19 January 2012 – FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) today announced a raft of new international sales for its brand new drama The Wedding Band (10 x 1 hour).
The highly anticipated series, which was originally commissioned by US cable net TBS, has been picked up by Network Ten in Australia; MBC Group in the Middle East and North Africa; Viasat Broadcasting, across Denmark, Norway and Sweden; and YLE for Finland. It was announced at MIPCOM last year that the show has also been sold to Channel 5 in the UK and TBS Latin America for syndication to over 48 countries across the region.
The Wedding Band is FME’s first US cable drama commission and forms a major part of the company’s wider global commitment to develop and distribute high quality English language dramas for international markets.
The series follows a group of guys who try to escape the stress and strains of their everyday lives by performing in a wedding band. Anchored by lifelong best friends – Tommy, a perennial bachelor, and Eddie, a married father of two – the guys are weekend rock stars. Only they’re not crashing their way into the best parties – they’re paid to perform at them. The groupies are bridesmaids, the drinks are free and the dream is still alive. The band will stop at nothing to make every wedding, birthday or bar mitzvah a concert to remember.
Commenting on the sales, David Ellender, FME’s Global CEO, said, “Working with an award-winning producer, A-list cast and talented writing team has resulted in a top quality drama with global appeal. Strong sales for The Wedding Band, ahead of the show’s launch later this year, confirm that it’s set to be another hit in FME’s ever-expanding drama catalogue.”
The Wedding Band, slated to premiere on US cable net TBS in summer 2012, is co-produced by FremantleMedia North America and Emmy® Award-winning producer Mike Tollin (Smallville, One Tree Hill, Wild Hogs); it’s created and executive-produced by writers Josh Lobis & Darin Moiselle (South Park).
The deals were brokered by Paul Ridley, EVP International Distribution & Home Entertainment – Asia Pacific, for FME with Beverley McGarvey, Head of Programming for Network Ten; Justin Hatfield, SVP Sales – UK, Eire & Scandinavia, for FME with Lina Brounéus, Free TV Acquisitions Manager for Viasat Broadcasting and Mari Koivuhovi, International Drama Acquisitions for YLE; and Jamie Lynn, SVP International Distribution, Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa for FME with Ali Jaber, Group TV Director, at MBC Group.
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Notes to Editors
ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES & FREMANTLEMEDIA
FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia North America, UFA, talkbackTHAMES, FremantleMedia Australia and Original Productions amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating nearly 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols (co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), Hole In The Wall, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK), Take Me Out, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten, and Neighbours.
For more information please contact:
Mary Jones
Interim Sr. PR Manager
FremantleMedia Enterprises
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 6515
mary.jones@fremantlemedia.com
Jumana Rizwan
PR Manager
FremantleMedia Enterprises
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 6114
Jumana.rizwan@fremantlemedia.com