Reality Beat: WBD to Launch Makeup Reality ‘Glow Up China,’ ‘RHOA’ Season 16 Casting Shaken Up
Hozefa Lokhandwala - Vice
Docuseries: Last month, super-indie production company Banijay’s CEO announced the launch of a new sports division. It will focus on entertainment, documentary, and digital content from a sports angle, and they will pursue new partnerships, content investment, and M&A in the field. This ‘sportainment’ will build on a number of documentaries from Banijay-owned Workerbee such as That Peter Crouch Film, Tyson Bruno, and Human Playground. Additionally, Banijay's Endemol Shine Iberia and Endemol Shine Australia have ventured into sports documentaries. However, the new division will not pursue broadcast or streaming rights.
“While we’ve already made some considerate moves in sport across our global footprint of talented producers, we wanted to concentrate our efforts in building value in this space,” said Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti. “In having a centralised division, we have further capacity to deliver on partnerships, carve greater volume, mobilise digital opportunities, and ultimately, fulfil our ongoing goals to scale the group.”
Trending Media Company founders Alex Cooper, host and executive producer of Spotify’s Call Her Daddy podcast, and Matt Kaplan, founder and CEO of ACE Entertainment, hired Mina Lefevre as Chief Content Officer of Television for creative and strategic oversight. Prior to this, Lefevre served as an executive vice president, head of scripted at MTV, and the head of development and programming at Meta/Facebook.
“Mina Lefevre has an extraordinary track record in shepherding premium content and prestige television that speaks to the cultural zeitgeist,” said Kaplan and Cooper. “Having worked with her previously at MTV, Mina will once again bring her wealth of experience, robust relationships with talent and create shows that push the creative boundaries in storytelling.”
Issa Rae’s production company, Hoorae Film and TV, named NicoleT. Roberts as head of the unscripted department to oversee the strategy, development, and production of unscripted content. Roberts previously worked for Smokehouse Pictures, The Gotham Group, Comedy Central, and MTV Networks, and recently served as director of nonfiction programming at Max Originals.
“Nichole is a trailblazer with a keen eye for clever content that pushes boundaries and drives cultural conversation,” said Montrel McKay, president of development and production at Hoorae. “Her dedication is unmatched, and with her track-record as a thoughtful storyteller and skilled strategist, Nichole is the perfect fit to spearhead our unscripted division as we work to bring more premium and authentic stories to viewers in unexpected ways.”
According to the Asian TV Forum and Market (ATF), the Indian Women’s cricket team U.P. Warriorz docuseries will be directed by Arlene Nelson and produced by Victory Sports Media. Nelson recently directed an HBO documentary series about Los Angeles's professional women's soccer team, Angel City Football Club. The as-yet-untitled docuseries aims to explore the personal stories and international backgrounds of female team athletes in an industry traditionally dominated by men.
“In the current zeitgeist, a global groundswell is propelling female protagonists to the forefront. The docuseries embraces this momentum and allows me to weave a rich narrative where resilient women athletes emerge as trailblazers. I’m honored to be entrusted with the telling of this universal story that I believe is destined to captivate audiences worldwide,” said Nelson.
Amazon Studios confirmed that its head of global format, CJ Yu, left the company. Both sides declined to comment further. However, a person familiar with the matter said it was because of "creative differences." After working for Mark Burnett Productions, Endemol, TMZ, and Talpa Media, Yu joined Amazon Studios in 2017 as a senior creative development and programming executive. Two years later, he was promoted to the global formats role, overseeing the global development, commissioning, and localization of reality and docuseries formats.
Founded by Jesse Collins, executive producer of the annual Grammy Awards, Jesse Collins Entertainment signed with CAA for representation. Known for producing award shows and specials, JCE will next produce the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
According to a memo to staff, Hozefa Lokhandwala, Vice Media Group Co-CEO, announced he will step down, with Bruce Dixon taking on the role of sole CEO. Before his exit, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; in July 2023, they closed a $350 million sale to a group of its former lenders, Fortress Investment Group, Soros Fund Management, and Monroe Capital.
“We are at a moment in time where the company is in a place with strong leadership and a new board, that I felt I could take this opportunity to leave and spend some time with my family and friends, before starting a new endeavor,” Lokhandwala wrote in the memo.
Sean "Diddy" Combs decided to step down as chairman of Revolt, the television channel he founded 10 years ago aimed at African Americans, in the face of multiple sexual abuse claims.
“This decision helps to ensure that Revolt remains steadfastly focused on our mission to create meaningful content for the culture and amplify the voices of all Black people throughout this country and the African diaspora,” Revolt said in the statement.
Starting in January, Mark Reynolds will take over from Mandy Chang as Fremantle’s Interim Global Head of Documentaries. Reynolds previously worked at BBC Studios as the unscripted portfolio director and at then-titled BBC Worldwide for ten years. Since Chang joined two and a half years ago, Fremantle, an RTL-owned independent group of content creators, invested in documentaries like Mrs. America and Devo Documentary, and produced Kim’s Video.
“Mark will continue to support the growth of our documentaries business and drive collaboration across our production companies and labels around the world,” Andrea Scrosati, Fremantle’s Group COO and CEO of Continental Europe, wrote in an internal email.
ABC News Studios will provide the third slate of true-crime for Hulu, including Daughters Of The Cult and season two of Death In The Dorms. Season two of Death In The Dorms returns on February 22nd. The documentary tells the stories of six college students from different schools whose lives were tragically cut short by violent crime; among these students are Jackson State University accounting major Latasha Norman, University of Miami linebacker Marlin Barnes, and Barnes’ friend Timwanika Lumpkins. Launched in 2022, the studio produced Killing County, Betrayal: The Perfect Husband, and three seasons of Wild Crime for Hulu.
Love & Marriage - OWn
Docusoap: Bravo TV’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA) season 16 is reportedly returning with a transformative cast change. Kandi Burruss, the franchise’s longest-running housewife star, said she’s open to Nene Leakes returning to the show. Due to a contractual dispute, Leakes left the show after season 12 and dropped her lawsuit against Bravo TV for creating a toxic environment.
“They are definitely shaking things up,” Burruss confirms. “They haven’t said who they are bringing back from the current cast. There are so many rumors [about] a couple of previous cast [members] coming back as well as newbies. I believe there’s truth to all of that.”
New seasons of the Love & Marriage Franchise, including Love and Marriage: Huntsville and Love and Marriage: Detroit, will air on OWN in 2024. Meanwhile, the new season of Love and Marriage: D.C. returns on January 27th. Love and Marriage: Huntsville follows a group of old friends in Huntsville, Alabama; with strong personalities and strong opinions, they deal with the ups and downs that come with love and marriage. The finale of the season will air on December 30th, and the reunion, hosted by executive producer Carlos King, will air live on January 6th, 13th, and 20th.
“When OWN’s Love & Marriage: Huntsville first hit the air and to this day, multiple spinoffs later, Love & Marriage continues to deliver and prove itself time and again by making OWN the top destination for Black viewers every Saturday night,” said Tina Perry, President of OWN TV Network and OTT Streaming. “We look forward to continuing to tell these authentic stories and our successful collaboration with the brilliant Carlos King and his Kingdom Reign Entertainment.”
Game Shows: Anthony Anderson and his mother will replace Jamie Foxx and his daughter Corinne to host Fox’s musical game show We Are Family. The program will showcase non-famous relatives of celebrities executing solo performances and duets with their hidden famous family members; it is set to premiere on January 3rd, 2024. Anderson played the role of Dre on Black-ish for eight seasons. He and his mother, Doris Bowman, star in the E! unscripted show Trippin’ with Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris.
“We’re so excited to have Anthony and Doris headline We Are Family,” Allison Wallach, president of unscripted programming at Fox Entertainment, said. “They embody everything that’s special about this show–a ton of laughs, a lot of heart and some friendly on the edge-of-your-seat competition that the whole family can enjoy.”
On the first day of the Asian Television Forum and Market (ATF) in Singapore, Seoul-based international format agency Something Special announced that its representation of the hit Korean celebrity format Battle in the Box was picked up by ITV Studios for broadcast in France, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel. The show had previously announced the deal with Fremantle in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal.
“It’s extraordinary to see the huge international response to Battle in the Box which we instantly loved and couldn’t wait to take globally. And now our partners at ITV Studios are taking this exciting show further and building on its success. We look forward to seeing how each country adds its own touch to this hilarious series,” said Praise ChanMi Shin, VP and head of sales at Something Special.
Competitive Series: The CW Network reached a five-year agreement with WWE to broadcast WWE NXT, which features promising wrestlers, beginning in October 2024. Wrestlers Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch all started their careers from NXT. Currently, NXT airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Comcast NBCUniversal's USA Network.
“We are thrilled to welcome the WWE brand into the CW Sports portfolio as they play an integral role in our mission to bring live sporting events to the network year-round,” said The CW president Dennis Miller. “WWE NXT is a perfect fit for The CW thanks to its dynamic young talent featuring the hottest rising stars in the sport and exhilarating, unpredictable weekly events. The passion and engagement of WWE’s fanbase is unmatched, and we are eager to grow that audience as WWE NXT’s new home on broadcast television.”
In early December, WWE also filed applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for additional NXT-related trademarks in entertainment service classifications such as "Dion Wilder." It is unclear who will be using these names.
ESPN just signed a two-year deal to broadcast live featured group coverage of eight LPGA Tour events on ESPN Plus, including the CME Group Tour Championship and the 2024 CME Group Tour Championship. With the new agreement, ESPN Plus will cover each day of certain tournaments, with one feed showcasing the rounds of four featured groups: two in the morning and two in the afternoon.
“ESPN’s commitment to covering world-class golf and women’s sports has never been stronger, and having more of the LPGA on ESPN Plus is a vital component of that commitment,” said Tim Bunnell, senior VP of ESPN Programming and International. “With PGA Tour Live on ESPN Plus, The Masters, PGA Championship, TGL and now the LPGA on ESPN Plus, we’re bringing more golf to more fans than ever before.”
After shutting down Showtime Sports this October, Paramount Global sold its Bellator MMA promotion franchise to the five-year-old Saudi Arabia-backed Professional Fighters League. Under the new confidential deal, Paramount Global will retain a minority stake and Bellator will be added into PFL’s four existing MMA franchises, including the PFL League Season, PFL PPV Super Fights, PFL Challenger Series, and the PFL International Leagues. PFL also plans to offer eight Bellator fight events yearly under the Bellator International Champions Series.
“PFL is now a global powerhouse in MMA,” PFL founder and chairman Donn Davis said in a statement. “Our Bellator acquisition turbocharges PFL’s mission to innovate the sport and become the industry co-leader.”
It is well known that Western production companies have struggled to penetrate the market in mainland China, facing a variety of local regulatory differences and operational restrictions. Surprisingly this month, Warner Bros. Discovery China launches reality TV show Glow Up China in mainland China, partnering with local major online video platforms Tencent Video and cosmetics brand Perfect Diary. As the seventh international adaptation of the Glow Up series, fans get a front-row seat to watch eight contestants showcase their coloring and contouring talents to win the title of China's next makeup star. Industry experts Tony Li and Chen Xinmiao will judge while actress Zhao Lusi, singer Jike Junyi, makeup director Xiao Jin, and fashion designer Lan Yu will attend the show as star guests.
“The Glow Up brand is a worldwide success, and we’re excited to add an international adaptation with unique Chinese flair,” said Clark Wang, VP, head of franchise, Greater China & co-lead, production, Greater China and SEA. “Combining our creative and production expertise with successful local partnerships, this series champions homegrown talent and stories that resonate on a local and global scale.”
In January 2024, Big Brother Mzansi Season 4: S'ya Mosha will return on MultiChoice's DStv, channel 161, hosted by Lawrence Maleka and produced by Red Pepper Productions. As the rebooted version of South African Big Brother reality television, the franchise’s latest season will add new game mechanics. Followed by subscribers' backlash that they're not interested in seeing nudity during “shower hour,” the production company decided that the new season will remove this.
"Big Brother S'ya Mosha is a disruption of the norm," says Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, in a statement about the upcoming season. "The format is also being enhanced by adding new game mechanics - nothing is predictable, and Biggie is here to shake things up, building on the elements that viewers love like the Saturday Night Parties and Friday Night Games," says Natalie Bleksley, Big Brother Mzansi executive producer, in a statement.
Multimedia company Triller’s combat-sports streaming platform FITE rebrands as TrillerTV to expand the service's content offerings. According to its officials, under the new moniker, FITE will continue to provide boxing, wrestling, and other combat sports events. Additionally, it will maintain its Triller Plus subscription service and Triller 24/7 FAST Channel, along with the AEW Plus pro wrestling subscription service.
Added TrillerTV co-founder and CEO Kosta Jordanov said, ”Now that we’ve proven FITE in tens of thousands of live events from all over the world, it’s time to expand to more content verticals under our new brand TrillerTV. We will be adding new sports categories, more premium brand promotions, and continuing to improve our technology to give the best user experience in streaming sports and entertainment.”
Global independent media group Argonon hired a new senior director of development at Rose Rock Entertainment and appointed Argonon’s global CEO James Burstall as executive chair of Argonon USA to accelerate the company’s U.S. growth strategy plan. Also, Argonon partnered with Scottish indie production company Bandicoot to produce the U.K. versions of The Masked Singer and The Masked Dancer.
“As we continue to build a world class hub on the West Coast, I am excited about the shift in the U.S. market as commissioning ramps up and our ambitious and talented teams continue to punch through with newly confirmed projects for US networks,” said Burstall.
Finally, MTV’s RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 is set to premiere on January 5th, marking the 15th anniversary of the competition reality franchise. According to its official trailer released in mid-December, the program will add a twist of immunity and Rate-a-Queen for the 14 contestants. In addition to permanent panelists Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews, and Ts Madison, the show invites multiple guest panels like Charlize Theron, Becky G, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Adam Shankman, Kyra Sedgwick, Law Roach, and Ronan Farrow.
