Paramount+ has revealed a new slate of original factual titles commissioned from the UK production community, ahead of the launch of Paramount+ in the UK and Ireland tomorrow.
Curve Media is behind six-parter Hot Yachts; Two Rivers Media is making three-parter Monster: The Mystery of Loch Ness; there’s a one-off from Lonesome Pine, Simple Minds: Once Upon a Time; six-parter Strip, from Firecracker Scotland; and The Premiership: Rise of the Billionaires, From Story Films and Studio 99.
The announcement follows plans outlined last summer by Ben Frow, chief content officer, UK, Paramount, to feature premium local scripted and unscripted content alongside a selection of shows and movies from Paramount’s brands and studios.
Hot Yachts (6 x 60’, Curve Media)
Set in South Florida, the centre of the luxury yacht world, Hot Yachts enters the glamorous world of an elite group of super-competitive, party-loving, drop-dead gorgeous yacht brokers as they ruthlessly compete to sell everything from $1M motor launches to $100M super yachts to a glittering array of wealthy buyers. Get ready for big characters, insane parties, huge deals and the ultimate Instagram lifestyle in this reality series.
The series was commissioned by Kit Morey, commissioning editor, Factual, Channel 5 & Paramount+ and Daniel Pearl, commissioning editor, Unscripted, Channel 5 & Paramount+. Executive producers for Curve Media are Rob Carey, Camilla Lewis and Charlie Bunce.
- Monster: The Mystery of Loch Ness (3 x 60’, Two Rivers Media, All3Media)
Some say it’s a prehistoric monster, giant eel or sea serpent. For centuries, the deep black waters of Loch Ness have harboured tales and sightings of a huge unknown creature. This epic three-part box set tells the complete and definitive story in a detailed forensic examination of the evidence, and with first-hand accounts from those who claim to have seen, encountered and hunted the beast. Monster: The Mystery of Loch Ness investigates the sightings and the war between science and evidence – photographic, film, and anecdotal. Telling the human stories of those drawn to both the phenomenon and the place, the series reveals how the creature and this stunning, forbidding landscape has provoked feuds, fakery and failure as well as the genuinely unexplained. The story reveals lifetimes sacrificed to the pursuit of a monster that the scientific establishment has argued cannot exist … or can it?
The series is narrated by Dougray Scott and produced by award-winning Two Rivers Media, in association with All3 Media International. Mick McAvoy is executive producer with Stephen Finnigan serving as series producer. The series was ordered by Guy Davies, commissioning editor, Factual, Channel 5 and Paramount+. All3Media International will handle global sales.
- Simple Minds: Once Upon a Time (w/t) (1 x 75’, Lonesome Pine Productions)
Over three years in the making, Simple Minds: Once Upon a Time (w/t) presents the untold story of one of Scotland’s biggest musical exports. For the first time ever, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill tell their own story: the highs and lows of a forty-year career and a fifty-year friendship. How did two young kids from Glasgow deal with global adoration, success, and riches, and how does any creative relationship survive that pressure? Featuring unseen archive footage and with unique access to both Jim and Charlie, the film will reveal previously unheard tales as told by the band members themselves and their peers, spanning over forty years of global hits and worldwide tours.
Simple Minds: Once Upon a Time is made by Lonesome Pine Productions for Paramount+ and financed by BMG. It was commissioned by Greg Barnett, commissioning editor, Factual Entertainment, Channel 5 & Paramount+.
- Strip (6 x 60’, Firecracker Scotland)
This series takes you into the glamourous, aspirational world of strippers working the iconic Vegas Strip. For these women, stripping isn’t just a way to make ends meet, it’s a profession, an art form and a cornerstone of the economy. From the glitzy stages to the VIP rooms in the super clubs, Strip will follow a main cast of nine women onstage, backstage and at home, all determined to be the best in the business.
The series was commissioned by Dan Louw, commissioning editor, Factual, Channel 5 & Paramount+, and made by Firecracker Scotland, part of the Tinopolis Group. Executive producers are Elspeth O’Hare and Jennifer Gilroy. Strip will be distributed by Passion Distribution.
The Premiership: Rise of the Billionaires (w/t) (4 x 60’, Story Films, Studio 99, All3Media International)
This is the English Premier League’s coming of age story, told by its stars. As the Premier League entered its second decade (2000-2010), international billionaires set out to make their mark on the footballing landscape with open cheque books, transforming the game forever. With drama both on and off the pitch, this is the era that English football truly found its place on the world stage.
Combining premium archive with exclusive and candid interviews, this series is a co-production between the documentary team at Story Films, David Beckham’s Studio 99, and All3Media International.
The series was ordered by Daniel Louw, commissioning editor, Factual, Channel 5 and Paramount+. Executive producers for Story Films are Peter Beard and Adam Hopkins, with series producer, Tom Wilde. Executive producers for Studio 99 are Nicola Howson and David Gardner, with Josef Kaplicky as Producer. All3Media International will handle global sales.
Pippa Considine
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