BBC - Commissioning Briefs - Entertainment on BBC One

What We Want

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Entertainment on BBC One

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Controller: Mark Linsey

Overview

Entertainment is hugely important for BBC One. It provides everything from energy-filled family viewing on Saturday nights, to high quality midweek factual entertainment, to fast-paced comedy entertainment later in the schedule. Across all the slots, we want to see the best ideas for original and ‘must see’ entertainment, featuring well-loved talent.

We want Entertainment on BBC One to be uplifting and draw people together, whether as households gathering their living rooms or creating a sense of national event. Saturday night in particular is the emotional heart of the weekend and is particularly important for social viewing. It is the night of the week when entertainment expectations are at their highest - and we need to exceed them.

Tonally, Entertainment contributes to the channel’s warmth and ‘lights on’ feel.

The Audience

Entertainment brings mass audiences to BBC One and offers shared viewing experiences that appeal across genders and generations. It can also be really effective at attracting younger audiences to the channel, for example through post-peak shows like The Graham Norton Show.

During the week, pre-watershed shows which are informative but light-hearted, laid-back and family-friendly work well. Meanwhile later in the evening, when physical activity has ceased and it's all about the mind, the less traditional audience is ready to experiment, and has less set expectations.

As we said, on Saturday nights the audience want to see high quality, big scale Entertainment which gives them a sense of escape and release, and which they can share with others – both at the time and afterwards. In families, Saturday teatime viewing is often driven by children, with parents’ priority being just enjoying time together. But for the children, it should feel different and grown-up compared with content on specialist channels, and ultimately multi-layered shows like Total Wipeout, which can meet the needs of both adults and kids at the same time, work best.

What's been working well gallery

Strictly Come Dancing continues to be a successful,much-loved favourite with the audience.

Pointless Celebrities has launched strongly in the Saturday shoulder peak slot.

Revamped for 2012, Room 101 has made a welcome return on Friday nights.

Commissioning slots

Entertainment - BBC One main Saturday evening series - range from 6 - 10 eps x 60'

Tariff range: price targeted up to £285k per hour

We're looking for series ideas that can complement our proven hits such as Strictly Come Dancing but also make their mark in a distinctive and different way. Rather than dance or physical game-shows, we are looking for ideas which bring variety to the Saturday night schedule.

They'll need broad appeal and scale and may also have a life beyond television. They should have a sense of spectacle to bring viewers back week after week, and feel like a real 'must watch' event every Saturday night.

We'd like to find alternatives to the main show/results show format and find new flavours for Saturday nights where energy and humour will be key - particularly because this tone appeals to younger audiences.

Shared viewing is particularly important on Saturday nights. Ideally, we are looking for formats which appeal across families, which kids will enjoy but which will bring in adults too e.g. Let's Dance for Sport Relief

Entertainment - BBC One entertainment series - range from 8 - 13 eps x 30’ at 20:30 on Fridays

Tariff range: price targeted up to £140k per episode

As well as the comedy entertainment which traditionally plays in this slot, we are also looking for factual entertainment formats here which have big talent and great comedy at their heart. In particular, we see this as an opportunity to draw in a male audience, although we are not looking for anything exclusively male appealing.

This slot is all about reflecting the end-of-the-week feel and setting the mood for the weekend ahead; we are looking for light-hearted, uncomplicated formats which allow for laughter and release.

This show will need to feel like a distinct alternative to what is offer on other channels in this slot, including ensuring that it appeals to men. It will be on a universal theme or topic and will benefit from familiar faces, but should feel fresh and new as an entertaining proposition.

Entertainment - BBC One factual entertainment series - range from 8 - 13 eps x 30’ or 60’ at midweek pre-watershed

Tariff range: price targeted up to £250k per hour

Our factual entertainment slate on BBC One sets the bar high. These much-loved shows get people talking and create a splash on TV and beyond; we want to find new formats that can sit alongside these established brands, whilst not feeling derivative of them.

They'll need a strong narrative to bring audiences back week after week, and should be based in universal, familiar topics that can be formatted in a way to appeal to a broad audience.

They'll also need ambition and scale and big personalities at their heart, as well as a sense that they are something only the BBC would or could do. Competition formats will need significant points of difference from existing shows.

Where are the opportunities available?

The Saturday evening and Friday Entertainment series opportunities exist in the WoCC in 2012/2013. The opportunity for a new Factual Entertainment series exists in the WoCC in 2013/2014

How should I submit my ideas and who should I pitch to?

All proposals should be submitted via the e-commissioning system to the relevant genre controller or commissioner. Take a look at the Who's Who for the latest entertainment commissioning team contacts.

Want to know more about the broader BBC One service strategy?

If you would like to know more about Danny Cohen's BBC One channel strategy, please visit the BBC One page

BBC - Commissioning - Entertainment on BBC One