ITV brings Saturday night game show The Void to Fortnite Creative

ITV has become the first broadcaster to enter the Fortnite Creative as it launches an in-game version of its new entertainment show, The Void, to the video game.

Marking a whole new step into the Metaverse for the studio, ITV is recreating the Saturday night game show in Fortnite Creative, allowing players to take on their own in-game version of the challenges and tasks undertaken in the programme.

ITV is the latest entertainment giant outside of video games to find its footing within Fortnite Creative as the deal follows a major recent partnership between Fortnite and The O2 that witnessed the entertainment venue launch a digital version into the video game. 

The week-long partnership culminated with an in-game concert performance by the UK group Easy Life.

Fortnite Creative’s link up with ITV marks the first time a UK broadcaster has utilised the platform. ITV is now building up a network of creators on different platforms to activate Metaverse audiences around its programmes.

The Void is hosted by Ashley Banjo and Fleur East and sees contestants put to the test as they take on a range of mental and physical challenges while navigating the prospect of falling into The Void – a chasm of 520,000 litres of water stretching across the arena floor.

Following the initial Fortnite Creative pilot, ITV is planning to roll out the concept to other programme and bring brands on board.

Dan Colton, ITV Group Strategy and Transformation Director, said: “The Void is a really innovative new Saturday night show that fits perfectly with this style of gameplay.

“The Metaverse is a huge opportunity for ITV both from a consumer and advertiser perspective and this is the first step of how we can best make use of our IP in these spaces.”

Amazon waste investigation sparks UK government call for ‘more re-use and recycling of products’

An investigation into one of Amazon’s Scottish warehouses has compelled the UK government to call for ‘more re-use and recycling of products’ after it was discovered that the online giant is destroying millions of products a year.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said the government is ‘looking at regulations to increase recycling practices’ and to ‘make sure retailers take more responsibility for things like electrical goods.’

The call follows an investigation by ITV that found items including smart TVs, laptops, drones, hairdryers, and thousands of sealed face masks had been sorted into boxes marked ‘destroy’ at the Amazon Fulfilment Centre in Dunfermline, Fife.

Speaking anonymously, an ex-employee at the site revealed that their target was to destroy 130,000 items a week.

“I used to gasp. There’s no rhyme or reason to what gets destroyed,” they said. “Dyson fans, Hoovers, the occasional MacBook and iPad; the other day, 20,000 Covid facemasks still in their wrappers. Overall 50 per cent of all items are unopened and still in their shrink wrap. The other half are returns and in good condition.”

The Prime Minister’s spokesperson said that the business secretary has already been in conversation with Amazon on the issue, adding that “we absolutely want to see more re-use and recycling of products.

ITV also found a leaked document from Amazon that showed more than 124,000 items were marked ‘destroy’ during one week of April, compared to 28,000 items in the same period labelled ‘donate’.

Amazon has however, denied the claims, telling the PA news agency that no items are sent to landfill in the UK, but that, at last resort, it will send items to energy recovery; a means of stripping recyclable materials from products before the rest is reconverted into energy.

A statement from Amazon published in The Independent, said: “We are working towards a goal of zero product disposal and our priority is to resell, donate to charitable organisations, or recycle any unsold products.

“No items are sent to landfill in the UK. As a last resort, we will send items to energy recovery, but we’re working hard to drive the number of times this happens down to zero.

“We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and building a circular economy programme with the aim of reducing returns, reusing and reselling products, and reducing disposals.”

The Amazon spokesperson also denied that it was cheaper to dispose of the items instead of returning them to the domestic sellers.

Anderson Entertainment enters direct to consumer publishing market with plans for further growth

Anderson Entertainment has made its entry into the direct to consumer publishing business as it details plans to launch a wide range of titles for fans of the studio’s classic Anderson properties, as well as new projects now in production or planned.

Anderson Entertainment is the company founded by Gerry Anderson, the brains behind iconic shows like Thunderbirds and Space: 1999, as well as more modern series such as Space Precinct and the 2005 reimagining of Captain Scarlet. New book launched by the firm will be aimed at its vast and still growing audience.

The direct-to-consumer approach builds on the strength of the online Gerry Anderson shop and Anderson Entertainment social and owned channels – with access to over 150,000 fans. This approach will allow Anderson Entertainment to market effectively by initially targeting its strong customer community.

However, this is only the first phase of the publishing strategy. After the direct-to-consumer publishing business is established, these books will also be made available through the mainstream book trade.

The publishing project begins with novels – a series of stories originally published in the 1960s and 1970s. These books are now being reprinted and repackaged for a modern audience. In particular the books will target a growing fanbase of all ages now able to access Anderson classics on both linear and streaming services.

The books will be available in four formats: as physical print books in hardback (with slight adjustments to the content for a 2021 audience), as Kindle e-books, as digital audio downloads and as packaged audiobooks, including extras.

Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars, an adaptation of John Theydon’s 1965 book Thunderbirds, is the first of the new books. The audiobook version features both narration and a full cast, with characters voiced by such major names as Dead Ringers favourite Jon Culshaw and Harry Potter star Genevieve Gaunt. The packaged audiobook comes in a four-CD set that includes a behind-the-scenes documentary. 

All physical formats are being made available at the Gerry Anderson online store from July. The digital download audiobook version is now available and is also being sold on the website of Anderson Entertainment production partner Big Finish, while e-book releases will be available globally via Amazon. More titles will appear on a monthly basis from this summer.

Following this, late 2021 will see more new titles added, including a two-volume anthology of comic strips based on the popular live action Anderson show UFO. It’s the first time all the UFO comic strips have been collected in book form.

The second book will be a Moonbase Alpha technical manual, a guide to the scientific research centre that is home to the cast of Space: 1999. It’s a coffee table book in the style of a 1970s technical manual but updated with new written material and hundreds of newly commissioned images. It will also be the first authoritative guide to the iconic Moonbase – a must for fans of the hit 1970s live action show.

The plans for growth come hard on the heels of a new agreement with rightsholder ITV Studios, which allows Anderson Entertainment to expand its ranges of product derived from its classic brands. This agreement will enable not only published output but also a wide range of new and innovative products inspired by the best-loved Gerry Anderson creations.

Writer, producer, director, and Gerry Anderson’s son, Jamie Anderson is MD of Anderson Entertainment. He will also be directing some of the cast-led audiobook productions.

He said: “Beginning a new era as a publisher with direct-to-consumer product will build on the close relationship we have with many tens of thousands of Gerry Anderson fans around the world. At the same time we firmly believe that the growing popularity of both classic and new Anderson output will help us to target a wider audience that can also be reached by traditional online and physical booksellers.

“This is an exciting venture for Anderson Entertainment and one that underlines the continuing strength of the Anderson name and brands and is the perfect addition to our existing threads of direct-to-consumer activity.”

The Brand Informer launches online platform to ‘change the way brands sell and retailers buy’

The Brand Informer Ltd has launched its new online platform, www.thebrandinformer.com, a service designed to connect retailers directly to brand owners, with the mission of ‘changing the way brands sell and retailers buy.’

The Brand Informer is bridging the gap between brand owners, licensees and retailers, and providing a place online for brands to connect with opportunities to support business growth and retailers to access brands.

The platform will enable brands to showcase their products, outline their core brand values and objectives, and provide a calendar of events that will allow retailers to forward plan. Brand owners’ products will be displayed in clear categories: such as product type which is sent direct to the retailer’s account where it can be viewed in real-time..

All brand owners will be verified, providing retailers with confidence against the threat of purchasing unlicensed products. Buyers will be able to search for products through option choice and filtering systems to enable them to find the specific product they are looking for.

The Brand Informer is the brainchild of founder Victoria Preston, licensing specialist having worked for brands including ITV, Williams F1, England Rugby, England Football, England Cricket and various Premiership Football Teams.

She said: “The Brand Informer is opening up a new way within the licensing industry. I believe by providing a place to support brands, big and small, and offering up to date information to retailers we will see great opportunities for both. I feel passionate in the potential of bridging the gap within the licensing sector to empower both brands and retailers.”

As part of the launch, Preston will be hosting a free course starting on May 17th, 2021 ‘Simplifying the Brand Licensing Buying Process’ helping brand owners and retailers on their own individual journeys. There will be three live workshops, covering how to simplify the buying process for your business.

The workshop is for all business sizes large and small as well as those who are just considering the possibility of licensing. www.goto.thebrandinformer.com

ITV picks up latest seasons of The Day Henry Met as the pre-school series grows global licensing programme

ITV has acquired the exclusive free-to-air rights in the UK for seasons three and four of the hit children’s series, The Day Henry Met, with the series scheduled to launch on its pre-school block, LittleBe this summer.

ITV has now joined a roster of international broadcasters to pick up the Wigglywoos series that includes RAI in Italy and TFO in Canada each picking up season four. Seasons one to three of the show have been renewed by Kids Stream in the USA and by Azoomee across multiple territories.

Additionally, the kids’ streaming platform, Noggin, recently acquired the series, meaning it now airs in 192 countries across the globe.

The series airs on a range of free TV channels including in the UK and Ireland, RAI in Italy, ABC in Australia, TVO and Knowledge in Canada, YLE in Finland, SVT in Sweden ERR in Estonia, TVP in Poland, and RUV in Iceland.

Meanwhile, two new publishers, Harper Collins in Poland and Agyra in Greece have signed up to publish a range of books based upon the series, Di Costa in Italy have created Henry Easter eggs with a gift inside and there will be a Henry promotion through kiosks in Italy organised by Teaser Lab.

LMI has taken on the Licensing and Merchandising rights in the UK and 28 airlines are featuring the series in their inflight entertainment.

TV games shows The Cube and Lingo land new board game partnerships with John Adams

John Adams has partnered with the independent distributor, All3Media International to bring new board game adaptations of the popular game show television game shows, The Cube and Lingo, to the UK.

A new board game based on The Cube is expected to land on UK shelves by July this year, replacing a previous version that became a top seller when it sold more than 410,000 units. The refreshed game will be accompanied by a new web-based element.

Meanwhile, the show’s iOS and Android app – which has been live for ten years – was also recently updated with a rebranded games pack and push notifications. A US version of the app is also set to launch later this year alongside the broadcast of Warner Media’s new US series, and an Australian version is in development following The Cube’s recent commission by Network 10 and WIN Network.

The Cube challenges players to complete simple tasks within the confines of a perspex cube. Recently rebooted in the UK as The Million Pound Cube, the format has aired in multiple territories since its debut more than ten years ago.

Elsewhere, and currently under development with an expected launch in the UK this summer, Lingo is a board game adaptation of the classic word-play quiz which debuted on ITV last year. Lingo pits teams against each other in a battle to find words to win big cash prizes.

The show has aired for 29 years in France, over 500 episodes have aired in the US, and it has been adapted in 17 territories worldwide. Lingo was originally produced by IDTV.

Jane Sharp, formats executive at All3Media International, said: “We’re looking forward to the arrival of these new ancillary products for The Cube and Lingo, two evergreen game shows that are now firmly established as viewer favourites around the world.

“As the formats continue to go from strength-to-strength globally, arriving in multiple territories this year, having modern and refreshed complementary products ready to be localised will only add to their appeal.”

Simon Pilkington, group managing director at John Adams Leisure Limited, said: “We are well-known for creating best-selling table-top games based on TV game shows, so we are really excited to be working on both Lingo and the new version of The Cube.

“We are confident that both games will become must-have family board games in 2021, full national distribution for both products is already looking very positive.”

Bullseye donates ‘significant’ Pembrokeshire Murders fee to UK charity Victim Support

The British game show brand, Bullseye, has made a donation to a charity supporting victims of crime in England and Wales after footage from the show featuring the convicted serial killer, John Cooper, was used in the production of the ITV series, Pembrokeshire Murders.

As a part of its deal with ITV, Bullseye ensured that its licensing fee for the use of the footage was donated to Victim Support, a charity that helps victims of crime to feel safer and find the strength to move beyond crime.

The three-part ITV miniseries, Pembrokeshire Murders, documents the real-life investigation that led to the eventual arrest of John Cooper for a strong of murders in the Pembrokeshire area. Early investigations had discounted Cooper as a suspect due to his appearance not fitting the police artist’s initial impression of the suspect. 

However, Cooper was later convicted when investigating officers recognised him from his appearance on the British game show, Bullseye.

Bullseye creator and brand owner, Andrew Wood and his family were horrified to learn of the connection between the show and the serial killer. When the producers of Pembrokeshire Murders requested permission to use the content in the ITV drama, an agreement was reached that a Wood would charge ‘a significant fee for the clip’ all of which would be donated to Victim Support.

“We were appalled to find that a serial killer had appeared on our show and never wanted to benefit in any way from the footage,” said Wood. “But to be able to donate the fee for its use in the ITV series to Victim Support goes some way to helping those who have suffered at the hands of criminals.”

Bullseye remains a favourite among viewers in the UK and further afield and Bulldog Licensing, which manages the rights for the brand has built a successful consumer products programme for the property, spanning categories such as gifting, publishing, apparel and accessories and is in conversations with potential licensees to further expand the offering.

Rob Corney, MD, Bulldog Licensing, added: “We’re pleased that the team at Bullseye were able to create some good from such a terrible situation and offer much-needed support for victims of crime as a result.”

ITV’s The Masked Singer makes move for consumer products with Caroline Mickler

The ITV reality talent show, The Masked Singer, is moving into the consumer products space. Argonon, the international super-indie production group has tasked Caroline Mickler Ltd to develop a UK licensing programme inspired by the series, tapping into the ‘creatively designed merchandise’ market.

Argonon is an independent production group based in London and New York and led by a board of creatives. The group conists of seven companies producing multi-award winning programming for a range of broadcasters including BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and more.

The Masked Singer is produced by Bandicoot TV, one of the seven companies making up Argonon.

We are delighted to be working with Caroline Mickler Ltd to extend The Masked Singer into creatively designed merchandise,” said Derek McLean, Bandicoot’s joint executive producer. “The reaction to the first series of The Masked Singer has been phenomenal with over 8.4 million viewers tuning in to see Girls Aloud Nicola Roberts crowned the winner. Ahead of the second series, it’s the perfect timing to be expanding into consumer products.”

 Caroline Mickler said: “This completely bonkers, unique and joyous family show has enormous appeal and we are looking forward to working with retailers and manufacturers to create ranges of product that fulfill fans’ appetite for this dynamic show.”