Denmark is set to make its own version of ALEX HORNE’S comedy game show TASKMASTER after TV 2 picked up the format rights from Avalon. The comedy entertainment format has also been picked up for a second series by SVT in Sweden.
Danish commercial broadcaster TV 2 has commissioned Metronome to produce 8×60’ episodes while Sweden’s public broadcaster, SVT is set to make a second series of their popular local version, Bäst i Test! (“Best in Test!”), which premiered earlier this year. Both series are due to be broadcast in 2018.
Announcing the deals, Isobel Hughes, Director of Distribution at Avalon, said: “Taskmaster has already proved to be a global success with local versions being made in the U.S. and Belgium and a second series now confirmed for SVT in Sweden. The show’s combination of competition, ingenuity, comedy and creative challenges is compelling and entertaining viewing in any country and is sure to be equally popular with audiences in Denmark.”
Anette Rømer, Head of Acquisitions and Formats at TV 2 added: “TV 2 Denmark is delighted to have secured ‘Taskmaster’ for our main channel. Resting on friendly competition, humor and wit, the programme creates an atmosphere of Gemütlichkeit and ‘hygge’ which we know our viewers appreciate.”
Taskmaster, originally created by ALEX HORNE and produced and distributed by Avalon, is a BAFTA and Emmy Award nominated entertainment show. The all-powerful “Taskmaster”, with the help of his loyal assistant, sets out to test the wiles, wit and wisdom of five hyper competitive comedians through a series of strange and surreal challenges. With the chance to be crowned show champion, rivalry is encouraged, dodgy tactics rewarded and bribes accepted in what is the most hard-fought and ridiculous comedy entertainment formats on TV.
Taskmaster has been remade locally for Comedy Central in the U.S., VTM in Belgium and Sweden’s SVT. The format is also in development in six additional territories while the finished programme has been sold to New Zealand’s TVNZ and UKTV in Australia.
Taskmaster is one of a number of titles Avalon will be taking to this year’s Asian TV Forum taking place in Singapore at the end of November. Other finished programmes and formats available to buyers include new primetime game show format The Button; factual entertainment series The Three Day Nanny and Sugar Free Farm and global award-winning comedy Catastrophe. Avalon Distribution will also offer buyers a preview of upcoming factual series Murderer Next Door.
Taskmaster received a 2017 BAFTA nomination for Best Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme and a 2017 International Emmy Award nomination in the category of non-scripted entertainment alongside RTS, Broadcasting Press Guild and Broadcast Award nominations since its commission in 2014. Among 16-34s, Taskmaster is the highest-rated UKTV Original series of 2017 and the most watched commission on UKTV Play in 2017 so far.
Executive producers for the original UK series are Alex Horne, Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, James Taylor, Jon Thoday, and Andy Devonshire (The Apprentice and The Great British Bake Off), who also acts as series director, and Hilary Rosen for UKTV. Andy Cartwright is series producer.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Cristina Dunn at Avalon – [email protected]
Notes to Editors:
About Avalon:
Avalon is a multi-award winning talent management, live promotion and television production group with offices in the UK and the USA.
Avalon and ARG, the talent management arm has discovered and represents many artists which are household names, both in the UK, the USA, and around the world.
In 2017 Avalon was named the number one true independent television production company in the UK and has produced numerous ground-breaking television shows including: Emmy and Peabody award winner Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO), multi-award winning and Emmy-nominated Catastrophe (Channel 4/Amazon Prime), RTS and Rose d’Or winning Not Going Out (the BBC’s longest running sitcom currently on air), BAFTA and RTS-nominated Taskmaster (DAVE/UKTV), multi-BAFTA award winning TV Burp (ITV1), Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC2), Fantasy Football League (BBC/ITV) and Workaholics (Comedy Central USA).
Avalon and Topical Television form the television arm of the company and other shows currently in production include: Taskmaster USA (Comedy Central), Man Down (C4), Dave Gorman’s Modern Life is Goodish (Dave/UKTV), The Chris Ramsey Show (Comedy Central), and Stand Up Central with Chris Ramsey (Comedy Central); whilst the catalogue is sold worldwide by Avalon Distribution.
Avalon produced Newman and Baddiel: Live at Wembley, the UK’s first arena comedy show; Jerry Springer: The Opera, the first West End show to win all four UK ‘Best New Musical’ awards; and has continued to produce live shows globally, as well as promoting more winners and nominees of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award than any other company.
For Avalon news visit: www.avalon-entertainment.com or @avalonent.
