Global indie group ITV Studios has signed a major overall deal with veteran reality TV creators Carsten Bartholin and Kenneth Christensen and their new Shingle Banjo format to produce “a broad, loud and commercially powerful reality format with global appeal”.
The deal was announced on October 13, the day the Mipcom Content Market reopened in Cannes.
As former heads of unscripted content at Viaplay Group, both Christensen and Bartlin have extensive experience delivering brands in flagship formats for more than a decade. Christensen served as senior vice president of unscripted content and Bartlin served as group head of formats and development. Tentpole formats commissioned under the company’s management include ITV Studios’ flagship dating phenomenon ‘Love Island’, as well as other global brands ‘Survivor’, ‘MasterChef’ and ‘Paradise Hotel’. The two also oversaw the launch of the original format “Buying Blind.”
As a former co-creator and co-owner of the three-time Rose d’Or-winning production company Babyfoot, Bartolin provided the hit format “I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” which aired for two seasons on ABC in the U.S. and other European platforms, as well as “Gay Army” for Scandinavia and “Bingo Banko” for Denmark and Germany.
Christensen, meanwhile, is credited with helping launch MTV in the Nordics as VP of content and programming, comedy and MTV under a 10-year deal with Viacom, where he oversaw commissioning and content strategy.
Mike Beale, Managing Director of Global Creative Networks at ITV Studios, said: “With their new agreement, Karsten and Kenneth will bring their great experience commissioning and developing programs around the world to strengthen our international formats and create a range of new concepts that resonate around the world. Their great ideas and ability to pitch across disciplines will greatly support our exploration of new IP.”
“We are excited to work with the production and distribution teams at ITV Studios to bring new formats and IP to life,” Christensen and Bartlin added. “We are confident that our approach, based on our experience on both sides of the commissioning and development table, will bring great success to both companies.”
