Primal Media Wins Major ITV Entertainment Series

Primal Media, the indie set up by Mat Steiner and Adam Wood with Lionsgate, has secured a major new peak time entertainment series for ITV. ‘BIGHEADS’, commissioned by Head of Comedy Entertainment Peter Davey, sees ordinary contestants challenged to wear giant celebrity heads and compete in a series of physical celebrity-themed games in front of a live audience.

“Donald Trump won the US election, but he might not look quite so smug after being rugby tackled off the red carpet by Adele and Albert Einstein”, said Wood.

Davey said “It happens rarely but this was the first time ‘I commissioned in the room’. The idea made me laugh at that original pitch and makes me laugh every time we meet to further develop it. It’s unhinged – in a warm, fun, family viewing type way…. if that’s possible”.

Wood and Steiner will exec the show which is to be fronted by Jason Manford and will air as a 6 x 1 hour series in 2017.

Primal Media was founded by Wood and Steiner in July 2016 and is currently in production with 4 new series: ‘Bigheads’ (ITV1); an all-celebrity series of ‘Release The Hounds: Famous & Freaked’ (ITV2, 7 x 1 hours); Matt Allwright fronted quiz The Code (BBC1, 25 x 45 minutes); and its first sitcom, ‘A Brief History Of Tim’ (BBC3, 4 x 30 mins).

Release the Hounds Returns For All Celebrity Series

The award-winning unique, horror game show from Primal Media returns for a brand new, all celebrity series. Release the Hounds: Famous & Freaked will air on ITV2 in 2017.

With scarier and bigger challenges than ever before, the scream out loud horror experience has upped the ante for its new series with gruesome and horrifying tests that aim to push the celebrities to the very edge.

Celebrities competing in this brand new 7 x 60 minute series include TOWIE faces Pete Wicks, Bobby Norris and Chloe Sims; I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here stars Stacey Solomon, Hugo Taylor and David Morgan; Youtubers Alfie Deyes, Joe Sugg and Marcus Butler and Geordie Shore’s Marnie Simpson, Chloe Ferry and Nathan Henry. Reggie Yates returns as host.

Filmed in a remote forest from dusk through to the dead of night, each episode sees three celebrity faces compete in some of the scariest challenges ever endured on TV to win money for their chosen charity. They will have to face horror themed mental and physical challenges aimed to truly push them to their limits with the ultimate challenge for them to out-run a pack of dogs, trained to guard the cash.  If they manage to escape the hounds, the money belongs to them.

Release the Hounds: Famous & Freaked was commissioned by Kate Maddigan, ITV’s Commissioning Editor for Entertainment. The Executive Producers are Adam Wood and Mat Steiner.

Contestants Wanted for Series 2 of ‘THE CODE’ on BBC 1

The Code is returning to BBC1 and we are looking for either SOLO quizzers, or teams of TWO or THREE to take part.

If you think you have got what it takes to win a rolling jackpot that could be worth THOUSANDS OF POUNDS

Download The Code Series 2 Contestant Application Form : .pdf / .doc.

Please send completed application forms to bbcquiz@primalmedia.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you, and GOOD LUCK!

– Casting Team

***We will only use your information for the purpose of selecting contestants for the programme. The application closing date is FRIDAY 23rd DECEMBER 2016. We reserve the right to extend the closing date at our sole discretion. Applicants must be 18 years of age and over. You must be resident in the UK. T&C’s apply. For BBC’s privacy policy see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/privacy

Primal Gets First Sitcom Order – A Brief History of Tim

BBC Three Comedy Feed, A Brief History of Tim, written by and starring Tim Renkow, and co-written by Stu Richards, has been commissioned for a 4×30 series for BBC Three.

Tim Renkow says: “I’m very excited to be working with the BBC. I just hope I can beat my old employment record of two days.”

Damian Kavanagh, Controller, BBC Three says: “We are all about the best new British comedy at BBC Three and are very happy to give A Brief History Of Tim a home.”

Mat Steiner, Managing Director of Primal Media says: “Primal are delighted to be moving into sitcom and to be showcasing one of the most unique comic talents out there.”

Ash Atalla, Managing Director of Roughcut says: “Tim is one of the best and most wrong comedians I’ve ever met. For that reason alone, Roughcut can’t wait to work with him on this BBC sitcom.“

Alex Smith, executive producer says: “Roughcut is thrilled to be taking on Tim’s show and look forward to channelling his irreverent voice into a brilliant and original sitcom character.“

Tim Renkow has cerebral palsy, a condition that makes people assume he’s a sweet humble man, a victim. Wrong. Tim’s one of life’s rebels. He doesn’t take life seriously, why should he when he knows his condition means he can get away with saying whatever he wants. Problem is, Tim lets the fun get in the way of actually achieving anything.

Across the series we follow Tim as he navigates the politically-correct modern world, resisting temptation at every turn to offend and ridicule a situation. He just can’t help it. Like Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Tim is his own worst enemy and despite the efforts of friends and his tough supportive mum he’s determined to make life harder than it need be.

A Brief History Of Tim (4×22’) is written by Tim Renkow and Stu Richards. The executive producers are Ash Atalla, Mat Steiner and Alex Smith. It is a Roughcut TV and Primal Media (set up in July in partnership with Lionsgate) production for BBC Three.

Lionsgate Launches UK Television Production Shingle, Primal Media

Former Gogglebox Entertainment Founders to Create and Produce Unscripted Programs for Global Marketplace

SANTA MONICA, Calif. and LONDON, July 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ —
Building on its unscripted portfolio, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, announced today that it has acquired a stake in Primal Media, the new production company formed by Gogglebox founders, format creators and executive producers Mat Steiner and Adam Wood. Primal Media will develop and produce unscripted programs in the UK, as well as work with Lionsgate’s alternative programming team in the U.S. to produce U.S. formats for the UK market. Lionsgate will distribute Primal Media’s content worldwide and will produce formats owned by Primal Media for the U.S. and worldwide market.

Steiner and Wood’s extensive credits include UK formats Release The Hounds (ITV2), Cash Cab (ITV), The Code (BBC1), Playing It Straight (C4), Man v Fly (GSN/The Sun), Plain Jane (MTV International), Singing In The Rainforest (Watch), Move Like Michael Jackson (BBC3), The Exit List (ITV) and Breakaway (BBC2), among many others. Their formats have sold across the world, amassing over 15,000 episodes and winning multiple awards, including six Emmys and, in 2016, a Royal Television Society Award for Best Entertainment.

Primal Media has already secured its first two commissions with the return of the award-winning, third season of Release The Hounds and a second season of The Code (BBC1), both for 2017.

The acquisition marks another step in Lionsgate’s continued growth into unscripted programming around the world. In the past year, the Company has formed a strategic alliance with leading U.S. reality producer Pilgrim Studios and has developed a growing in-house slate from its alternative programming division, including Kicking & Screaming (Fox), Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian (E!), Monica the Medium (Freeform), Douglas Family Gold (Oxygen), Tracks (Spike), and many more.

“As Lionsgate’s Television Group expands its capabilities in the unscripted market, Mat and Adam are the perfect addition to our growing family of first-rate reality companies and best-in-class producers who are developing formats with global reach,” said Lionsgate Television Group Chairman Kevin Beggs. “The deal is a win-win as it provides Mat and Adam the support they need to grow Primal Media while enabling Lionsgate to enhance our footprint in the UK, to expand the pipeline for our U.S. business and to access a fabulous library of product that can be distributed worldwide.”

“We have a lot of respect for Mat and Adam, who are among the most prolific and successful unscripted producers in the UK,” said Lionsgate UK Chief Executive Officer Zygi Kamasa.”As we grow the Lionsgate UK presence in television, we are very pleased to bring in such a well respected and talented team as the one at Primal Media.”

“We are very excited to be working with Kevin, Zygi and the entire Lionsgate team, both in the UK and the U.S.,” said Steiner and Wood. “While Lionsgate is a global player in the television space, it continues to have an entrepreneurial spirit that aligns perfectly with what we are trying to accomplish as we develop Primal Media into a major player creating both entertainment and factual entertainment formats with global appeal.”

The deal was negotiated by Laura Kennedy, Executive Vice President, TV Operations & Corporate Development for Lionsgate, Alexandra Keen, Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, Lionsgate UK, and Malcolm Murray, Lucy Strauss and Jeremy Gawade at Lee & Thompson (representing Lionsgate) and Michael Brader and Medwyn Jones at Wiggin (representing Primal Media).

‘Release The Hounds’ Season 3 Picked Up By ITV

Multi award-winning entertainment format RELEASE THE HOUNDS has been re-commissioned for a third series by ITV2. Presented by Reggie Yates, the new 7×60 series, for TX in 2017, will feature an all-celebrity cast and include a Halloween special.

BBC1 Quiz ‘The Code’ Recommissioned

Primal Media’s daytime quiz “The Code” has been re-commissioned for a second 25 episode order by BBC1. Hosted by Matt Allwright and Lesley-Anne Brewis, every episode sees teams attempt to crack the code of a safe in order to win the ever-rising jackpot.