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FIRST LOOK: BLOWN AWAY SEASON 4

Get ready to be blown away again as the critically acclaimed and award-nominated competition series, BLOWN AWAY makes its triumphant return to Netflix on Friday, March 8, 2024!

Bigger, bolder, hotter. Ten glassblowers turn up the heat for a gruelling competition in North America’s largest hot shop for a chance to win a prize package worth $100,000.

Hunter March (Sugar Rush, E! Nightly Pop) joins as the new host of season 4, which promises to be a fiery competition like no other. 

We’re going bigger, badder and bolder than ever in North America’s largest hot shop. Ten incredible glassblowers will try to brave the heat in a gruelling competition to see if they can push their creative limits enough to win the largest grand prize in the history of the series. The artists must create jaw-dropping works of art to avoid elimination and impress Resident Evaluator and Glass Master Katherine Gray. 

Contestants for Season 10 are Arthur Wilson, Gemma Hollister, Hayden MacRae, Jonathan Capps, Karen Willenbrink Johnsen, Leana Quade, Morgan Peterson, Robert Burch, Ryan Blythe, and Ryan Thompson.

Production credits include Executive Producers Matt Hornburg and Mark Bishop, co-executive producer Donna Luke, and executive producer and series writer Carly Spencer. Mike Bickerton serves as director.

Hunter March (Sugar Rush, E! Nightly Pop) joins as the new host of season 4 and Resident Evaluator and Glass Master Katherine Gray returns for another fiery season. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix / © 2024 Netflix, Inc.
Blown Away. (L to R) Contestants Karen, Robert, Quade, Ryan T, Arthur, Jonathan, Gemma, Ryan B, Morgan and Hayden in episode 401 of Blown Away. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix / © 2024 Netflix, Inc.
Blown Away. The final product from episode 402 of Blown Away. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix / © 2024 Netflix, Inc.

FIRST LOOK: Original Series Davey & Jonesie’s Locker

Hulu and Prime Video Canada revealed a first look at the upcoming Original series Davey & Jonesie’s Locker, a coming-of-age teen comedy that finds eccentric besties Davey and Jonesie yanked through the multiverse via–you guessed it–their locker.

The gleefully weird series will premiere Friday, March 22, only on Hulu in US and on Prime Video in Canada.

SYNOPSIS: The original series follows Davey and Jonesie, two lovably eccentric best friends who have always felt out of step with their peers and the banal backdrop of their high school existence. So, when they discover their locker is actually a portal to the multiverse, they’re more than ready to escape their teenage prison of mediocrity in favor of new horizons. But the joke is on them when they only end up in bizarre, alternate versions of their high school, surrounded by offbeat versions of their classmates. Fortunately, these audacious and creative besties are ready to make the most of this vacation from reality by leaving their mark on every universe they visit…even if it means choosing interdimensional chaos while they’re at it. Worth it for the vibes. 

CAST: The series stars Veronika Slowikowska, Jaelynn Thora Brooks, Dan Beirne, Emily Piggford, Nikko Angelo Hinayo, Erika Swayze, Sydney Topliffe, Kevin Osea, Alexa Yaphe, Parker Lauzon, Evany Rosen and James Hartnett.
 
CREDITS: This series is produced in association with Hulu and Prime Video with the financial participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund. Production credits for the series include Executive Producers Mark J.W. Bishop, Matt Hornburg, Diane Rankin, Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy, A.J. Trauth and Evany Rosen who serves as showrunner as well; Co-Executive Producers are Donna Luke and writer Stephanie Kaliner. Blue Ant Studios’ rights division holds international rights.

Blue Ant Media Announces its Latest Slate of Original Canadian Programming for its Speciality TV and Global Free Streaming Channels

Slate includes a new co–production with APTN Wild Rose Vets, and new season of the hit franchise, Hope for Wildlife

Blue Ant Media announces its latest slate of Canadian original programming at Prime Time.

OTTAWA, ON – January 31, 2024 – International production studio, rights business and channel operator, Blue Ant Media, kicked off day one of Prime Time by announcing new and returning Canadian series for the company’s specialty TV and international free streaming platforms in 2024.

The slate includes My Haunted Hometown, a new paranormal series filmed across North America; Wild Rose Vets, a spin-off of the original series Dr. Savannah: Wild Rose Vet; and Hope for Wildlife: The Next Generation (w/t), a new season of the hit franchise Hope for Wildlife. Further, Blue Ant Media has ordered two additional episodes of the previously-announced eight-part series Mysteries From Above, Season 3, following the ratings success of the franchise. 

Blue Ant’s latest originals slate is overseen by Sam Linton, VP, Production and Development, Global Media and Julie Chang, EVP, Business Strategy & Co-Productions. Blue Ant Studios rights division will handle pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide for all the titles. 

“Blue Ant Media is returning to Prime Time with a diverse range of genre-based Canadian series that reflect our programming strategy and what our audiences crave – real-life stories of the paranormal, mystery, and wildlife that surprise and captivate us,” says Carlyn Staudt, Head of Commissioning, Global Media, Blue Ant Media. “We’re incredibly proud to work with our production partners to create premium content that has global appeal.”

The latest original slate comes after the previously announced Holmes on Homes: Building a Legacy, which is currently casting GTA homeowners in need of a life-changing renovation via https://makeitright.ca/casting-call/

Titles across the unscripted originals slate include:

Cottage Life/Love Pets

Wild Rose Vets (13 x 30; HD)
A Blue Ant Media and APTN Co-production 
Producer: Wapanatahk Media in partnership with Great Pacific Media
Scheduled to air in spring 2025 on Cottage Life in Canada during the channel’s nationwide free preview, with a subsequent window on the free streaming channel Love Pets in multiple territories worldwide
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 clinics could not be more varied but they are each driven and connected by their love of animals. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide. The series will also broadcast and stream on APTN’s channels and platform in Canada (date TBC).  

Hope for Wildlife: The Next Generation (w/t) (8 x 60′; HD)
Producer: Arcadia Entertainment
World broadcast premiere scheduled to air on Cottage Life in early 2025, with a subsequent window on the free streaming channel Love Pets in multiple territories worldwide
The series takes audiences inside a world-class rehabilitation center in Nova Scotia. Led by the compassionate and trailblazing Hope Swinimer, the show follows her team’s efforts to rescue, treat and release injured and orphaned wildlife. As Hope grows the operation and prepares for her eventual passing of the torch, the series introduces us to a new generation of caregivers, trained to continue her lifelong mission of compassion toward animals. Witness dramatic rescues, miraculous recoveries, and emotional releases in this inspiring journey of hope and healing. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide.

Cottage Life

Mysteries from Above, Season 3 (10 × 60’; HD)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios
World broadcast premiere is scheduled for spring 2024 on Cottage Life in Canada during the channel’s nationwide free preview
Previously renewed as an eight-part series, Blue Ant Media has ordered two more episodes of Mysteries from Above, Season 3. The popular 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 man-made, curious creatures and lost ancient civilizations, revealing fascinating insights and never-before-seen footage to the viewers. Mysteries from Above, Season 1 and Season 2 both featured in the top 10 primetime series with total viewers, as well as Cottage Life’s core demographic of adults 25-54 and women 25-54. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide.

T+E/HauntTV

My Haunted Hometown (8 x 60′)
Producer: Blue Ant Studios
World broadcast premiere scheduled in October 2024 on T+E during the channel’s nationwide free preview and its Creep Week programming event, with a subsequent window on the free streaming channel HauntTV in multiple territories worldwide
My Haunted Hometown
follows the terrifying first-hand accounts of paranormal encounters in haunted small towns across North America. The documentary series reveals how many small towns are home to frightening supernatural activity; vengeful spirits torment residents. Each episode showcases true stories of individuals, families, and friends who built their lives in the community but now feel trapped, haunted and unable to escape. Blue Ant Studios rights division handles pre-sales and licensing opportunities worldwide.

Blue Ant Studios Secures Canadian Rights to Nippon TV’s Old Enough! TVO has greenlit the series set to launch in fall 2024

Comedian Colin Mochrie confirmed as narrator for the Canadian series

Blue Ant Studios will produce a Canadian version of Old Enough! an unscripted format from Nippon TV to air on TVO in 2024 with Colin Mochrie as narrator. 

(Toronto, Canada) January 29, 2024 – Blue Ant Studios has secured the coveted Canadian rights to the long-running Japanese unscripted hit Old Enough! from Nippon TV in Japan. Production on the first North American version of the show has begun and is set to air this September on TVO. Canadian comedy star and improv genius Colin Mochrie will lend his voice to the project as the narrator. The announcement was made jointly today at the 2024 Realscreen Summit 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.

Old Enough! is a heartwarming, unscripted series that follows toddlers independently running errands for the first time. While each episode focuses on the child’s task, the series will also explore each parent’s approach to raising their kids. On each adventure, the kids are always under the watchful eye of the show’s safety team. The highly sought-after format has been a ratings juggernaut and cultural phenomenon in Japan for over 30 years. Its popularity skyrocketed in English-speaking territories when Netflix streamed Nippon TV’s original series in 2022 in over 190 countries, and even Saturday Night Live tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with a skit that parodied the show. 

Old Enough! typifies the vision of our studio moving forward – entertaining and enlightening franchises – and we’re thrilled to be bringing the first North American version to audiences,” said Matthew Hornburg, Co-President of Blue Ant Studios. “This series is going to be an engaging, co-viewing experience for families, and children will definitely enjoy watching their peers find their independence when given the freedom to do so. It also explores themes of what parenting means from different cultural perspectives and in the modern age.”

“Independence is a key part of healthy childhood development. It begins with taking our first steps and flourishes through our appetites to learn and explore,” says Natasha Negrea, Head of Programming at TVO. “This exciting new version of Old Enough! showcases young kids discovering their delightful first moments of being independent.”

“It is such a joy to announce the Canadian adaptation of Old Enough!, our heart-warming factual entertainment format and global phenomenon,” says Akane Alex Inoue, Global Format Licensing, Nippon TV. “I am very proud that the passionate team at Blue Ant Studios has created a truly enjoyable version using the unique, new camera style we developed together. We are delighted to show the world that children’s big adventures can be delivered in different cultures and hope for more international versions to follow.”

Matt Hornburg, Mark Bishop and Donna Luke from Blue Ant 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. Old Enough! was produced with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and in association with Rogers Sports & Media

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 upcoming 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 Twitter?Instagram?LinkedIn

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 video, audio, games, courses, newsletters and articles, we’re investing in the transformative potential of education for everyone. Funded primarily by the Province of Ontario,TVO is a registered charity 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 multiplatform 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 49 versions in more than 186 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, Indonesia, Spain, Mongolia and more. 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. https://www.ntv.co.jp/english

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Ahead of the CMPA’s Prime Time Conference, Blue Ant Studios Announces Partnerships with Canadian Producers to Represent 85 Hours of Premium Programming

Blue Ant Studios acquired international rights for Season 2 of Bollywed from Toronto’s Heart Hat Entertainment

(Toronto, Canada) January 23, 2024 – As Canadians are set to converge in Ottawa for the CMPA’s Prime Time industry event, international studio and rights business Blue Ant Studios is celebrating the acquisition of 85 hours of programming from Canadian producers, adding to its catalogue that offers international licenses to a diverse range of storytelling in a variety of genres such as premium documentary, history, lifestyle, wildlife, paranormal, factual entertainment, scripted and kids. 

Blue Ant Studios picked up new seasons and new titles from producers, including Heart Hat Entertainment, Thunderbird Entertainment and Wapanatahk Media, Nikki Ray Media Agency, Fenix Film & Television, Small Army Entertainment, Halter Media, The Holmes Group, Parallax, 90th Parallel and Sphere Media

“At Blue Ant, our relationships with leading third-party Canadian producers is an important part of our strategy. Our aim is to collaborate with premium content creators in the English-speaking world, providing both pre-sale financing and distribution services for their content and in turn, satisfy our growing numbers of channel clients globally,” says Lilla Hurst, Global Head of Acquisitions & Content Strategy, Blue Ant Studios. “These premium titles have already generated considerable international interest, resulting in multiple sales.”

Highlights include: 

PREMIUM DOCUMENTARY

Butt Seriously (1 x 60) from 90th Parallel takes viewers on a fascinating odyssey through a subject that has, perhaps unsurprisingly, been neglected for centuries, thanks to persistent cultural taboos. Researchers recently concluded that the anus represents a black hole in how we understand the basic biological development of organisms.

HISTORY

From Vancouver’s Parallax Films, Blue Ant acquired multiple seasons of two historical WWII series.

Hell Below (12 x 60; Season 3-4) looks at the greatest submarine patrols of World War II. This event-based series charts the stealth game of subsea warfare from initial contact to full attack. 

Hitler’s Last Stand (18 x 60; Seasons 3-5) After the surprise of the D-Day landings and Allied advances, Nazi loyalists dig in. These are the stories of desperate battles waged on the edge of defeat, not just for victory, but for survival.

LIFESTYLE

Blue Ant Studios will represent a fourth season of the popular real-estate series, Lakefront Luxury (20 x 30) after co-commissioning with Nikki Ray Media Agency and A+E. The series follows buyers attempting to find their ultimate luxury escape from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind with stunning views, gorgeous waterfronts and serene sunsets. 

Push (17 x 30; Season 1-2) from Alberta’s Fenix Film & Television and Vancouver’s Small Army Entertainment takes audiences into the inner world of the “Wheelie Peeps,” an unlikely group of friends and wheelchair users, bonded by their shared experience of navigating life on wheels. This determined group of friends is working together to prove that even though their mobility may be limited, their lives and dreams are certainly not. 

Flat Out Food (6 x 30; Season 4) from Halter Media is a half-hour docuseries that dives deep into the origins, production and use of a variety of seemingly simple ingredients all found in Saskatchewan. This loving homage to rural Saskatchewan has sparked interest in international buyers, with previous seasons having been licensed in multiple territories,  including Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe.

Holmes On Homes: Building A Legacy (6 x 60) from Toronto’s The Holmes Group. After a lifetime of helping homeowners in need, Mike Holmes still has some unfinished business. This original series will see Mike go back to his roots, alongside his son and daughter Michael and Sherry, to secure his legacy of ‘making it right.’ From renovations gone wrong by crooked or incompetent contractors to worthy homeowners in need of a life-changing renovation, each hour-long episode sees the Holmes trio roll up their sleeves and continue the work that cemented Mike as a household name across North America. 

From Heart Hat Entertainment, Bollywed (10 x 30; Season 2) is a heartwarming docuseries centered around the Singh Family, who have been operating the iconic bridal shop Chandan Fashion in Toronto’s Little India for the past 37 years. The previous season of Bollywed was acquired by Fuse in the US, as well as licenses in Turkey, Eastern Europe and Asia.

WILDLIFE

Wild Rose Vets (13 x 30; Season 1) from Thunderbird Entertainment and Wapanatahk Media is a follow-up to the Dr. Savannah: Wild Rose Vet series. In this new season of this heartwarming and culturally-unique docuseries, audiences follow 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.

PARANORMAL 

Blue Ant acquired Sphere Media’s Haunted Hospitals (8 x 60; Season 5). The series recounts the chilling stories of paranormal activity inside hospitals and medical institutions. These eyewitness accounts are shared by hospital staff who have experienced harrowing incidents. 

History’s Most Haunted (6 x 60) from Small Army Entertainment follows paranormal experts Corine Carey, Leanne Sallenback and Kelly Ireland as they travel across North America, meeting with those who have come face-to-face with the unknown. The trio are on a mission to unlock a deeper understanding of the hauntings in the world-famous locations they visit. 

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 upcoming 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 Twitter|Instagram|LinkedIn

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Blue Ant Media Announces Appointment of Marine Ksadzhikyan as VP, Content Sales, Amidst Sales Growth in U.S. Market

Blue Ant Studios announced the expansion of its global rights team with the appointment of Marine Ksadzhikyan to the newly-created role of VP, Content Sales.

(New York, NY) January 12, 2024 – International studio and rights business Blue Ant Studios announced the expansion of its global rights team with the appointment of Marine Ksadzhikyan to the newly-created role of VP, Content Sales. The appointment coincides with Blue Ant Studios’ upward trajectory of sales in the U.S. 

Based in Los Angeles, Marine reports to Bryan Gabourie, SVP International Sales and Partnerships where she will be focused on identifying further growth opportunities across all platforms in the US. Leveraging Blue Ant Studio’s diverse and growing catalogue of over 7000 premium hours of content, Marine’s remit will include securing a wide range of partnership models with key players across both owned series and premium third-party programming. With over 20 years of experience in the licensing and distribution business, Marine’s previous roles include EVP, Sales at Rive Gauche Television and Director of International Sales at GRB Entertainment. She was also an International Sales Consultant for Rocket Rights, out of the UK. Marine will be attending NATPE Global next week in Miami.

Today, the business also unveiled a raft of international pre-sales, co-productions, premium US premieres and licensing packages to bring to partners, including a slate of history programs to BBC Select with titles Bettany Hughes; Grand Tour: From Paris To Rome (4 x 60’) from Sandstone Global,  Who Sank The Titanic (1 x 90’) from Pioneer Productions & Handel Productions and Curse Of The Ancients (5 x 60’) from Barcroft Studios; A+E Networks will co-commission the fourth season of Lakefront Luxury (20 x 30’) from Nikki Ray Media; and QVC+ picked up a block of 52 episodes of culinary programming featuring celebrity chef David Rocco. Additionally, the company has made sales to multi-platform partners such as Aeroverse Media, EarthX Media, Curiosity Inc., True Royalty TV and Buddi SVOD.

“Marine’s vast knowledge, robust experience and deep relationships with US and Global Partners will play a critical role in the continued growth of Blue Ant in the US market,” says Bryan Gabourie, SVP, International Sales and Partnerships, Blue Ant Studios. “Her appointment expands our advantage in the territory considerably and will further increase our momentum coming out of a strong 2023 built upon a diverse array of new partnerships and continued collaboration with key platforms.”

“Blue Ant Studios is recognized for its remarkable content creation process, its commitment to the producers they collaborate with and its innovative approach to fulfilling their partners’ content requirements,” says Marine Ksadzhikyan, VP Content Sales, Blue Ant Studios. “I am thrilled to join this exceptional team and continue to meet the growing demand for Blue Ant’s content.”

US sales deals being announced today:

A+E Networks

Blue Ant Media and A+E Networks continue their relationship, co-producing original episodes for the fourth season of the popular real-estate series Lakefront Luxury, which airs as part of A&E’s Home.Made.Nation block. The series follows buyers attempting to find their ultimate luxury escape from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind with stunning views, gorgeous waterfronts and serene sunsets. 

FUSE

The pay TV channel that celebrates and amplifies fresh, young voices has licensed the US rights to Bollywed (10 x 30’; HeartHat Entertainment), a heartwarming docuseries centred around the Singh Family, who have been operating iconic bridal shop, Chandan Fashion, in Toronto’s Little India for the past 37 years.

BBC Select 

BBC Select, the BBC Studios owned and operated ad-free subscription service available in the U.S. and Canada, licensed a number of history documentaries, including Bettany Hughes’ Grand Tour: From Paris To Rome (4 x 60’; Sandstone Global) which follows Hughes on the journey of a lifetime through France and Italy to understand how travel, art and culture can enrich our lives; Brunel: Building A Great Britain (1 x 120’; ITN Productions) tells the story of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a British civil engineer whose legacy has come into question; In Curse Of The Ancients (5 x 60’; Barcroft Studios), historian Alice Roberts goes back in time to decipher how civilization survived turbulent and destructive events; and Who Sank The Titanic (1 x 90’; Pioneer Productions & Handel Productions) uncovers new details and uses CGI to help determine how and why the great ship sank.

QVC+

QVC+ acquired a block of culinary programming that follows celebrity chef David Rocco. In David Rocco’s Dolce Homemade (26 x 30’; Rockhead Entertainment), David welcomes viewers into his home kitchen to join friends and family for candid conversations and inspiring recipes. David Rocco’s Dolce Italia (13 x 30’; Rockhead Entertainment) sees David return to his beloved Italy, where he captures how Italians celebrate life with good food, humour, passion and spontaneity. In David Rocco’s Dolce Southeast Asia (13 x30’; Rockhead Entertainment), David learns the traditional dishes of Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Aeroverse Media

Home of aviation and aerospace programming, streamer Aeroverse will air The Dambusters (3 x 60’; October Films), where historian Dan Snow relives the nail-biting countdown to the most daring and ingenious bombing raids in history; Silver Spitfire: The Longest Flight (1 x 60’|1 x 90′ Red Bull Originals & Stamp Productions) follows pilot Matt Jones and his team as they make the incredible journey around the world in a World War II era Spitfire plane; and Warbird Workshop (4 x 60’; Air TV) follows iconic aircraft and helicopters through restoration and into the air while learning their fascinating histories.

EarthX Media

Earth X Media, the global TV network that promotes the environment and sustainability, licensed Hope for Wildlife (36 x 60’ and 26 x 30’; Seasons 4,5,8 and 9; Arcadia Entertainment), the natural history docuseries that follows Hope Swinimer, her staff and volunteers who rescue, rehabilitate and release thousands of animals each year. Australia on Fire: Climate Emergency (1 x 60’; ITN Entertainment), the dramatic and terrifying story of the battle to save Australia from the bushfires ravaging the country; and Secrets of the Mega Landfill (1 x 60’; Icon Films), which follow waste after trucks have dropped their loads at one of the largest landfill sites in the U.S.

Curiosity Stream

Curiosity Stream picked up JFK: The Final Evidence (2 x 60′ | 1 x 90′ HD; Coleman Television), the documentary that takes a deep dive into the newly declassified documents to test all the theories of who truly wanted the president dead.

True Royalty TV 

In a deal that expanded its partnership with True Royalty TV, the streaming service dedicated to documenting the lives of royal families around the world, Blue Ant sold a package of seven titles that all offer a lens into the British royals, providing historical context and cultural significance: Born To Be King (1 x 60’; Touchdown Films), A Grand Royal Design (1 x 60’; B4Films), Andrew & Fergie: Duke and Duchess of Disaster (1 x 60’; ITN Productions), Philip: King Without A Crown (1 x 60’; ITN Productions), Margaret: Rebel Without A Crown (1 x 60’; ITN Productions), and William & Kate: Future King And Queen (1 x 60’; ITN Productions).

Buddi branded SVOD channels

Buddi picked up numerous animal wildlife docuseries in a licensing deal. ER Vets (30 x 30’; Rhino Content) examines the interpersonal stories of veterinary professionals who cope with life and death situations daily; For the Love of Elephants (1 x 60’; Make Believe Media) follows the story of orphaned African elephants and their compassionate keepers at a Wildlife Trust; and Panda Nursery (1 x 60’; NHNZ Worldwide), explores a fantastic partnership between humans and pandas as they raise two tiny twin cubs.

Blue Ant Media is a privately held international production studio and rights business and channel operator. The company’s studio creates and distributes a premium slate of programming in all content genres for streaming and broadcasting platforms around the world. Blue Ant Media also operates free streaming and pay TV channels under several media brands internationally, including Love Nature, Cottage Life, Smithsonian Channel Canada, BBC Earth Canada, HauntTV, Homeful, Drag Race Universe, Total Crime, HistoryTime and Love Pets. Blue Ant Media is headquartered in Toronto, with six international offices in Los Angeles, New York, Singapore, London, Washington and Sydney. blueantmedia.com Twitter|Instagram|LinkedIn 

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CELEBRITY GUESTS AND HAUNTED LOCATIONS REVEALED FOR NEW UNSCRIPTED PARANORMAL COMEDY GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN, PREMIERING JANUARY 26 ON CBC GEM

Katie Douglas, Devyn Nekoda, Bukola Ayoka, Kevin Alves, Frankie and Hale Grande, and more to appear on CBC’s GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN

Katie Douglas, Devyn Nekoda, Bukola Ayoka, Kevin Alves, Frankie Grande, Hale Grande, Luke Hutchie, Matthew Finlan

January 9, 2024 – CBC today revealed the nine celebrity guests joining GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN (8×30) on a quest to discover whether or not Canada’s most haunted places are truly haunted. The new unscripted paranormal comedy from Blue Ant Studios follows Hutchie (EZRA) and Finlan (Orphan: First Kill, EZRA), two actors known exclusively for their work in the horror genre, as they step off script and into their own real-life thriller, premiering Friday, January 26 with all episodes available on the free CBC Gem streaming service. 

Created by Hutchie and Finlan, the series stars Katie Douglas (Ginny & Georgia, Level 16), Devyn Nekoda (Scream IV), Kevin Alves (Yellowjackets, Locke & Key), Bukola Ayoka (Robyn Hood), Frankie Grande (Big Brother), Jade Hassouné (Shadow Hunters), Zoé De Grand Maison(Riverdale, Orphan Black), Synthia Kiss (Canada’s Drag Race) and Hale GrandeRomi Shraiter (Ginny & Georgia) also appears as a surprise guest star. 

GHOSTING brings a comedic spin to the paranormal genre and supercharges it with star power as Hutchie and Finlan invite their famous best friends to these notoriously spooky Canadian locales to reach a verdict of “haunted” or ‘not.” 

Photos and bios available to download here.

  • Case 101: The Merril House (Picton, ON) – Robyn Hood’s Bukola Ayoka teams up with Hutchie and Finlan to investigate The Merrill House, an eerie Victorian mansion supposedly riddled with chaos and death. 
  • Case 102: Olde Angel Inn (Niagara on the Lake, ON) – After fighting for her life in the Emmy-winning show Orphan Black and escaping the dark confines of a cult in the smash hit RiverdaleZoé De Grand Maison joins Hutchie and Finlan to investigate a haunting case of true love and heartless murder at The Olde Angel Inn. 
  • Case 103: Castle Kilbride (Baden, ON) – Starring in the iconic box office superhit Scream VIDevyn Nekoda’s infamous shriek will most likely ring down the halls of the mysterious Castle Kilbride as she helps Hutchie and Finlan explore this supposedly supernatural Victorian mansion. Once home to esteemed entrepreneur and politician James Livingston, this residence holds a haunting tale of grim accidents that are rumoured to have trapped lost souls forever.
  • Case 104: SDG Jail (Cornwall, ON) – Between Summoning Sylvia and killing the undead, this Grande duo is no stranger to what goes bump in the night. Frankie and Hale Grande join forces with Hutchie and Finlan as they investigate one of Canada’s oldest and creepiest correctional facilities, the SDG Jail. 
  • Case 105: McDonald Cabin (Alliston, ON) – Surviving the horrors of the wilderness in Yellow JacketsKevin Alves should be right at home in a creepy cabin in the woods. Alves works together with Hutchie and Finlan as they investigate the notorious and potentially demonic McDonald Log Cabin in Aliston, Ontario. 
  • Case 106: Auchmar Manor (Hamilton, ON) – The star of horror sci-fi film Level 16Katie Douglas knows a thing or two about staying alive. As she ventures into the supposedly sinister history of Auchmar Manor, Katie joins Hutchie and Finlan on their quest to discover if this decadent and dramatic residence is truly haunted. 
  • Case 107: Wellington County Museum (Fergus, ON) – Starring in Shadow Hunters, Jade Hassouné thinks he has what it takes to face any spirits. Strutting into Canada’s alleged “most haunted building,” Jade will delve into the ghostly past of the Wellington County Poorhouse with Hutchie and Finlan to investigate claims of the phantoms that lurk in the dark.  
  • Case 108: Orillia Opera House (Orillia, ON) – From death drops to killer performances, Synthia Kiss has performed on stages around the world, making her the perfect plus-one for an evening of fear and fun at Orilla’s historic Opera House. Fan favourite of Canada’s Drag Race S2, Synthia lip syncs for the afterlife and helps Hutchie and her biological brother Finlan investigate the fantastic phantoms of the Opera House–all while trying to stay snatched for the ghosts. 
Ghosting Subcast Stack (1) (1).png

Jade Hassouné, Zoé De Grand Maison, Synthia Kiss, Romi Shraiter

GHOSTING will also air on CBC TV next spring, beginning Sunday, April 28 at 9pm (9:30 NT) and 9:30PM (10 NT), with back-to-back weekly episodes. 

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 Jennifer Harkness, Laura Michalchyshyn and Zachary Frank. Two-time Canadian Screen Award winner Maureen Riley (Still Standing, I Have Nothing) serves as series 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 Studio’s rights division holds global licensing rights. 

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. 

About Blue Ant Studios

Blue Ant Studios is a leading studio and award-winning production business with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto. The company’s premium slate of programming spans documentaries and docuseries, scripted, unscripted, and reality competition, with recent hits including the award-winning competition series Blown Away (Netflix); original mixology cocktail competition, Drink Masters (Netflix), original competition series Race Against the Tide (CBC);  the hilarious docu comedy I Have Nothing (Crave); award-winning docuseries The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Amazon);  investigative docuseries Epstein’s Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell (Peacock and SKY): Prince Andrew: Banished (Peacock) and groundbreaking documentary series Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock). Blue Ant produces the multi-award-winning Canada’s Drag Race (seasons 1-4) and Canada vs. The World (Crave for Bell Media) with new seasons of each in production. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of global media company, Blue Ant Media.

About Luke Hutchie Productions

Luke Hutchie Productions is an award winning independent LGBTQ+ film and television production company based out of Canada. Spearheading into the occult, the company’s creative focus is to produce horror genre projects that bring us into the modern day. Recent Luke Hutchie Productions projects include the award winning short form series EZRA. 

Blue Ant Media Announces Raft of Sales in Asia-Pacific, At ATF, Totalling over 550 Hours

Announcement coincides with the recent establishment of Blue Ant Media’s new Asia Pacific office in Sydney, Australia, led by Jon Penn, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific 

Warner Bros. Discovery’s Asian Food Network, Mediacorp in Singapore and SBS in Australia picked up Blue Ant Media’s ultimate food show, Order Up! starring Fresh Off The Boat’s Hudson Yang

(Singapore – December 5, 2023) – Blue Ant Media, an international production studio, rights business and channel operator, announced at Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) today a raft of multi-title, multi-genre sales to Asia-Pacific broadcasters, totalling more than 550 hours of programming. The deals include sales in Asia to Warner Bros. Discovery, Korean Broadcasting System, Mediacorp, PCCW Media and TrueVision. Additionally, sales in Australia and New Zealand were brokered to SBS Australia, Foxtel Group, Nine Network Australia, Television New Zealand and Maori Television. 

The announcement coincides with the recent establishment of Blue Ant Media’s new Asia Pacific office in Sydney, Australia, with the appointment of Jon Penn as Managing Director, Asia Pacific and Jason Soh as VP Distribution, Asia, who join Nick Solowski, Senior Director, International Sales.

“As the appetite for premium factual content continues to rise in Asia-Pacific, our recent round of deals, with high-profile buyers, serves as a testament to the quality of programming in our catalogue, while also validating our recent decision to build out dedicated sales operations in Sydney and Singapore,” says Jon Penn, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Blue Ant Media. “Heading into ATF, we want our partners to know that we are a trusted partner, skilled in various creative deal structures, such as traditional licensing, pre-sales and output deals while providing them with exceptional customer service.” 

SALES HIGHLIGHTS ASIA SALES: 

Warner Bros. Discovery picked up Fresh Off the Boat star Hudson Yang’s ultimate food show, Order Up! (8 x 60’; Beach House Pictures) for Asian Food Network in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The series follows Hudson on a journey from Singapore to America as he embarks on a chef apprenticeship crash course,  A full-time acting career means Hudson must master complex dishes and techniques in days versus the months other apprentices usually have; plus the heartwarming docu-series Bollywed (10 x 30’; HeartHat Entertainment) for Discovery Asia channel in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, centered around the Singh Family, who have been operating an iconic bridal shop in Toronto’s Little India for the past 37 years.

In India, Warner Bros. Discovery has licensed over 30 hours of programming concentrated on natural history content for Animal Planet, including Chasing the Rains (4 x 60’; Maramedia) which follows three animal matriarchs as they protect their families while surviving one of the worst droughts in 20 years; Africa’s Wild Year (4 x 60’; Merx International) an epic, cinematic series set over the course of a single year in 10 different countries throughout  Africa; New Kids in the Wild  (5 x 60’; Season 1; Off the Fence) which takes viewers from treetop to seabed for a peek inside the lives of South America’s cutest animal babies; and Big Cat Country (6 x 60’; Plimsoll Productions) which focuses on lion prides that battle to protect their young. 

The Korean Broadcasting System has opted for a number of natural history titles including  Woodpeckers: The Hole Story (1 x 60’; Coneflower Studios), a one-hour documentary that pecks away at what makes woodpeckers so special and follows intimate stories of two very different families raising their young;  Great Elephant Tale (1 x 60’; Merx International) follows three elephant herds in different African environments; and Baboons: Rules of the Troop (1 x 60’; Merx International) a film that beautifully depicts the adaptations baboons have made to survive under a myriad of harsh conditions.

TrueVisions in Thailand has picked up Factual Entertainment and History series including Ice Vikings (8 x 60’; Farpoint Films) which looks at modern-day fishermen who set out on ice as thin as paper to stake their claim to the bountiful freshwater fish stock; Deep Water Salvage (10 x 60; Season 1; a co-production between Renowned Films and Saloon Media), which takes viewers into the tough and unrelenting world of larger-than-life salvage masters who work to recover ships wrecked by fierce storms; and in Searching for Secrets (6 x 60’; a co-production between Bigger Bang and Saloon Media), viewers go on a journey back in time to reveal the secret history of iconic cities. 

PCCW Media in Hong Kong will air two seasons of  All-Round Champion  (22 x 60’; Season 3 and 4; marblemedia), the ultimate sporting showdown, recently nominated for two Children’s & Family Emmy awards.  Each season introduces 10 of the best teen athletes who step outside of their own comfort zones and compete against each other in their rivals’ sports. Each athlete sits out the competition in their own specialty sport, and instead mentors and coaches the others. Aided by world-renowned sports stars and Olympians, they are scored on skill, sportsmanship, and progress after each challenge. At the end of the series, one hardcore athlete will be crowned the All-Round Champion. 

Singapore’s largest content creator and national media network Mediacorp picked up Uptown Otters (6 x 60’; Beach House Pictures) which follows distinct clans of smooth-coated otters that have staked their territories in a unique urban setting in Singapore; World’s Deadliest Weather (6×60’; back2back), which showcases incredible archival and astonishing user-generated footage of some of the most extraordinary weather the planet has ever seen; as well as Order Up! (8 x 60’; Beach House Pictures).

SALES HIGHLIGHTS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND:

SBS in Australia will air over 60 hours of content including Order Up! (8 x 60’; Beach House Pictures) and travel adventure series Scotland’s Scenic Railways (6 x 60’; Flint TV) and Britain’s Most Luxurious Train Journeys (4 x 60; Candour Productions); three seasons of Flat Out Food (19 x 30; Seasons 1-3; HalterMedia) a gorgeous food series that illuminates unique ingredients and their journey from the field to the plate.

The Foxtel Group picked up more than 75 hours of programming including Born to Be King (1 x 60’; Touchdown Films) a unique and compelling documentary that reveals the life, loves, and passions of King Charles III; and World’s Deadliest Weather (13 x 60’; Back2Back) which showcases the unstoppable force of Mother Nature and the extreme weather fronts endured across the planet. 

Nine Network Australia licensed Seasons 6 to 9 of See No Evil (80 x 60’; a co-production between Arrow Media and Saloon Media), a series that reveals how the deadliest crimes are solved by the only witnesses – CCTV cameras. 

Television New Zealand will air Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (3 x 60’; Blue Ant Studios), the docu-series that presents the never-before-heard story of Casey Anthony, America’s most infamous mother, who speaks for the first time, a decade after being acquitted of the murder of her daughter; Seasons 1 and 2 of Deep Water Salvage (18 x 60; a co-production between Renowned Films and Saloon Media); and three seasons of Gone Fishing (18 x 30’; Owl Power TV), which follows lifelong friends and comedic royalty, Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer, as they tour some of the finest fishing spots together. 

Rounding out the sales is Whakaata M?ori (New Zealand’s national indigenous broadcaster), which has licensed more than 55 hours of programming including Into the Blue: The Wonders of the Coral Triangle (8 x 60’; Zona Mixta), a sweeping series that explores the stunning Coral Triangle, which is home to over 18,000 islands and the largest marine biodiversity on the planet; Merchants of the Wild  (13 x 30; Season 4, Buck Productions and Little Bear, Big Wolf Pictures), which mixes survival, adventure and culture as six Indigenous adventurers attempt to live off the land for 25 days. Additionally, the broadcaster opted for Anyone’s Game (6 x 30’; BestCrosses Media & Game Seven Media) a docu-series that takes viewers to a high school in Canada that trains some of the most promising basketball players in the nation; and Season 1 of Cracking the Code (8 x 60; Blink Films), which uncovers some of the world’s most famous – and infamous – encryptions.

Blue Ant Media is a privately held, international production studio and rights business and channel operator. The company’s studio creates and distributes a premium slate of programming, in all content genres, for streaming and broadcasting platforms around the world. Blue Ant Media also operates free streaming and pay TV channels under several media brands internationally, including Love Nature, Cottage Life, Smithsonian Channel Canada, BBC Earth Canada, HauntTV, Homeful, Drag Race Universe, Total Crime, HistoryTime and Love Pets. Blue Ant Media is headquartered in Toronto, with six international offices in Los Angeles, New York, Singapore, London, Washington and Sydney. blueantmedia.com Twitter|Instagram|LinkedIn 

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Blue Ant Media Unveils Leadership Across Newly Merged Studios and Rights Business Ahead of Content LondonBlue Ant Media Unveils Leadership Across 

(Toronto, Canada) November 22, 2023 – International production studio, rights business and channel operator, Blue Ant Media, unveiled today new leadership across the company’s yet-to-be named studio and rights business, led by Co-Presidents, Mark Bishop and Matthew Hornburg. News of the company’s studio and rights leadership team arrives after Blue Ant Media’s recent acquisition of marblemedia, which saw the two companies announcing intent to merge their collective production and distribution operations into one super-charged studio business

“In an era where creativity meets excellence, we proudly unveil Blue Ant Media’s dynamic new studio and rights executive team—a visionary ensemble dedicated to crafting compelling narratives for global partners and pushing creative boundaries. Together, they bring a tapestry of expertise, innovation and passion, poised to elevate our super-charged studio to unprecedented heights,” said Mark Bishop and Matthew Hornburg, Co-Presidents, Blue Ant Studios. 

Led by Matthew Hornburg, Blue Ant Media’s Unscripted Development team is spearheaded by a cadre of accomplished production leaders. Jennifer Harkness (Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies for Peacock), has taken the development reins of Factual Entertainment from the studio’s LA office. Meanwhile from the Toronto office, Kelsey Espensen (Best in Miniature, Race Against the Tide) leads development for Unscripted Entertainment and Steve Gamester (Inside the Statue Wars, History by Numbers), leads Specialist Factual Development.

The studio’s accomplished Scripted Development team is under the leadership of Mark Bishop. Leading Scripted Drama & Comedy is Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy (Davey & Jonesie’s Locker for Hulu and Amazon Prime Video) who will be focused on Scripted Production; and Melissa Williamson (Sitting Pretty) who oversees Scripted Development. Together, they will collaborate on shaping the studio’s primetime scripted slate. Additionally, AJ Trauth (Armadillo Avalanche, Generation Mars) leads the expanded Kids, Family and Young Adult division, based in the studio’s LA office. Josh Bowen (Doomlands) will lead the business’ animation studio in Toronto and its planned expansion.

At the helm of the Production and Post Production group is Donna Luke, who will work alongside the Co-Presidents in producing the company’s slate. Paul Kilback (Northwood Survival) will continue to oversee Factual Series, working closely with Donna and Matthew Hornburg. Aileen Gardner (I Have Nothing) will lead and support production for Unscripted, Specialist Factual and Factual Entertainment. Stefanie Haist (Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe for Amazon Prime MGM) will lead and support Unscripted Entertainment productions.

Operating from the London office, Diane Rankin is leading commercial strategy and content financing for the studio’s distribution and production business, working closely with the company’s Development teams in all genres alongside Ben Barrett, who oversees content financing and partnerships for the unscripted genre. 

Bryan Gabourie and Gerbrig Blanksma will lead all sales activities from originals, pre-sales, content licensing, co-productions and strategic partnerships from the company’s New York and London offices, respectively. Lilla Hurst will continue to lead the distribution team’s global acquisitions and content strategy from the UK office. 

Blue Ant Media’s head of international sales remains an open role in the recently merged studio structure and will be announced in 2024. The key position, overseeing the global sales team, will be responsible for maximizing revenue from Blue Ant Media’s global catalogue of premium content across unscripted, scripted, natural history, kids & family and animation content and sales activities across all rights and platforms and working with internal stakeholders on ongoing corporate distribution strategy.

Blue Ant Media is a privately held, international production studio and rights business and channel operator. The company’s studio creates and distributes a premium slate of programming, in all content genres, for streaming and broadcasting platforms around the world. Blue Ant Media also operates free streaming and pay TV channels under several media brands internationally, including Love Nature, Cottage Life, Smithsonian Channel Canada, BBC Earth Canada, HauntTV, Homeful, Drag Race Universe, Total Crime, HistoryTime and Love Pets. Blue Ant Media is headquartered in Toronto, with six international offices in Los Angeles, New York, Singapore, London, Washington and Sydney. blueantmedia.com Twitter|Instagram|LinkedIn 

Blue Ant Studios Begins Production on The Inigo Philbrick Story (w/t), a High Profile Story of a Wunderkind Art Dealer Who Defrauded Clients out of $86 Million USD

The documentary provides exclusive access to the convicted contemporary art dealer Inigo Philbrick and his fiancée Victoria Baker-Harber

The three-part series, greenlit by BBC Arts, will premiere spring 2024 on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in the UK; Blue Ant Media will oversee distribution and pre-sales of the project outside of commissioning territories. 

The Inigo Philbrick Story (w/t) will provide exclusive access to the convicted contemporary art dealer Inigo Philbrick and his fiancée, Made in Chelsea star, Victoria Baker-Harber

(Toronto, ON – November 9, 2023) Blue Ant Studios has begun production on The Inigo Philbrick Story (w/t), a three-part, documentary exploring the meteoric rise and fall of American art dealer, Inigo Philbrick. Once the art world’s go-to contemporary art broker, he was convicted in a multi-million dollar fraud case that shook the art world and duped investors out of a shocking $86M USD over three years. The series, commissioned by BBC Arts for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, will air in spring 2024 for its audiences in the UK. Filming will be primarily in London New York, Pennsylvania, Vanuatu and Rhode Island. The studio will oversee distribution and pre-sales for the project outside commissioning territories.  

The documentary provides exclusive access to Inigo Philbrick and his fiancee, Made in Chelsea star, Victoria Baker-Harber plus never-before-seen archive, video and text messages. The pair were the subject of a six-month international manhunt by the FBI. Philbrick’s ‘catch me if you can’ disappearance ended with his arrest on the island of Vanuatu in the South Pacific. He was tried and convicted and is currently serving seven years in prison in Pennsylvania.

Alongside the inside story from Inigo Philbrick and Victoria Baker-Harber, the series features interviews with leading art world figures, fine artists, buyers, dealers, lawyers and law enforcement to uncover the truth about the value of art in today’s market.

“We’re thrilled to be working with BBC Arts, to bring this multi-layered story to UK screens,” says Jennifer Harkness, Executive Producer, Blue Ant Studios. “This project is the first documentary that provides exclusive access to both Inigo Philbrick and Victoria Baker-Harber, a love story that spanned multiple countries, multi-million dollar art deals and an international manhunt ending in an exotic, South Pacific archipelago.”

Alistair Pegg, BBC Arts Commissioning Editor, says: “This compelling series promises exclusive access to one of the most jaw-dropping art world stories of recent years.”

The untitled 3×60 series is produced by Blue Ant Studios for the BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Blue Ant Studios’ Jennifer Harkness and Laura Michalchyshyn serve as Executive Producers alongside David Hodgkinson. Gillian Hourihan is co-Executive Producer. Jamie Crawford is the Director and Sarah Sharkey Pearce serves as Showrunner. The series was commissioned for BBC Arts by Alistair Pegg.

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Blue Ant Studios is a leading studio and award-winning production business with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto. The company’s premium slate of programming spans documentaries and docuseries, scripted, unscripted, and reality competition, with recent hits including the award-winning competition series Blown Away (Netflix); original mixology cocktail competition, Drink Masters (Netflix), original competition series Race Against the Tide (CBC); award-winning docuseries The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Amazon); investigative docuseries Epstein’s Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell (Peacock and SKY) and groundbreaking documentary series Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock). Blue Ant produces the multi-award-winning Canada’s Drag Race (seasons 1-4) and Canada vs. The World (Crave for Bell Media) with new seasons of each in production. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of global media company, Blue Ant Media.

About BBC Arts
BBC Arts is the home of creative inspiration and a place to broaden your horizons. We make programmes that celebrate the things our audiences love – from visual art, photography, film and gaming to books, dance, design, theatre, fashion and architecture – showcasing the very best in culture. BBC Arts is the UK’s most ambitious creators of original arts programmes because we believe in the transformational power of creativity. As the leading force in cultural programme-making since 1922, our archive is the envy of the world.