Disney+ has ordered a new raft of reality commissions including the return of dating series Blind Date, “reimagined for a contemporary audience.”
The new series of Blind Date will begin in a secret “Blind Date” location, where contestants must choose between three potential suitors, hidden from view behind the legendary Blind Date wall. “With a host of unique, innovative and head-turning format twists, our daters will see if forever love can truly grow as they spend the summer living together but potential new partners are always lurking behind the wall…”
The Original series (10×45’) is executive produced by Matthew Worthy & Kieran Doherty for Stellify Media (a Sony Pictures Television-backed company) and Graham Stuart for SO TV (part of ITV Studios). The series was commissioned and is executive produced by Sean Doyle, Executive Director, Unscripted for Disney+.
Within the new slate is also a new premium access series, “The Rooneys” (working title). The Original series (10×40’) is produced by Lorton Entertainment and Blast Films.
The observational doc-series will feature Coleen and Wayne Rooney “like we’ve never seen them before”, along with their family and friends, as they step into a new chapter of their lives. The ten-part series will “follow Coleen as she navigates new entrepreneurial endeavours, while Wayne swaps training for the school run.”
“The Rooneys” (w/t) is executive produced by Julian Bird, Paul Stretford and Ashley Smith for Lorton Entertainment, Danny Horan and Tanya Winston for Blast Films. The Series Director is Martin Webb and Nonuk Walter serves as showrunner. The series was commissioned by Sean Doyle, Executive Director, Unscripted for Disney+ and is executive produced by Jon Swain, Commissioning Executive, Unscripted for Disney+.
Also commissioned is “Jamie and Sophie: Raising Chelsea” (working title), featuring Made in Chelsea stars Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo as they embrace parenthood. The series is produced by Dorothy St Pictures in association with Jampot Productions.
“Jamie and Sophie: Raising Chelsea” (w/t) is produced by the company behind “Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story” and the EMMY nominated “Pamela, A Love Story”, Dorothy St Pictures, in association with Jampot Productions. Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo also executive produce. The series was commissioned by Sean Doyle, Executive Director, Unscripted for Disney+ and is executive produced by Gaby Aung, Senior Manager, Unscripted for Disney+.
Sean Doyle, Executive Director of Unscripted at Disney+ said, “We’ve seen great success over the past couple of years with our Disney+ Original unscripted series such as “Finding Michael”, “Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story”, “Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story” and more recently, “Flintoff”.
“Our distinctive offering of combining the most talked-about household names and their incredible life experiences has hit the right note with our audiences who are looking for authentic and captivating real-life stories.
“As our slate evolves, we want to continue working with world-class producers and homegrown talent in the reality space, with a focus on female-skewed factual. These shows will complement our existing and iconic reality offering from our US studio partners, including The Kardashians and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
“We’re really grateful to be working with the Rooney’s again, along with Jamie and Sophie for the first time, and Blind Date is a brilliant opportunity to bring everyone’s favourite dating show to a large scale with the potential to resonate with a whole new generation.”
Filming is underway on The Rooneys (w/t) and Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo: Raising Chelsea (w/t). Production will begin on Blind Date later this year. Further details will be announced in due course.
Jon Creamer
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