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Nippon TV and Blue Ant Studios enter Strategic Partnership for Unscripted Formats in North America

Partners will work together on Formats from Nippon TV’s new production arm, Gyokuro Studio  

Matt Nippon

(L-R: Tom Miyauchi, Head of the newly established Nippon TV Los Angeles Business Office (launching in July) and Matt Hornburg, Co-President, Blue Ant Studios)

(Tokyo and Toronto) – June 5, 2025 – Nippon TV, Japan’s leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse, and international studio and rights business, Blue Ant Studios, jointly announced today that they have agreed to enter into a strategic partnership to expand development and production of Nippon TV Gyokuro Studio’s unscripted formats in the North American market. The partnership builds on the success of Blue Ant Studios’ adaptation of Nippon TV’s global hit format Old Enough!, including its first season in Canada and a highly anticipated second season planned for TVO and its YouTube channel.

Nippon TV and Blue Ant Studios both have a strong track record in unscripted formats: Nippon TV with global hits like Dragons’ Den/Shark Tank, Old Enough!, Silent Library and Eye Candy; and Blue Ant Studios with Race Against the Tide (recently adapted for BBC Factual and BBC Scotland), All-Round Champion (an NRK format now in its sixth season), The Jury (a BAFTA-winning ScreenDog format, globally distributed by Blue Ant Studios and recently optioned in the US and Canada), Blown Away (Netflix) and other originals. Building on their combined track leadership, the partnership aims to capitalize on the collective expertise of both companies to create and adapt innovative unscripted formats for North American audiences.

The two companies will collaborate to further develop and ready original formats from Gyokuro Studio, Nippon TV’s new production arm for marketability to the North American market. The partnership will be spearheaded by Tom Miyauchi, Head of the newly established Nippon TV Los Angeles Business Office (launching in July), alongside Matt Hornburg, Co-President and Diane Rankin, EVP, Content Development & Commercial Strategy, both of Blue Ant Studios.

Quote from Tom Miyauchi, Vice President of Nippon TV International and Head of Nippon TV LA Business Office:

“Building on the warm reception of Old Enough! in Canada, we see a tremendous opportunity to further localize and expand our global footprint in unscripted formats, and we are proud to announce our strategic partnership with Blue Ant Studios. As a proven force in the content industry, Blue Ant brings invaluable expertise and a strong track record of success in North America and the world. By joining forces, we aim to blend their creativity and market-winning insight with Nippon TV’s original format ideas. This partnership marks a meaningful step in our efforts to deliver distinctive Japanese creativity with both local and global sensibilities to audiences around the world—an exciting collaboration that aligns perfectly with our vision of ‘Creating Global Entertainment’ at Nippon TV LA.”

Quote from Matt Hornburg, Co-President, Blue Ant Studios

“Blue Ant Studios and Nippon TV share a like-minded vision for broad, four-quadrant entertainment formats with global resonance. As our streaming and network partners continue to ask for ambitious, high-impact content, this collaboration supports our strategic focus on scalable IP with international potential. Piloting innovative ideas in select global markets before introducing them to North America is a model we see gaining traction and one we’re excited to build upon.”

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ABOUT NIPPON TV 

Nippon TV is Japan’s leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse, as well as owner of streaming giant Hulu in Japan. Nearly 90% of its content IP is fully owned by Nippon TV and the company has been active in bringing its content to the international market in the form of anime, ready-made programs, formats, and through co-production partnerships. One of the biggest successes for the nation’s finest producer of all genres of programming is the Emmy Award-winning Dragons’ Den/Shark Tank, a globally successful business show format that has 52 versions in more than 186 countries across all continents of the world. Additionally, their award-winning drama series Mother has also achieved global success as the most exported scripted format out of Asia, with its format sales to South Korea, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Thailand, China, Spain, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, The Philippines, and Greece. The company is also known for its viewer-engaging show Old Enough!, streaming on Netflix in over 190 countries and adapted in Mongolia and Canada, BLOCK OUT, an action-packed game show format that has been adapted in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Spain, and the Netherlands, the award-winning unscripted format Sokkuri Sweets, produced as Eye Candy for The Roku Channel in the US, UK, Canada and the Netherlands for NPO1. Launched in 2025, Gyokuro Studio is its in-house production arm and Nippon TV LA Business Office is the global co-development and sales headquarters, both dedicated to unscripted formats. Nippon TV has also been producing anime series since the 1950s and acquired Studio Ghibli in 2023, making the Academy Award-winning studio its subsidiary. As evident by the company’s success, Nippon TV is leveraging its coveted platform to revolutionize digital media in an ever-changing industry to solidify its presence and brand as a global media leader. Nippon TV website?LinkedIn ?Nippon TV LA Business Office ?Gyokuro
 

ABOUT BLUE ANT STUDIOS
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with operations in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation.The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning content, with standout titles including Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Slaycation (Crave), Northwoods Survival/Hard North (APTN, Nat Geo, Prime Video), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), Doomlands (Roku), and the upcoming animated preschool series Tralala (CBC, Sky NZ). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of nearly 8000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.com|Instagram|LinkedIn

 

ABC News Studios announces new true crime series ‘Murder Has Two Faces,’ hosted by Robin Roberts from award-winning producer and director Lisa Cortés, begins streaming May 6 only on Hulu

The Three-Part True Crime Docuseries Shines a Light on Little-Known Cases Eclipsed in the Media by Notorious Murders 

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ABC News Studios* 

Today, ABC News Studios announced “Murder Has Two Faces” begins streaming TuesdayMay 6, only on HuluFrom renowned two-time Emmy® Award-winning producer and director Lisa Cortés and hosted by trailblazing producer and co-anchor of “Good Morning America” Robin Roberts comes a new true crime docuseries that shines a social justice light on harrowing, lesser-known cases that were eclipsed in the media by more notorious murders. Not only does the series share new details on these overlooked crimes, but it also asks a question: Why didn’t they get the same level of attention as their notorious, eerily similar counterparts? 

Each episode unravels a crime that shares uncanny similarities with high-profile cases, including Laci Peterson, Chandra Levy and the Craigslist Killer. Cases covered include Evelyn Hernandez, a pregnant mother who disappeared with her 5-year-old-son before her remains, like Laci Peterson’s, were found in the San Francisco Bay; Joyce Chiang, a promising young attorney who vanished and was found dead in Washington, DC, like Chandra Levy; and the Tagged Killer, an American serial killer who used social networking, like the Craigslist Killer, to lure women to secluded locations where some met their tragic deaths. The series includes exclusive interviews with friends and families of the victims as they fought for attention and justice for their loved ones, exploring the possible connections to the highly publicized cases. 

“With Murder Has Two Faces,’ I wanted to challenge the narrative around whose stories get told — and why,” said executive producer and director Lisa Cortés. “These cases are as haunting as tragic and as deserving of national attention as the ones we all know. ABC News Studios and Robin Roberts were the perfect partners in helping bring visibility to these hidden figures. By spotlighting these overlooked lives, we’re not just telling true crime stories — we’re confronting the biases that determine which victims are seen, heard and afforded justice.” 

“Murder Has Two Faces” is produced by Cortés Filmworks and Blue Ant Studios for ABC News Studios. Lisa Cortés serves as director and executive producer. Jon Sechrist, Tara Malone, Laura Michalchyshyn, Matthew Hornburg and Mark J.W. Bishop serve as executive producers. For ABC News Studios, Claire Weinraub is executive producer, Katie Conway is senior producer, and David Sloan serves as senior executive producer.? 

About ABC News Studios

Winner of four 2024 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, ABC News Studios is inspired by ABC News’ trusted reporting and is an award-winning, premium news and documentary original production house and commissioning partner of series and specials. ABC News Studios champions untold and authentic stories driving the cultural zeitgeist spanning true-crime, investigations, pop culture and news-adjacent stories. ABC News Studios’ original titles include critically acclaimed documentaries “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” “BRATS,” “Sound of the Police,” “The Lady Bird Diaries,” “Aftershock,” “Patrice: The Movie” and the upcoming “Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything” set to premiere at 2025 Tribeca Festival. Other popular docuseries and documentaries include “Scamanda,” “The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer,” “Betrayal: A Father’s Secret,” “Sins of the Parents: The Crumbley Trials,” “Wild Crime,” “Mormon No More,” “The Randall Scandal: Love, Loathing, and Vanderpump” and “Jelly Roll: Save Me.”? 

About Cortés Filmworks

Cortés Filmworks (CFW) generates bold, explosive art that shines light on important stories hidden from view. CFW produces scripted, unscripted and branded content spanning music, social justice, and crime genres. Founded by Lisa Cortés, CFW is a New York City-based multimedia production company committed to elevating talent often overlooked by the mainstream. Cortés directed and produced the Emmy-winning Little Richard: I Am Everything. Cortés’other credits include The Apollo, All In: The Fight For Democracy, Invisible Beauty, and The Space Race, a gripping saga of African American astronauts at NASA and is a 2025 duPont-Columbia University Award winner. 

About Blue Ant Studios

Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,500 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. 

*COPYRIGHT ©2025 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of ABC. Images are distributed to the press in order to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed.   

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Crave Orders a Second Season of SLAYCATION, with Six New Snow Queens Headed to a Winter Wonderland

SLAYCATION is a Crave Original series from Bell Media, World of Wonder, and Blue Ant Studios –

– From the international DRAG RACE family, Alyssa Edwards, Tessa Testicle, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Nicky Doll, and Canada’s own Miss Fiercalicious and Xana, join the cast for Season 2 –

– Production is now underway in Alberta –

Crave_SlaycationS2_Announcement_Artwork_3840x2160_V1

(TORONTO) March 6, 2025 – Crave announced today that it is serving a second season of its original series, SLAYCATION, and production is already underway in Alberta. Also revealed today is the fiery and fabulous lineup of drag superstars. Joining Season 2 are Alyssa Edwards, Tessa Testicle, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Nicky Doll, Miss Fiercalicious, and Xana.

Produced in partnership with World of Wonder and Blue Ant Studios, SLAYCATION follows six queens from across the international DRAG RACE family as they vacation together at a Canadian winter cabin. With fun activities, frivolity, and a hint of drama, their escapades culminate in a show-stopping performance for the local community.

Season 1 of SLAYCATION is streaming now on Crave and is available internationally through WOW Presents Plus. 

In association with Crave, SLAYCATION is produced by Blue Ant Studios with World of Wonder. Executive Producers for Blue Ant Studios are Laura Michalchyshyn, Matthew Hornburg, Mark Bishop, Donna Luke, and Jennifer Harkness. Paul Mays is Executive Producer/Showrunner. Executive Producers for World of Wonder are Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, and Tom Campbell. For Bell Media, Justin Stockman is Executive Producer. Senior Production Executive is Danielle Pearson. Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production, Original Programming; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming; Justin Stockman is Vice President, Content Development & Programming, as well as Executive Producer; and Stewart Johnston is Senior Vice-President, Content & Sales, Bell Media.

About Bell Media Original Programming

Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed English and French original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers and global content powerhouses. Scripted series commissioned by CTV include SULLIVAN’S CROSSING, SIGHT UNSEEN, CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, and ACTING GOOD; with unscripted series THE TRAITORS CANADA, MASTERCHEF CANADA, and record-breaking Canadian format THE AMAZING RACE CANADA; as well as quiz series BATTLE OF THE GENERATIONS. Crave Originals include hit series LETTERKENNY, SHORESY, THE TRADES, LATE BLOOMER, THE OFFICE MOVERS, and CANADA’S DRAG RACE; award-winning drama LITTLE BIRD; docuseries BILLIONNAIRE MURDERS, THUNDER BAY, and THE REBUILD: Inside the Montreal Canadiens; as well as dozens of acclaimed feature documentaries. Bell Media’s factual series and franchises include HIGHWAY THRU HELL, FORENSIC FACTOR, and MY PET ATE WHAT!?. Bell Media also distributes a slate of original scripted and unscripted series, including LATE BLOOMER, THE OFFICE MOVERS, MARK MCKINNEY NEEDS A HOBBY, EVOLVING VEGAN, THE MIGHTIEST, and more. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. Learn more at www.BellMedia.ca.

About Crave

Delivering more Oscar®-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning programming than any other service, Crave is Canada’s prestige entertainment offering, with HBO Originals, Max Originals, STARZ, Hollywood-hit movies, is the exclusive Canadian streaming home of FRIENDS, and boasts a robust slate of English and French original series. Crave is a major supporter of Canada’s production industry, helping to fund numerous film projects, and features acclaimed selections from some of Canada’s prestigious film festivals including Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, HOT DOCS, ImagineNATIVE, and Inside Out Film Festival.

Crave is a bilingual TV and streaming service with thousands of hours of exclusive French-language content. Crave is available directly to all Canadians with access to the Internet at Crave.ca, via iOS and Android, and other platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Prime Video Channels, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, select LG Smart TVs, PlayStation, Roku, select Samsung Smart TVs, and Xbox One. It’s also available through participating service providers across ten, 24-hour High Definition linear and on demand channels. Crave is from Bell Media, Canada’s leading content company, providing Canada’s most-watched and most-acclaimed television programming on network, specialty, pay and digital platforms. Visit our website at Crave.ca.

Blue Ant Studios

Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,500 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.com|Instagram|LinkedIn|TikTok

About World of WonderWorld of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, earning 33 Emmys, inspiring two Oscars, creating global network WOW Presents Plus across 190 territories, and bringing drag culture to the world stage via RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE and DragCon. SVOD WOW Presents Plus, the exclusive home to the global DRAG RACE franchise and hundreds of WOW Original series, saw 35M hours of content watched in 2023 with 77% subscriber growth in the same year. WOW’s pioneering television portfolio includes other smash-hit franchises like MILLION DOLLAR LISTING. Their film division WOW Docs produces groundbreaking documentaries including MAPPLETHORPE: LOOK AT THE PICTURES, PARTY MONSTER, and THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE. WOW also operates YouTube channel WOWPresents, music label World of Wonder Records, the WOW Podcast Network, and year-round international live events. Co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have been profiled in Variety’s Reality TV Impact Report and Hollywood Reporter’s Most Powerful Producers in Unscripted. Honours for their trailblazing work include the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen’s Global 100 list, Banff’s Impact Award, and the OUT 100. In 2022, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.

Celebrity Guests and Haunted Locations Revealed for Season 2 of Ghosting with Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan, Premiering March 21 ON CBC Gem

Krista Nazaire, Joel Oulette, Veronika Slowikowska, Priyanka and more to appear in season 2

February 18, 2025 – GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN (8×30) is back for a second season of investigations into the most allegedly haunted locations in Canada on their quest to determine if they are truly haunted or not. The unscripted paranormal comedy from Blue Ant Studios in association with Luke Hutchie Productions follows Hutchie (EZRA) and Finlan (Orphan: First Kill, Hell of a Summer), two actors known for their work in the horror genre, as they step off script and into their own real-life thriller. Season 2 premieres Friday, March 21 with all episodes available on the free CBC Gem streaming service.

Veronika Slowikowska (What We Do in the Shadows), Joel Oulette (Trickster), Percy Hynes White (Wednesday), Humberly Gonzáles (Tarot, Ginny & Georgia), Krista Nazaire (The Hardy Boys), Nikki Roumel (Ginny & Georgia)Jordan Connor (Riverdale), and Priyanka (Canada’s Drag Race Winner) round out the star studded cast of celebrity guests.

This season, GHOSTING goes cross-country as Hutchie and Finlan investigate some of Canada’s spookiest spots. Each episode features an investigation into a story of paranormal presence across OntarioBritish ColumbiaNewfoundlandNova Scotia and the Yukon Territory, with the hosts and their celebrity guests uncovering the truth behind local lore and delivering a verdict of “haunted” or “not haunted.”

“We’re thrilled to see Luke and Matthew elevate this original series to new heights for its second season,” says Matthew Hornburg, Co-President, Blue Ant Studios. “This season we’ll see them travel to remote parts of the country to seek out the scariest locations, and tell Canada’s most haunting stories through their fresh and entertaining genre-bending lens.”

“Taking Ghosting cross country has always been what we have envisioned for this show. Being able to showcase Canada in this new and exciting way, with an all star cast of Canadian talent has been such a fun yet terrifying ride that I cannot wait for audiences to enjoy.” says Luke Hutchie, President, Luke Hutchie Productions.

This season’s haunts include:

  • The Caribou Hotel with Joel Oulette (Carcross, YT) – Star of Trickster, Joel Oulette fully understands the meaning of everything is not what it seems. From the caribou gold rush, to mysterious deaths, and now the ghosts of talking birds, Joel will step into one of Canada’s most historic, and haunted, buildings with Luke and Matthew in hopes of finally getting answers to hundred-year-old questions at the Caribou Hotel in Carcross, Yukon.
  • The Tuckett Mansion with Priyanka (Hamilton, ON) – Canada’s Drag Race Winner to pop music royalty, Priyanka is a force to be reckoned with. Visiting a mansion originally built for the founder of a tobacco empire and later turned into the home of a freemason brotherhood, Priyanka will use her own empire building skills to investigate alongside Luke and Matthew the mysterious legacy of Tuckett Mansion in Hamilton, Ontario.
  • The Bell Island Mines with Veronika Slowikowska (Bell Island, NL) – From shadows to portals, Veronika Slowikowska has truly been to space and back in her career. The Davey and Jonesie’s Locker actress and global comedy sensation, will need to forget all she knows about being above ground as she ventures four hundred meters into the earth with Luke and Matthew to explore one of the country’s most hidden and haunted landmarks, the Bell Island Mines on Bell Island, Newfoundland.
  • Craigdarroch Castle with Percy Hynes White (Victoria, BC) – Stepping into Canada’s most haunted castle, Percy Hynes White is more than familiar with things that go bump in the night. Between evil monsters and ghostly storylines in Wednesday, Percy will step into the dark with Luke and Matthew to investigate the infamous haunting of Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, British Columbia.
  • Lunenburg Academy with Nikki Roumel (Lunenburg NS) – Teen drama and a little bit of danger is no stranger to Ginny & Georgia’s Nikki Roumel. A Victorian school built on what was once the town’s gallows hill, this paranormal hotspot is filled with the spirits of those executed there, and more. As Nikki steps back into class with Luke and Matthew, they will explore one of Canada’s oldest schools, in one of the country’s first settlements, Lunenburg Academy in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
  • Fulford Place with Humberly González (Brockville, ON) – Horoscopes read and deadly fortunes told, Tarot’s Humberly González has more than enough fictional experience with the occult. In a house built for one of the wealthiest families in Canada at the time, Humberly will join Luke and Matthew as they investigate the tales of deceit, scandal, and witchcraft at Canada’s very own seance house, historically known as Fulford Place in Brockville, Ontario.
  • Fort Henry with Jordan Connor (Kingston, ON) – Constantly in battle from being on the wrong side of the tracks in Riverdale, Jordan Connor will have to go back to war for the night as he steps into one of Canada’s most historic landmarks. A military fort filled with tragedy and rage, Jordan will march right into the investigation with Luke and Matthew as they investigate the hauntings of Fort Henry in Kingston, Ontario.
  • Kawartha Settlers’ Village with Krista Nazaire (Bobcaygeon, ON) – Solving mysteries is second nature to Hardy Boys’ Krista Nazaire, but can her fictional skills help her uncover the truth of a real life crime. Dead farmers, possessed bears, and a murderous gay love triangle bring Krista, Luke, and Matthew to investigate one of Canada’s most historically preserved pioneer villages, Kawartha Settlers’ Village in Bobcaygeon, Ontario.

Photos and bios available to download here.

Season 2 of GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN  premieres Friday, March 21 with all episodes available on the free CBC Gem streaming service.

A CBC original series, GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN is a Blue Ant Studios production produced in association with Luke Hutchie Productions. Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan are the Creators, Executive Producers, and stars of the series. Executive Producers for Blue Ant Studios are Matthew Hornburg, Mark J.W. Bishop, Donna Luke, and Jennifer Harkness. Maureen Riley (Still Standing, I Have Nothing) also serves as Executive Producer. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; and Susan Taylor is Executive in Charge of Production. Blue Ant Studios holds worldwide distribution rights for the series.

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About Blue Ant Studios

Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.com|Instagram|LinkedIn|TikTok

About Luke Hutchie Productions

Luke Hutchie Productions is a boutique award winning Canadian LGBTQ+ run production company. Founded in 2021, the company is most known for the queer horror comedy OUTtv series EZRA, which starred Luke Hutchie, Priyanka (Canada’s Drag Race), Zoe De Grand Maison (Orphan Black), and Veronika Slowikowska (What We Do in the Shadows). In 2024 the company released its first unscripted series, CBC’s Ghosting with Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan, produced with Blue Ant Studios, which starred Katie Douglas (Ginny & Georgia), Devyn Nekoda (SCREAM IV), Kevin Alves (Yellowjackets), Frankie Grande, and more.

About CBC/Radio Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs, and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

Blue Ant Studios and Stretchy Announce Start of Production on 52 x 7’ Animated Preschool Series, Tralala, Commissioned by CBC and Sky NZ

First look image revealed of imaginative, musical series from BAFTA nominated creator, Harry Sinclair

Blue Ant Studios debuting animatic at Kidscreen Summit

CBC and Sky NZ greenlight Tralala, produced by Blue Ant Studios and Stretchy.

(SAN DIEGO, CA – February 10, 2025) – Blue Ant Studios, an international production studio and rights business, announced from Kidscreen Summit today that production has begun on the original animated preschool series Tralala (working title, 52×7’) with delivery slated for 2026. This delightful series is a Canada/New Zealand international co-production with shared animation between Blue Ant Studios and Stretchy for CBC and Sky NZ. Created, written and directed by Harry Sinclair, best known for BAFTA-nominated stop-motion preschool series Kiri and Lou, the series is filled with music, humour and warmth, reflecting Sinclair’s whimsical style and creativity. Blue Ant Studios will begin partnership and pre-sales conversations at Kidscreen this week. 

Musically named, Tralala is an inventive seven-year-old frog who lives an idyllic life with her Dad, Sid, in their cozy blue country cottage, where commonplace domestic events unfurl into whimsical, imaginative adventures and sing-a-longs. Like most children her age, Tralala makes up songs and loves to play. For Sid and Tralala’s mother, co-parenting is just an easy and normal part of life. As an only child, Tralala has created a fantastic inner world with close friends she has found in the garden, in her attic, and even under the sofa! These include Batty, a snappily dressed bat, Pasilio, a shy tree in her garden, and Hildegard, an eccentric talking hill where Tralala loves to play.

My colleague AJ Trauth discovered this delightful project at Kidscreen 2024 and we were immediately taken with its charm. Playful, original and inclusive kids programming, like Tralala, is very much heartland territory for our Kids, Family & YA division, and we are so excited to be in production with Stretchy and our commissioning partners at CBC, and Sky NZ,” says Diane Rankin, EVP, Content Development and Commercial Strategy, Blue Ant Studios

“In Tralala, Harry Sinclair has used his personal experiences as a dad to celebrate the bond between parent and child, while creating a warm and reassuring place that preschoolers will want to keep returning to. We are thrilled to now be in production, and as this magical world starts to come alive, we are excited to share it with other potential partners around the world,” says AJ Trauth, VP Development, Kids, Family, & YA, Blue Ant Studios.

“We wanted to make a joyful series that celebrates the sheer delight of being a kid and brings positivity to families. We’re grateful to Sky New Zealand and CBC for their commitment to this vision and have enjoyed collaborating with Blue Ant Studios, who love this project as much as we do. It’s exciting,” says Fiona Copland, Producer, Stretchy.

“Canadian families will want to snuggle up to the cozy and musical family life that Tralala and Sid build in this creative and heartfelt little show,” says Marie McCann, Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids.

Joining the high-profile, talented production team is Antony Elworthy, whose other credits, in addition to Kiri and Lou, include lead animator on Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning Pinocchio and Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, and Julianna Cox (Coraline, Creature Comforts, Shaun the Sheep) serves as Animation Director. Iconic New Zealand songwriter and musician Don McGlashan is the series Songwriter & Composer. Mark J.W. Bishop, Matthew Hornburg, Diane Rankin, AJ Trauth and Donna Luke are Executive Producers for Blue Ant Studios. Harry Sinclair and Fiona Copland are Executive Producers for Stretchy. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual and Sports; Marie McCann is Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids; and Drew Mullin is Executive in Charge of Production, CBC Kids. Tralala is being produced with support from Shaw Rocket Fund, The Independent Production Fund’s Cogeco TV Production Program, The Canada Media Fund, and NZ On Air. Blue Ant Studios holds global distribution rights. 

Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.com|Instagram|LinkedIn|X

Stretchy is the children’s entertainment brand of leading New Zealand creative team Harry Sinclair (writer/director), Fiona Copland (producer) and Antony Elworthy (animator).  The team has achieved international success with their award-winning series Kiri and Lou and is presently in production on a Kiri and Lou movie. Tralala will be their second IP for pre-school children.
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through their mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, they play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, they offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Their distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. They also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). They are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

Blue Ant Media Greenlights Five New Originals and Four Renewals for 2025, Partnering with Canadian Producers to Bolster its Slate for its Specialty TV and Global FAST Channels

 

(Ottawa, Canada – January 29, 2025) – International production studio, rights business and channel operator, Blue Ant Media, announced today from Prime Time a robust originals slate consisting of five new greenlights and four renewals. The slate spans mystery, paranormal, nature, wildlife and lifestyle genres. Overseen by Sam Linton, VP, Production and Development, Global Media, the slate will roll out on the company’s Canadian specialty TV channels, T+E and Cottage Life, in 2025, followed by its global free streaming channels—HauntTV, Homeful, Love Pets, and Declassified—at a later date. Blue Ant Studios will oversee global pre-sales and licensing opportunities for all titles in the slate.

“We’re proud to collaborate with our Canadian production partners to create impactful documentaries and enduring franchises that captivate and resonate with a broad, diverse audience,” says Craig Junner, SVP, Programming & Content Strategy, Global Media, Blue Ant Media. “Blue Ant’s unique structure enables us to invest in the production of homegrown content and share it with the world, debuting it on our Canadian specialty TV channels and later expanding its reach through a second window on our global free streaming platforms.” 

The latest slate includes Ghost Lands (w/t), a chilling, hour-long documentary that presents Indigenous ghost stories rooted in various Indigenous cultures and mythology. Created, written and produced by Winnipeg-based Métis producer Jessica Landry, the project was developed and greenlit as a direct result of Blue Ant Media’s RFP Initiative, in partnership with imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the Reelworld Film Festival and Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. The process called for pitches focused on paranormal series from Indigenous and racialized producers for Blue Ant’s linear channel T+E and its FAST channel, HauntTV. 

Additional greenlights include You Can’t Deny It, a compelling new documentary series exploring the power of corroboration; Vet Detective, which spotlights Vancouver-based veterinarian Dr. Lauren Adelman’s pioneering work in veterinary medicine; Engineering from Above, a spin-off of the Mysteries from Above franchise exploring awe-inspiring engineering marvels; and Birthplace of Hallowe’en (w/t), a one-hour documentary filmed in Ireland with T+E’s fearless female trio—Kelly Ireland, Corine Carey and Leanne Sallenback— paranormal investigators hailing from British Columbia, known for History’s Most Haunted and Haunted Gold Rush

Following their ratings performances and global appeal, Blue Ant has ordered a fourth season of the hit franchise Mysteries from Above, as well as second seasons of My Haunted Hometown, Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy and Wild Rose Vets. My Haunted Hometown ranked in the top 5 with total viewers and A18+ in its first run on T+E, with repeats continuing to perform in the top 10 with A25-54 and women 25-54. Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy also ranked in the top 5 with all the key demos and total viewers in its first run on Cottage Life and remains in the top 10 for total viewers, A18+, and women 25-54 in its second run. Finally, all three seasons of Mysteries from Above ranked as top programs with key demos and total viewers A18+ and A25-54 on Cottage Life. Wild Rose Vets, Season 1 will premiere this spring on Cottage Life. 

Notes to the Editors: 

Programming Highlights:

New Greenlights: 

Ghost Lands (w/t) (1 x60)
Producer: Jessica Landry
World broadcast premiere scheduled for fall 2025 on T+E during the channel’s free preview event, followed by HauntTV
Ghost Lands is a gripping, hour-long documentary that delves deep into true Indigenous ghost stories, passed down through generations and told by those with a profound connection to the spirit world. Rooted in various Indigenous cultures and led by an Indigenous cast and crew, the documentary brings these timeless tales to the forefront. Ghost Lands offers a hauntingly fresh perspective in the paranormal documentary space, leaving audiences both terrified and captivated. 

Birthplace of Hallowe’en (working title) (1 x60)
Producer: Small Army Entertainment
World broadcast premiere scheduled for fall 2025 on T+E during the channel’s free preview event, followed by HauntTV
Audiences will join fearless paranormal investigators from British Columbia—Corine, Leanne and Kelly (History’s Most Haunted, Haunted Gold Rush)—for a Hallowe’en special on T+E, as they journey through Ireland’s most haunted locations to uncover the dark and twisted stories that have haunted the country for centuries. From ancient druidic sites to blood-soaked castles, Ireland’s rich history of murder, torture, and ghostly encounters provides a backdrop for some of the world’s most terrifying hauntings. 

You Can’t Deny It (6×60’)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios, in association with Station6
World broadcast premiere scheduled for fall 2025 on T+E during the channel’s free preview event, followed by HauntTV
A compelling, new documentary series explores the power of corroboration. Each episode features multiple survivors who have experienced life altering paranormal encounters at the same location. Each has come face to face with the terrifying entities that dwell within. One by one, they return to these locations to tell their stories – verifying the harrowing details, until they come together in the end to share the undeniable similarities of their experiences. Finally, there is tangible affirmation that they’re not alone.

Vet Detective (6×60)
Producer: Big Time Decent 
World broadcast premiere scheduled for spring 2025 on Cottage Life during the channel’s nationwide free preview event in Canada, followed by Love Pets
A gripping series spotlighting Dr. Lauren Adelman’s pioneering work on veterinary medicine’s most puzzling cases. Set in Vancouver, each episode follows desperate pet owners turning to Dr. Adelman for answers about their sick pets after months of uncertainty. With time ticking and stakes high, Dr. Adelman and her internal medicine team methodically reevaluate every detail, conduct tests, and explore new theories hoping to uncover overlooked clues. Each pet investigation brings unexpected twists and turns until Dr. Adelman and her team crack the case and bring a healthy pet back to their loving owner.

Engineering from Above (8×60’)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios
World broadcast premiere scheduled for summer 2025 on Cottage Life, followed by Declassified 
Engineering from Above, a spin-off of the popular Mysteries from Above franchise, explores awe-inspiring engineering marvels across the globe. The visually striking series spotlights iconic modern landmarks, such as Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ National Stadium, the Burj Khalifa and the Millau Viaduct. Using state-of-the-art technology, the show offers fresh perspectives and uncovers hidden secrets through the use of dynamic graphics. Each episode focuses on four marvels connected by a compelling theme, guided by authoritative experts in engineering, history, and science.

Returning Unscripted Titles

Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy, Season 2 (8×60’)
Producer: The Holmes Group 
World broadcast premiere scheduled for fall 2025 on Cottage Life, followed by Homeful
The series sees construction pioneer Mike Holmes return to his foundational “make it right” roots and mentor his kids, Michael and Sherry, to carry on his legacy of helping deserving homeowners. A reboot of the classic Holmes on Homes series, the show delves deeper into the Holmes family dynamic, with cameras following the trio as they work side-by-side to create life-changing renovations for deserving homeowners, while also capturing heartfelt behind-the-scenes family moments with Mike and his kids.

Mysteries from Above, Season 4 (8×60’)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios 
World broadcast premiere scheduled for spring 2025 on Cottage Life during the channel’s nationwide free preview event in Canada
The hit franchise series takes to the skies to unlock Earth’s greatest mysteries and dramatically change how we see the world. From the vantage points of drones, satellites and aerial photography, the series explores unique buildings and structures — both natural and artificial, curious creatures and lost ancient civilizations, revealing fascinating insights and never-before-seen footage to the viewers. 

My Haunted Hometown, Season 2 (8×60’)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios
World broadcast premiere: Fall 2025 on T+E, followed by HauntTV 
My Haunted Hometown takes viewers inside the real-life haunted homes of North American residents. These ordinary people, who have laid down roots in their communities, now feel trapped and tormented by vengeful spirits. Room by room, the residents guide viewers through their homes, recounting the eerie paranormal experiences that have shattered their sense of safety. With harrowing testimonies and unsettling footage, the series reveals the frightening supernatural activity plaguing these small towns and their inhabitants. 

Wild Rose Vets, Season 2 (13×30′)
Producer: Wapanatahk Media in partnership with Great Pacific Media
A Blue Ant Media and APTN Co-production
Scheduled to premiere in fall 2025 on Cottage Life 
A heartwarming and culturally-unique docuseries following the behind-the-scenes adventures of three Indigenous veterinarians in the prairies as they rescue and rehabilitate a wide range of household pets and exotic wildlife. The daily experiences of these young vets in very different urban clinics could not be more varied but they are each driven and connected by their love of animals. The series will also broadcast and stream on APTN, APTN Languages and APTN lumi in Canada (date TBC).  

Keeley Hawes to Narrate Original Series Airborne, created for Love Nature and Sky Nature

Keeley Hawes to Narrate Original Series Airborne, created for Love Nature and Sky Nature

Produced by UK-based Humble Bee Films

Blue Ant Studios oversees pre-sales and licensing outside of commissioning territories

Keeley Hawes will lend her voice to narrate the highly anticipated blue-chip series, Airborne, created for Sky Nature and Love Nature by Humble Bee Films.

(Washington, DC – December 2, 2024) Love Nature, a wildlife and nature brand with linear and streaming channels available in countries around the world, and Sky Nature, announced today that actor Keeley Hawes is lending her voice to narrate Airborne (4 x 60’). Produced by Humble Bee Films, this four-part, tent-pole series offers an astonishing and revelatory adventure into the wonderfully diverse world of creatures that fly, glide and leap through the air. The series follows a diverse array of charismatic creatures through their trials and triumphs. From great soaring condors to leaping lemurs, and from gliding squirrels to beautifully buzzing orchid bees —the series reveals unexpected and fascinating stories of animals who defy gravity and master the air around them in extraordinary ways. 

Keeley’s extensive list of film and television credits includes leading roles in Line of Duty (2014-2018), The Durrells (2016-2019), Bodyguard (2018), Stonehouse (2023), Ashes to Ashes (2008) and a standout performance in Russell T Davies’ hit It’s a Sin (2021). Most recently Keeley can be seen in Netflix’s Scoop (2024) as well as Orphan Black: Echoes (2024) for AMC and ITVX. Keeley’s upcoming projects include Miss Austen for BBC1, and The Assassin for Amazon Prime. She has been nominated for three BAFTAs for her appearances in Mrs. Wilson (2018), Line of Duty (2014-2018) and for the leading role of Julia Montague in Jed Mercurio’s Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated series Bodyguard (2018).

“We’re thrilled to have Keeley Hawes on board to add her voice to the beautiful cinematography in Airborne.” says Alison Barrat, SVP, Head of Content, Love Nature. “The production team have crafted a stunning series that features new perspectives of animals’ lives in the air. We’re delighted to bring this captivating series to audiences around the world ”

“We are so pleased to be working with Keeley Hawes. Her voice brings warmth and wonder to

the incredible stories of our Airborne creatures, helping to create a truly uplifting series,” says Stephen Dunleavy, CEO Humble Bee Films.

Airborne, produced by Humble Bee Films, airs on Sky Nature in the UK, Ireland and Italy and will roll out on Love Nature around the world. The series leverages Love Nature’s relationship with Blue Ant Studios, which oversees licensing opportunities for the new title in the U.S. and around the world outside of commissioning territories. 

The series is executive produced by Charlotte Crosse and Stephen Dunleavy at Humble Bee Films. Kathryn Taylor and Gilberte Phanor are the executive producers for Sky Nature, and James Manfull executive produces the series on behalf of Love Nature.

Love Nature, headquartered in Washington D.C. with offices in Los Angeles, London and Toronto is a premium global natural history brand that delivers high-quality, captivating stories about wildlife and nature on all its platforms. Love Nature is a destination for award-winning natural history series and documentaries. It is available on top-tier pay-TV platforms and streamers all over the world. Engage with us at lovenature.com / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram

About Sky
Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies and is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that connects people to moments and experiences that matter. At Sky we Believe in Better. It’s in our DNA.

We’re famous for innovation. We offer the world’s smartest TV, Sky Glass; our plug and play streaming puck, Sky Stream; the best aggregation platform, Sky Q: and streaming services NOW and WOW. We provide connectivity you can count on in mobile, fast, secure, reliable residential and business broadband, as well as smart home protection through Sky Protect.

We’re Europe’s premium content producer. We create award-winning original content, produce the biggest live sporting events, and we provide free access to news and the arts. Our new state-of-the-art film and TV studio Sky Studios Elstree is projected to attract £3 billion of new production investment to the UK in its first five years and create up to 2,000 jobs.

We are a diverse and inclusive employer that has a positive impact on society and the communities that we work and live in. Sky plays a major role in the UK’s cultural economy and, in 2022 alone, supported a contribution of £20 billion to UK GDP, broadcast 70,000 hours of elite sports coverage and invested over £130 million to provide news to consumers free of charge.

Blue Ant Studios Announces Season Two Greenlight of Nippon TV’s Old Enough! with TVO

Old Enough
Old Enough!, the hit Kids & Family series, produced by Blue Ant Studios and based on the wildly popular Japanese format from Nippon TV, is back for another season on TVO.

(Cannes, FR) October 21, 2024 Old Enough!, the hit series, based on the wildly popular Japanese format from Nippon TV, is back for another season with six brand new 30-minute episodes. Co-produced by TVO and Blue Ant Studios, the new installment will premiere on TVO across Canada in 2025. The news was jointly announced at MIPCOM today by Matthew Hornburg, Co-President of Blue Ant Studios, Natasha Negrea, Head of Programming at TVO and Akane Alex Inoue, Global Format Licensing, Nippon TV

Building on the success of its first season, Old Enough! returns with a fresh cast of children aged 3-5. This time you can expect more precocious kids getting their first taste of independence while embarking on even more impressive errands than before.

“Old Enough! is a heartwarming and hilarious series that sparks engaging conversations around independence and parenting for families. By blending fun with a thoughtful social experiment, Old Enough! encourages audiences to reflect on what it means to be ‘old enough,’ said Matthew Hornburg, Co-President, Blue Ant Studios. “We’re thrilled to announce the Season 2 greenlight of this title at MIPCOM today, where Season 1 is currently available to buyers, offering a unique opportunity to share this delightful english-speaking format with audiences across the globe.”

“Our audiences have already fallen in love with the kids from Season 1 and we are truly excited to be working with Blue Ant Studios again to bring even more of these stories to life for our viewers” says Natasha Negrea, Head of Programming, TVO. “Through warmth and laughter, this show is inspiring our viewers to live vicariously through the little ones on screen and discover what it feels like to be ‘old enough’ in today’s world. But in true TVO form, Old Enough! not only entertains but also adds to the ongoing public conversations around the importance of providing children with opportunities to thrive on their own.”

“We are truly excited to announce the return of Old Enough! Canada at MIPCOM, when Season 1 is still successfully broadcasting on TVO”, said Akane Alex Inoue, Global Format Licensing, Nippon TV. “The creative teams at Blue Ant Studios and Nippon TV have strengthened their collaboration and are confident that Season 2 will be even more wholesome yet creative. We hope this continuing season reinforces Old Enough!’s universal message about parenting and children, paving the way for more international adaptations.”

Matthew Hornburg, Mark J.W. Bishop and Donna Luke from Blue Ant Studios are Executive Producers for the series. Stefanie Haist is the Supervising Producer. Mitch Burman (Undercover High, Extreme Babysitting) serves as Series Producer and Showrunner. For TVO, Natasha Negrea is the Head of Programming, Kirsten Hurd is the Commissioning Editor, TVOkids and Alexandra Roberts is the Commissioning Editor, TVO Docs. For Nippon TV, Naoko Yano and Akane Alex Inoue are Executive Producers. Kiyotaka Tokunaga (Masquerade) is the Chief Director and Ayaka Isshiki is the Producer for the original Japanese series. Tom Miyauchi (Sokkuri Sweets/Eye Candy, Mute it!) is the Format Producer and Yuko Nakano is the Flying Producer. Blue Ant Studios oversees the international tape distribution of the Canadian version. Old Enough! was produced with the participation of the Canada Media Fund.

Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. blueantmedia.com?Instagram?LinkedIn?X

TVO Media Education Group inspires learning that changes lives and enriches communities. Founded in 1970, we are a globally recognized digital learning organization that engages Ontarians of all ages with inclusive experiences and diverse perspectives. Through our brands TVO Today, TVO Docs, TVO Learn, TVO ILC and TVOkids, we’re investing in the transformative potential of education for everyone. TVO is a registered charity funded in part by the Province of Ontario and supported by thousands of sponsors and donors. Visit TVO.me for more information. Stream TVO on your favourite device.

Nippon TV is Japan’s leading multi platform entertainment powerhouse and ratings champion broadcaster, as well as owner of streaming giant Hulu in Japan. Over 90% of its content IP is fully owned by Nippon TV and the company has been active in bringing its content to the international market in the form of anime, ready-made programs, formats, and through co-production partnerships. One of the biggest successes for the nation’s finest producer of all genres of programming is the Emmy Award-winning Dragons’ Den/Shark Tank, a globally successful business show format that has 50 versions in more than 180 countries across all continents of the world. Additionally, their hit drama series Mother has also achieved global success as the most exported scripted format out of Asia, with its format sales to South Korea, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Thailand,China, Spain, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia. The company is also known for its viewer-engaging show Old Enough!, streaming on Netflix in over 190 countries and adapted in Canada, BLOCK OUT, an action-packed game show format that has been adapted in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Spain, and the Netherlands, the award-winning unscripted format Mute it!, and Sokkuri Sweets, both produced in the Netherlands, and Sokkuri Sweets/Eye Candy on The Roku Channel in the US, UK, and Canada. Nippon TV has recently acquired Studio Ghibli, making the Academy Award-winning animation studio its subsidiary. Nippon TV|LinkedIn

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Blue Ant Studios Elevates Diane Rankin’s role to EVP, Content Development & Commercial Strategy 

New role and expanded remit created to spearhead Blue Ant Studios’ ambitions in the international marketplace

Diane Rankin, EVP, Content Development & Commercial Strategy

(London, UK – October 16, 2024) – Blue Ant Studios, an international production studio and rights business, is delighted to announce that Diane Rankin’s role has been elevated to EVP, Content Development & Commercial Strategy. She will now be responsible for development strategy across Blue Ant Studios with a focus on creating and financing multi-genre unscripted and scripted originals. Her role also includes establishing strategic pathways across the Studios’ development and distribution business units to inform the slate’s creative and commercial opportunities, all aimed at supporting and accelerating the company’s ambitious growth. To support the collective commercial strategy, Diane will also oversee marketing and initiatives to build brand awareness for the studio’s original production slate. 

Blue Ant Studios’ existing development and marketing teams will now report to Diane.

She will continue to operate from the Blue Ant Studios’ London, UK office, reporting to Co-Presidents, Matthew Hornburg and Mark Bishop.

“Diane has a rare mix of creative and commercial vision, coupled with an extensive international network and deep respect from her colleagues and industry peers. Her new focus at the studio will amplify the team’s efforts in developing world-class content for the market, and that we continue to develop relationships with the best possible partners,” said Matthew Hornburg, Co-President, Blue Ant Studios. 

Diane joined Blue Ant Media in August 2023 after the company acquired marblemedia, where she served as EVP International & Executive Producer leading the company’s content commercialization strategy, which involved establishing partnerships, pre-sales and coproduction opportunities for its unscripted, scripted and kids and family categories. Diane also spearheaded the growth of marblemedia’s distribution efforts via its international sales operation, Distribution360, and served as an Executive Producer on a number of studio projects. In previous roles, Diane was SVP, Acquisitions at DRG and Head of Acquisitions at Cineflix Rights; and spent over 13 years at Brunico Communications launching and steering many of their market-leading events including Realscreen Summit and Kidscreen Summit, and overseeing leading print titles such as Realscreen, Kidscreen, Playback, Strategy and Boards.

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Love Nature Announces a New Slate of Original Productions Showcasing Stunning Wildlife Cinematography and Riveting Animal Stories

New Love Nature greenlights include Tusker, My Best Friend’s an Animal Season 2 and Enchanted Waters

Blue Ant Studios’ rights division oversees pre-sales and licensing outside of commissioning territories

Love Nature’s latest slate of greenlights showcase awe-inspiring wildlife stories and beautiful cinematography from new series such as Tusker (w/t), above.

(Washington, DC – September 23, 2024) Love Nature, a wildlife and nature brand with linear and streaming channels available internationally, announced today a new slate of original programming. The new greenlights span a range of captivating natural history from cinematic blue-chip content to unexpected animal stories of resilience and affection. This diverse slate includes fully financed returning series and a new original co-production, illustrating Love Nature’s commitment to investing and collaborating on quality programming. Tusker, from Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Allison Argo and Bob Poole, chronicles the life of a bull elephant and his pivotal role in the wilderness of Kenya. My Best Friend’s an Animal returns with a delightfully adorable second season, while the Enchanted franchise expands with a spellbinding new installment, Enchanted Waters,  from Oscar-winning factual production company, Off the Fence.

“These titles demonstrate the breadth of Love Nature’s portfolio. Truly moving animal stories and fresh perspectives on wildlife give our audiences a fascinating look inside the natural world,” said Alison Barrat, SVP, Production & Development, Love Nature. “We’re continuing to work with natural history specialists on beloved returning series and ambitious new projects. This underscores our commitment to creating a line-up of high quality content that makes Love Nature a destination for natural history programming.”

In addition to premiering on Love Nature’s branded linear and streaming platforms, the new programming will also roll out on Sky Nature in the UK, Germany and Italy. The slate leverages Love Nature’s relationship with Blue Ant Studios’ rights division, which oversees licensing opportunities for the new titles outside of the commissioning territories. 

The new slate, which bolsters Love Nature’s position as a premium supplier of fresh, contemporary natural history programming, includes:

Tusker (working title) (1 x 60’)
Producer: ArgoFilms and Poole Films
Co-Production Partner: The WNET Group
This one-hour special follows a bull elephant, who has witnessed over five decades of life and death challenges. With tusks that scrape the ground, he represents a legacy of male elephants who have survived the odds to carry on 34 million years of evolution. Only a scarce few dozen of these majestic males remain, mostly in the wilds of Kenya. Enduring drought, ivory lust and human encroachment, this tusker is continuing his species’ journey to seed the next generation by bestowing not only his genes, but his wisdom. The irreplaceable role of bull elephants has been largely overlooked, but these tuskers are mentoring the next generation to navigate a perilous and changing world. They use their tusks to fend off danger, unearth hidden water and food in times of drought and fight for the right to procreate. They’re far more than the trophies humans have reduced them to. Each great tusker is a teacher, a mentor, and a key to the survival of their species.

Enchanted Waters (working title) (6 x 60’)
Producer: Off the Fence
The second installment of Enchanted, once again showcases the raw beauty of nature, this time diving into our planet’s waterworlds, with a mix of character-driven animal stories interspersed with fascinating scientific insights into these magical habitats. From babbling brooks to vast lakes and from sun-baked coasts to frozen mountain worlds, this spellbinding six-part series explores the mysterious realms where wildlife thrives in these enchanted waters. Experience the ebb and flow, crashing waves, and misty rivers that shape these extraordinary habitats, where life and landscape are inseparably intertwined.

My Best Friend’s an Animal Season 2 (6 x 60’)
Producer: Big Wave Productions
Love Nature has ordered up a second season of this fan-favorite, heart-warming look at the unlikely bonds formed between humans and their animal friends. Featuring six inspiring stories per episode and filmed all over the world, the series proves that when it comes to friendship, shape, size, or even species is irrelevant. Respect, trust, and understanding can be found in the most surprising places. In Namibia we go on an unforgettable walk with Val and his best friend Sirga the Lioness, in Sweden we are given a privileged look into the life of Sara and a family of Brown Bears and in the UK we meet Eliot and a very mischievous raven called Loki. The series unpacks the extraordinary circumstances that led to these unique friendships. Intercutting beautifully shot images with user-generated footage, this second season of My Best Friend’s an Animal reveals the challenges and triumphs these friendships have faced and why their bonds have stood the test of time.  

Love Nature, headquartered in Washington D.C. with offices in Los Angeles, London and Toronto is a premium global natural history brand that delivers high-quality, captivating stories about wildlife and nature on all its platforms. Love Nature is a destination for award-winning natural history series and documentaries. It is available on top-tier pay-TV platforms and streamers all over the world. Engage with us at lovenature.com / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram