Scripted

Hat Trick International (HTI), the UK-based factual and scripted distributor closed two new deals with global broadcasters, along with further renewals in CEE and beyond for international versions of formats.

Ibiza: Secrets of the Party Island from Summer Films, which is also enjoying current critical and ratings success for BBC3, has now sold to DPG Belgium, TV2 Denmark, MTV Finland and Channel 9 Australia. Reality star and presenter Zara McDermott explores the glamourous exterior and the dark underside of the famous holiday island. Parallel worlds of light and dark have always existed on Ibiza with good times on the island increasingly only available to the wealthy, Zara explores this tantalising new face of the island, but also the dark economy that underpins the island's glamorous, lnstagrammable exterior.

In scripted news, Spinal Destination produced by Great Southern Film & TV for Sky TV New Zealand has been sold to SBS Australia. Created by award winning writer and director Paula Whetu Jones, this confronting comedy drama set in a spinal unit was inspired by the writer’s own story of suddenly becoming disabled and the highs and lows she consequently found herself in whilst in recovery.

As reported by HTI six months ago, demand for its formats has more than tripled in the last two years, a fact underscored recently with the news that CNN has ordered the first American version of Hat Trick’s long running BBC series Have I Got News for You? which HTI will be representing as a finished programme alongside continuing to represent the format rights. This continuing trend sees a new launch of Rich House Poor House for Polsat in Poland. Rich House Poor House is a format that follows two families from opposite ends of the wealth divide as they trade places to find out if money really does buy happiness, now in its 12th series on Polsat numbering some 118 episodes. Polsat has also recently commissioned a 9th series of another Hat Trick format Dinner Date.

James Mill, Sales Executive for CEE at Hat Trick International said: ‘In a marketplace that is increasingly complex and competitive, we are grateful to be able to keep things simple in terms of offering shows that are synonymous with quality entertainment, with purpose, diverse writing and bursting with sheer talent. Coupled with the renewed and enduring popularity over the years of our homegrown formats, particularly in burgeoning markets like Central and Eastern Europe, we now look forward to collaborating with new partners across the region.’