The BBC’s International hit reality TV format Dancing With The Stars is to be brought to life in Thailand thanks to a unique partnership between BBC Worldwide and Thailand’s largest locally owned hotel brand Amari. The new series will premiere on Channel 7 in January 2013 with 7x90-minute episodes.
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The Thai series will be independently produced by MCL (Metine Company Ltd) and Kantana Group PLC and funded by advertising. Amari will feature in ad breaks throughout the series and will have logo signage within the show. With the addition of Thailand, there are now 43 local productions of Dancing With The Stars around the world spanning six continents.
Richard Halliwell, Commercial Director for Dancing with the Stars at BBC Worldwide, said: “This is an exciting deal for us as it reaffirms the global popularity of the format. We were really keen to work with a local partner using a funding model that has huge success in this market. Many of our commercial rivals have benefited with advertiser-funded models in Asia and we’re looking forward to creating our own success story at BBC Worldwide, starting with Dancing with the Stars in Thailand.”
Commenting on the partnership, Peter Henley, President and CEO of ONYX Hospitality Group, owners of the Amari hotel chain, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with BBC Worldwide to bring such a globally successful TV show to Thailand. What better way to bring the colours and rhythms of modern Asia to life than through the medium of dance and music. We look forward to embracing Dancing With The Stars and introducing the energy and excitement of the show to our Amari guests and the Thai viewing public.”
Dancing With The Stars is one of BBC Worldwide’s global brands and in 2010 was named the world’s most successful reality TV format in the Guinness Book of Records. Local versions air in countries as diverse as Lebanon, Russia and China. Season 14 in the US attracted an average of 18 million viewers each night and in France the show is currently No.1 in its time slot with an audience of over 5.5 million. The brand has also extended into live events, gaming and digital properties.
For more information, please contact: Lee Leschasin, Communications Manager, BBC Worldwide Content & Production - lee.leschasin@bbc.com / 0208 433 1324
Notes to Editors
About BBC Worldwide Ltd.
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to exploit 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 and Global Brands. In 2011/12, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £155 million on headline sales of £1085 million and returned £216 million to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website.
About Amari
Amari is the centrepiece of the ONYX portfolio of hotel brands reflecting the warmth and energy of an evolving modern Asia. Amari’s network of properties spans Thailand and beyond, from scenic seaside locations to vibrant urban settings including Bangkok, Pattaya, Koh Chang, Samui, Phuket, Krabi, and Hua Hin. New Amari properties scheduled to open in 2012 and 2013 include Amari Doha in Qatar and Amari Ludhiana in India. Visit www.amari.com
ONYX Hospitality Group operates four diverse yet complementary hospitality brands – Saffron, Amari, Shama and OZO - each catering to the distinctive requirements of today’s business and leisure travellers. ONYX reaches beyond its Thai roots to offer innovative management solutions across the Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf and Asia-Pacific regions. Visit www.onyx-hospitality.com.
About MCL
Metine Company Ltd (MCL) is a Bangkok based TV production and distribution company run by husband and wife team Edward Sharples (ex Managing Director of Endemol, South East Asia) and Thai supermodel and actress Metinee Kingpayome. Contact Metinee@metine.net
About Kantana Group PLC
For the past 60 years Kantana has been committed to bring the highest quality entertainment to Thai society. As one of the oldest and most prominent, Kantana is also one of the most innovative entertainment companies in Thailand. Come journey into the 7th Decade with Kantana as we lead the Thai entertainment industry onto the world stage. Visit www.kantana.com
This is an exciting deal for us as it reaffirms the global popularity of the format."
