigue, there is something for everyone on the Southfork Ranch and it’s a hugely exciting addition to our 2012 schedule.”

Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros. International Television, said, “The original version of Dallas was iconic in the UK and had many millions of fans. We are sure that this new version of Dallas will satisfy those who remember the original show and attract a whole generation of new viewers. The instantly recognizable title combined with the very effective marketing ability of Channel 5 should ensure the successful launch of this series in the UK.”

Cynthia Cidre (The Mambo Kings, Cane) and Michael M. Robin (The Closer) are executive producers of DALLAS, which is based on the original series created by David Jacobs. The series is produced by Warner Horizon Television and distributed around the world by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution. DALLAS will air on TNT in the USA in 2012.

Notes to Editors:

For all the latest about Channel 5, follow us at twitter.com/channel5press.

For further information and press requests please contact Lesley Land at the Channel 5 press office on 0207 436 3633 or lesley.land@outside-org.co.uk

City of Friends coming soon to milkshake! on Channel 5

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:46:25 +0000

Parthenon Entertainment today announced it had secured the sale of City of Friends, its pre-school animated series to milkshake! on Channel 5.

City of Friends (52 x 10’) follows the exploits of three new recruits to the emergency services in the shape of Max the police officer, Ted the paramedic and Elphie, the world’s first elephant fire officer! The inspiration for the stories came from creator Hamre’s own day job working as a member of Norway’s state police.

Commissioned by Jessica Symons, Commissioning Editor, Children’s at Channel 5, the deal was brokered by Marie Chappelow, Director of Global Sales and Acquisitions, Children’s Brands at Parthenon Entertainment.

Commenting on the deal, Jessica Symons said: “This is the kind of quality children’s programming which works well on milkshake! I look forward to it becoming another success story amongst our pre-school audience”.

Marie Chappelow added: “Milkshake! is the perfect home for City of Friends in the UK and it will sit really well with the rest of the programming on the channel. I’m thrilled to be bringing this pre-school show to the UK and we already have a range of marketing and licensing initiatives to support the launch as well as plans for a nation-wide live stage tour for City of Friends in 2012.”

Note to Editors:

Produced by CreaCon Entertainment.

The show is due to air on Channel 5 in November.

Episodes - (52 x 10’)

Produced and created by Carl Christian Hamre, CEO of CreaCon Entertainment, City of Friends has already been sold internationally to over 140 countries.

For further information please contact:
Sean Harris, Director of PR and Marketing, Parthenon Entertainment
Tel: +44 (0)1923 286 886
Email: sean.harris@parthenonentertainment.com

Channel 5 Press Office
julie.miller@five.tv

Channel 5 to follow Amy Childs for 'It's All About Amy'

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:43:05 +0000

Channel 5 today announced they have signed up Britain’s best-loved Essex Girl, Amy Childs for an intimate and revealing look at her extraordinary life.

Having shot to fame as the star of The Only Way Is Essex, taken the country by storm in Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother this Summer and even starred in this month’s Vogue Magazine, Amy’s every stiletto heeled step will be captured by camera crews for the eight-part series, It’s All About Amy, which will TX from December 2011.

Cameras have been following the flame-haired glamour girl ever since she left the Big Brother house and the series will see Amy embark on a series of new adventures; the most important being the opening of her very own beauty salon.

A beautician by trade, Amy was credited with inventing the now legendary vajazzle, and we’ll see her interviewing staff and making key decisions on interior design in her own inimitable way.

The series will also consist of candid interviews with those closest to Amy; her friends, family, her manager Claire, and the lady herself. For the first time, we’ll also meet her Mum, Dad and her brother Billy, and there will be exotic trips abroad to New York and Dubai – and of course to Chigwell and Brentwood too.

Jeff Ford, Channel 5’s Director of Programmes comments, “We’re delighted to be following Amy as she embarks on the next, exciting stage of her life. She’s one of the most talked about women in Britain and we’re sure our viewers will take the bubbly bombshell to their hearts.”

Amy Childs comments, “I am ecstatic to have my own reality show. It will be great because people will be able to see the real me. I am loving filming it and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”

It’s All About Amy (8 x 60 mins) is a Zig Zag and CP Entertainment production and the Executive Producer is Brent Baker.

NOTES TO EDITORS

For all the latest about Channel 5, follow twitter.com/channel5press

For further information: Lesley Land, Channel 5 Press Office The Outside Organisation, 0207 436 3633, lesley.land@outside-org.co.uk

Making dreams come true… Celebrity Wish List

admin — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:06:28 +0000

Today Channel 5 announced a brand new commission; Celebrity Wish List, proudly sponsored by The Health Lottery.

This eight part wish-fulfillment series, coming to our screens in October, will see an array of the UK’s best-loved celebrities reward people across the UK who strive to make a real difference to the lives of those in need. With compelling real-life stories and a host of truly inspirational people from all over the country, the celebrities will try to leave a lasting legacy in order to enable the good work these people do to continue. It’s also hoped they’ll enthuse people to get involved with community projects which desperately need help.

Celebrities lending their support include Jeff Brazier, Stacey Solomon, Brian Dowling and McFly, to name just a few.

The series was ordered by the channel’s Commissioning Editor for Entertainment, Daytime and Soaps Greg Barnett, who says, "There are some amazing stories and hugely inspirational people – some who have given their lives to helping others, or have themselves triumphed in the face of adversity. Many of the stars involved have been so touched by what they’ve experienced it’s persuaded them to do more to help. It’s a motivating series."

IDr President and Celebrity Wish List Executive Producer Rob Walker added; “We are thrilled to be working with Channel 5 and Greg Barnett, who has been instrumental in developing this show with us. This is television that audiences can truly feel good about.”

Health is one of the major areas of concern for many people in the UK and Celebrity Wish List deals with stories directly related to the many health-based issues at the forefront of public consciousness.

In each 30 minute episode celebrities will be given a ‘wish’ at random and be challenged with the task of making it come true. In addition to learning about the work and in most cases the plight faced by each group or organization they’re asked to help, they must then rallye support from businesses so that the wish can be granted.

In addition to a main wish, there will be a ‘Heartwarmer” element to each show, where an unsuspecting member of the public will be surprised and thanked for volunteering up so much of their time to help those less fortunate than themselves. Each heart-warmer will have been nominated by friends, family or colleagues as a true unsung hero. Once the celebrity has told their story they’ll then present them with a gift in recognition for all that they have done.

Notes to Editors:

IDr Media will produce eight part wish-fulfillment series.
The Health Lottery are proud sponsors of Celebrity Wish List.
The Health Lottery is a brand new lottery game, designed specifically to benefit health-related good causes.
The Health Lottery is not a national lottery but is actually made up of 51 society lotteries, each one representing a local authority area. Societies take turns participating in the lottery draw, so each week different regions are represented and everyone gets their fair share of the pot.
20p of every £1 played is donated to local health causes, which are chosen by local people via their partner charity, People’s Health Trust.
The TV draw will be shown every Saturday night on ITV and Channel 5.
Channel 5 Commissioner – Greg Barnett
Programme will TX in October
Number of episodes: 8 x 30mins

For further press information contact:

Channel 5 Press Office

Julie Miller

julie.miller@five.tv

Tel: 020 8612 7751

Amy Whittow

amy.whittow@outside-org.co.uk

Tel: 020 7436 3633

Real Food Family Cook Off (presented by Lisa Faulkner and Matt Dawson)

admin — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:01:33 +0000

Today Channel 5 announced a brand new commission, Real Food Family Cook Off, funded by Tesco. The search is on to find the best family of home cooks in the country. The series will also be shown on the Good Food channel in the same week.

Hosting the series will be two Celebrity Masterchef winners; former England Rugby World Cup winner Matt Dawson and actress and presenter Lisa Faulkner. The family cooks will face a series judge, Ainsley Harriott, and a varying weekly celebrity guest.

In each episode, two teams made up of three family members go head to head. There are two “cook-offs” in each programme and teams have just 30 minutes to prepare and plate up their chosen recipes from scratch.

The judges score each cook off out of 10 with the scores based primarily on taste, then on presentation and creativity. The family who scores the most points across the two cook offs wins the round and advances to the next stage of the competition. The series comprises four heats, two semi finals and a grand final and the cook offs are being filmed at family favourite locations around the UK including London Zoo, Portsmouth, Greenwich Park and Kensington Gardens.

The series was ordered by the channel’s Commissioning Editor for Entertainment, Daytime and Soaps Greg Barnett, who says; “The Real Food Family Cook Off is all about bringing families together through cooking. It’s a great format and as well as providing fantastic entertainment through the fabulous talent and teams we’ve attached to the series, there are inspirational and accessible recipes everyone can try at home.”

Breige Donaghy, Tesco head of Real Food said; “This is an exciting opportunity for Tesco to work with a new and unique style of cooking show. The Real Food Family Cook Off supports Tesco’s Real Food campaign to inspire and encourage customers to enjoy creating new dishes and share recipes. Food is at the heart of our business and our partnership with this new cooking series champions great food for families.

Today, more people create meals depending on their mood or the occasion. Busy lifestyles have transformed the way we cook and eat and mealtimes may be less forma, but food is more connected than ever to how we feel. www.tesco.com/realfood has a wealth of everyday recipes that are simple and delicious to create and will always hit the spot”

The series will be co produced by RDF Television West, part of Zodiak Media Group and Brand New Media, the format creators.

Notes to Editors:

For more information on Tesco Real Food, recipes and the Real Food Cook Off go to www.tesco.com/realfood
Tesco products will be placed within the series
Channel 5 Commissioner – Greg Barnett
This programme is produced by RDF Television West
Programme will TX in September
Programme will be screened on Channel 5 and UKTV Good Food
Number of episodes: 7 x 30mins
Real Food Family Cook Off will be produced in ten other markets over the next 12 months

About Good Food (goodfoodchannel.co.uk)

Good Food features all the biggest names in food, including Jamie Oliver, Gary Rhodes, James Martin, Rachel Allen, and The Hairy Bikers. Appealing to both the expert cook through to someone who just wants to have fun with food, Good Food delivers exciting originations such as Perfect…, Mitch and Matt's Big Fish, Rachel Allen: Bake!, alongside overseas titles such as Man v Food and Ace of Cakes.

Where to find Good Food: Sky /HD channel 249 and Virgin TV channel 260.

About UKTV (uktv.co.uk)

Formed in 1997, UKTV is an independent commercial joint venture, between BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, and Virgin Media. Attracting 38million viewers each month, the network consists of 10 distinctive channel brands – Watch, GOLD, Dave, Alibi, Yesterday, Blighty, Eden, Home, Really and Good Food – offering a broad range of quality programming across entertainment, lifestyle and factual programming. UKTV currently operates 18broadcast streams when multiplexes (+1s) are taken into account, and 10 highly successful websites. Promising to creatively connect its audiences with great programming, UKTV’s successful programming strategy combines quality content from the BBC with high profile original commissions and key acquisitions. All UKTV channels are distributed on Sky and Virgin Media. Dave, Really and Yesterday are also available on Freeview.

For further press information contact: Channel 5 Press Office

julie.miller@channel5.com
Tel: 020 8612 7751

amy.whittow@outside-org.co.uk
Tel: 020 7436 3633

Nicola Rowley
Lifestyle Publicist, UKTV
Tel: 020 7299 6271 or Nicola.rowley@uktv.co.uk

Tesco Press Office
Jennifer Crowl
Tel: 01992 644 645 or Jennifer.crowl@uk.tesco.com