Tradition and Innovation Stand Side-by-Side as BBC Worldwide’s Summer Schedule Reflects Post-Olympic Britain
Click to tweet: #BBCShowcaseSA unveils Summer line-up across South African channels, incl #DowntonSA @gordonramsay01 @nigella_lawson http://bbc.in/SgaWYU
BBC Worldwide Channels today unveiled its Summer season of programmes exclusive to DStv viewers in South Africa. The exciting line-up presents the first and exclusive airing of the very best of British programming where tradition and innovation go hand in hand and established talent such as Sir David Attenborough and Nigella Lawson, sit alongside fresh new faces like Rachel Khoo.
Jon Farrar, VP Programming EMEA, BBC Worldwide Channels said: “This July Danny Boyle’s much-lauded Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics uniquely captured the spirit of modern Britain which embraces tradition and quality alongside creativity, innovation and fun.
In our Summer Channels Schedule these qualities can be found in abundance – from the stiff upper lips of worldwide smash hit Downton Abbey to the fun and realism of Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents. Traditional, high-quality programming such as landmark wildlife series Africa also sit alongside Embarrassing Bodies - a ground-breaking factual entertainment series with a social purpose. We are proud that our Summer line-up is rubber-stamped with the mark of ‘Made in Britain’ and look forward to sharing our distinctive, innovative and high quality programming with our South African audience over the coming months.”
Full details of the line-up can be found here www.bbcsouthafrica.com/summershowcase . Highlights include:
- It’s back and it’s bigger and better than ever before. Ratings-busting, multi-award winning drama Downton Abbey returns with a much-awaited third series of tales about the Crawley family. Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes picks up the story of the Downton householders as they adapt to life in the roaring twenties and an exciting new cast member slips into costume in the form of Hollywood royalty Shirley MacLaine.
- Nostalgic drama Call The Midwife makes its South African debut exclusively on BBC Entertainment. A huge popular success in the UK, the drama attracted over 10 million viewers and is the highest rating BBC new drama launch on record. Miranda Hart, Jenny Agutter, Judy Parfitt, Pam Ferris and Vanessa Redgrave star in these wonderfully warm and witty tales of midwifery and families in Fifties’ London.
- Culinary superstars Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson serve up brand new cooking series on BBC Lifestyle as the channel continues to showcase the best British cooking talent. Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery sees the larger than life chef strip away all the complexity and hard graft to take cooking back to basics and mouth-watering new series Nigellissima brings a taste of Italy to super cook Nigella Lawson’s famous home cooking. And fresh new faces also pepper the schedule. New cooking queen Rachel Khoo makes her debut in South Africa with her hugely popular series which puts a modern twist on French cooking - Little Paris Kitchen.
- Raising awareness and informing viewers is ground-breaking health show Embarrassing Bodies which debuts this season on BBC Knowledge. One of the most popular and influential health shows on British television, the series aims to de-stigmatise 'embarrassing' body parts and medical conditions.
- Africa - The magnificent continent of Africa takes centre stage this Summer as BBC Knowledge proudly launches its prestigious new wildlife series, narrated by the peerless Sir David Attenborough. Airing exclusively on BBC Knowledge, this landmark five-part series from the BBC’s world-renowned Natural History Unit celebrates the extraordinary wildlife and majestic landscapes of this great continent.
For more information, please contact:
AFRICA
Diane Chidrawi
Total Exposure
+27 11 788 8725
Sanesh Maharaj
Total Exposure
+27 11 788 8725
UK:
Rachael Lewis
BBC Worldwide Channels, EMEA
44 (0)20 8433 2148
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence fee payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has five core businesses: Channels, Content & Production, Sales & Distribution, Consumer Products, Brands, Consumers & New Ventures, with digital ventures incorporated into each business area. In 2010/11, BBC Worldwide generated profits of £160 million on sales of £1158 million and returned £182m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview
BBC Worldwide Channels is one of five core BBC Worldwide businesses. Formed in 2005, the business’ diverse portfolio of channel brands provides a global showcase for the best mix of British TV across factual, entertainment, children’s and lifestyle programming. The company is the UK’s leading international broadcaster, operating a network of localised
