Channel 5 Orders Second Season of Ratings Hit ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ – Global Bulletin

In today’s Global Bulletin, Channel 5 announces Season 2 of “All Creatures Great and Small,” BAFTA backs Indian talent, CJ ENM commissions format deals for “I Can See Your Voice” and Newen hires a new distribution executive.

COMMISSION

Channel 5 in the U.K. has commissioned a second season of its hit period drama “All Creatures Great and Small,” including six new episodes and a Christmas special. As was the case with season 1, Masterpiece on PBS will co-produce with All3Media International as a global partner.

Based on James Herriot’s best-selling book series, Channel 5’s highest rated new program of the last five years is produced by BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning production company Playground (“Howards End,” “Wolf Hall”). Shooting will take place in 2021.

Seb Cardwell, the series’ original commissioner and deputy director of programs at ViacomCBS Networks UK, commissioned season 2. Colin Callender and Melissa Gallant for Playground, Louise Pedersen for All3Media International, Caroline Cooper Charles for Screen Yorkshire, and Rebecca Eaton and Susanne Simpson at Masterpiece will all be back as executive producers. Lead writer Ben Vanstone and lead director Brian Percival executive produce, with James Dean joining as a producer.

MENTORSHIP

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has opened applications for BAFTA Breakthrough India, the Academy’s latest in a series of Breakthrough programs and its first steps into India. Breakthrough India will provide a platform for rising Indian talent, supported by official partner agency Netflix as it is in the U.K. and U.S. versions of the program.

BAFTA has also appointed A.R. Rahman as the Academy’s ambassador for Breakthrough India ’20 and ’21. In the position, he will focus on the development of creative relationships between the U.K. and India and work to showcase India’s talent globally.

BAFTA Breakthrough India will employ a jury of British and Indian industry experts who will choose five participants for its year-long mentorship program. Participants will also receive free access to BAFTA events and screenings for one year, and full BAFTA voting membership.

FORMAT

CJ ENM has commissioned new versions of its popular South Korean game show “I Can See Your Voice” in Spain, Finland and Russia, bringing the total number of territories with local versions of the show to 15. Warner Bros. ITVP will produce in Spain and Finland with Fremantle taking the reins in Russia.

The Spanish update will broadcast on Antena 3, hosts of South Korea’s biggest game show format hit “Masked Singer,” and local company Atresmedia will join Warner Bros. ITVP as co-producers. Nelonen will broadcast the Finnish version and Russia-1 the Russian edition.

Other territories getting local versions include the U.S on Fox, Germany with RTL and Netherlands for RTL4.

HIRING

Newen Content has hired NBCUniversal’s Leona Connell as its new executive VP of distribution in its Paris offices for both the French and international markets, reporting to chief distribution officer Rodolphe Buet.

Connell is tasked with optimizing the value of Newen’s 5,500-plus hours of content and will lead the fiction and non-fiction sales team in France and abroad. She will also provide support for producers to enhance financial planning and develop co-production partnerships as well as secure pre-sales for new Newen content.

Before her time at NBCUniversal, Connell worked at Sky Vision, Parthenon Entertainment, and several other companies from both sides of the Atlantic.