Ultimate School Musical, Mentorn International’s fastest-selling format, is to go into production for FOXTEL in Australia.
FOXTEL has commissioned Fremantle to produce the ten-hour series in conjunction with the Gordon Frost Organisation, the Australian stage producers of Fame which will be the chosen musical. The series will transmit on FOXTEL’s popular entertainment channel, FOX 8 in the New Year.
The Australian production comes as the second UK series is airing on Sky1, “Grease: The School Musical” which transmits on Sunday’s at 7pm. Hosted by Duncan James the series follows ordinary teenagers from a school as they are set an extraordinary challenge - to put on a musical production to a professional standard in just six weeks. The first series, Hairspray: The School Musical was hosted by Denise Van Outen.
Executive Director Of Television & Marketing for FOXTEL Australia, Brian Walsh, said: “The series is a unique blend of music, performance, creativity and the celebration of youth which provides an opportunity to discover the next generation of Australian talent.”
“Australia has produced some of the world's most popular and acclaimed stage and screen performers and Ultimate School Musical is the ideal platform to encourage the development of the next era of star performers.”
“FOXTEL has a proven track record of successfully adapting international formats such as "Australia's Next Top Model" and "Project Runway Australia" and I'm confident that "Ultimate School Musical" will follow the trend.”
David Leach, Managing Director of Mentorn International, said: “We’re delighted that Australia will be the next country to produce our format and that we’re continuing our long and successful relationship with FOXTEL.
“This format continues to generate great international interest and we’re looking forward to seeing how the Australian children do with Fame after the success of Hairspray and Grease in the UK.”
“It’s a superb family entertainment show, an irresistible mix of docu-soap and showbiz, with a feelgood factor. There are real life stories and jeopardy as we see whether the school children can pull off such a massive challenge, and deliver all the glitz and glamour of a professional musical.”
Since the format was launched at MIPCOM 2008, it is in production or development in 12 countries, including Denmark, France, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands and Portugal as well as Spain and Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Finland, following the UK. Discussions are ongoing with Canada and South Africa.
Among those who have optioned the format are: TV4 in Sweden, Endemol in France, Sony Entertainment in Spain and Mastiff in Norway and Finland.
Visit Mentorn International at stand 11.29 at MIPCOM 2009.
Notes to editors:
Mentorn International is the distribution arm of Mentorn Media and Mentorn USA, leading independent producers in the UK and North America, with successful International formats and award-winning programming for the UK and worldwide. Mentorn International sells formats and licensed programmes including reality, entertainment, factual entertainment, drama, current affairs and factual genres.
For further information please contact Louise Plank on behalf of Mentorn Media on 020 8995 3936 or lou@plankpr.com