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Zodiak Rights: new sales across CEE
British distributor Zodiak Rights, part of the Banijay Group, has licensed a large quantity of its formats and finished programming across the CEE region ahead of this week NATPE Budapest market, it was announced today by Tim Mutimer, CEO Zodiak Rights.Launching later this year on Friday TV in Russia and produced by Mastiff Russia (a Banijay Group company) is global phenomenon Wife Swap, which continues to be a hit in Prima (Romania), 1+1 (Ukraine), Markiza (Slovakia) and the Nova (Czech Republic), with TV2 Hungary acquiring a package which includes all seasons of the finished UK version of the format.
Also coming soon to Friday TV in Russia, after a successful launch on Novy in Ukraine earlier this year with a second season already commissioned, is the ultimate test of good manners in primetime reality makeover format Ladette to Lady.
Prima in the Czech Republic has licensed legendary adventure game show Fort Boyard for production later in 2016. Studio-based entertainment format and extreme singing challenge Killer Karaoke is heading to TV2 in Hungary.
Compelling supernatural hit series Psychic Challenge, already a long-running success in Russia (TNT, 17 seasons) and Ukraine (STB, 16 seasons), will shortly launch on TV3 in Estonia.
In addition, Zodiak Rights has closed a deal with Česká Televize for leading dramas Occupied, the Norwegian political thriller, and series four of BAFTA Award winning drama starring Kenneth Branagh, Wallander, as well as renewing the license for the first three series of the dramatic Swedish hit produced by Left Bank and Banijay Group company Yellowbird.
Andrew Sime, VP Formats at Zodiak Rights, comments: ‘The unrivalled depth of our catalogue means we can come to NATPE with brand new formats and dramas, like Undressed and Wolf Creek, and at the same time build on continued demand for audience favourites such as Wife Swap, Psychic Challenge and Fort Boyard’.