EXCLUSIVE: Who Do You Think You Are? producer Wall to Wall is providing three of Warner Bros International Television Production‘s debuting titles at the London TV Screenings this week. An FBoy Island franchise extension is also debuting.
Leanne Klein’s London-based production house is behind Channel 4’s British legal system format See You in Court, for which WBITVP will be hoping to lock down sales. The Warner Bros Television-owned producer is also the launch pad for moon mission doc Artemis and L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, featuring Lord of the Rings actor Ian McKellan lip syncing to forgotten tapes from the painter.
The shows are among several new titles that WBITVP, the international production and sales wing of Warner Bros Television, will be introducing to buyers at its Showcase event on Thursday, February 26 in central London. The others are Class Clowns, Reality Queens of the Jungle: Family Edition and Fboy Survival
See You in Court attempts to solve serious disputes that might otherwise take years inside the legal system. Over the course of a single day, multiple cases unfold as claimants and defendants face off with the support of barristers and independent arbitrators. Episodes are filmed with fixed-rig cameras to capture both the tension of the courtroom and the moments in between.
Artemis, is an hour-long special made in association with Nova/GBH for BBC Two, and proviees unique access to NASA’s Artemis II Moon mission, which is planned as a first manned flight to the moon since 1972.
It includes interviews with mission commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover and explores the technical, logistical and human challenges behind a journey designed to support an enduring presence on the Moon. Astronaut Tim Peake and space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock offer further insight, reflecting on what Artemis represents in a renewed global space race.
L.S. Lowry, one of Britain’s most distinctive painters, known for his industrial landscapes and solitary ‘matchstick’ figures is the latest subject of another Wall to Wall series, L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, which is also for the BBC.
Using a series of restored audio conversations that the famously private artist recorded in his final years, it sees The Lord of the Rings actor Ian McKellen lip-syncing the words. The tapes, archived and unheard for nearly 50 years, hear Lowry speaking on his childhood, grief, fame and the industrial Britain that shaped his vision.
Meanwhile, Australian format Class Clowns sees a group of comedians return to the classroom for lessons that test competitive spirit, quick thinking, teamwork, creativity and nerve. They work within house teams to earn points across classic school day activities from roll call to academic assignments and from recess to physical education. A playful principal oversees events, handing out the points before seeing everyone in their office at the end of each day to reveal the results. WBITVP Australia produced the original for ABC.
From WBITVP Netherlands is Videoland franchise extension Reality Queens of the Jungle: Family Edition, which sees familiar reality stars to the jungle with someone who knows them best: a member of their own family. They undertake demanding challenges, tough trials and desperation to win comfort and luxury, with only one duo reaching the finish and prove their connection can survive the wild.
FBoy Island spin-off FBoy Survival, made for Fox6 Media by Discovery India, sees three single women spending time with a group of men in the hope of finding love – half of whom are genuine Nice Guys and the other half self-proclaimed FBoys.
Placed in a harsh desert environment, the men are pushed to reveal their true personalities while the women attempt to work out who’s sincere, who’s strategic, and who’s just trying to survive each elimination and outlast the competition.
André Renaud, WBITVP’s GVP of Format and Finished Sales, said: “We are delighted to be back at London Screenings this year to showcase the best of our formats – as well as selected finished programmes – to our broadcast, streaming and production partners from around the world.
“This spring’s slate reflects our continued commitment to strong storytelling and fresh, distinctive ideas. From high-stakes reality and innovative entertainment to premium factual specials with extraordinary access, expect a few surprises, too, as we share a broad range of content designed to create conversation and deliver real impact.”
WBITVP is one of numerous studio-backed players in London this week. The London TV Screenings begin today and run throughout through Friday.
