ITV’s Content Director, On Demand and Acquisitions Paul Mortimer has announced new commissions for the ITV2 brand and ITV Hub aimed at young audiences.
Paul Mortimer said, “ITV2 has a strong 16-34 following on the channel and ITV Hub, thanks to shows like Love Island, and we are expanding our programming offer to give younger audiences, who increasingly watch via ITV Hub at their own convenience, a range of factual titles that will shine a spotlight on issues such as social media, health and wellbeing, relationships and travel; themes and issues that are such a big part of their lives. We’re also launching new observational documentary series with young people at their heart.”
Coming to ITV2 and ITV Hub this Autumn, Peckham’s Finest is a new observational documentary series produced by Bandicoot Scotland (part of Argonon Group), following a diverse and entrepreneurial group of young people from the area. The series will reflect the real life of the cast, which includes a BMX coach, Radio DJ, fashion boutique owner, dance teacher and choreographer, body positive coach and influencer, drag performer, barista, street food chefs, visual content creatives, a DJ and promoter and a salon owner. The Commissioning Editor for the series is Peter Tierney.
Paul Mortimer said, “Peckham’s Finest marks an exciting new direction for both ITV2 and ITV Hub. This precinct-based observational doc series with a talented and diverse cast will appeal to younger viewers both on the channel, and On Demand. The series is one of a number of new factual pieces commissioned under the ITV2 brand.”
Mortimer has also commissioned an observational documentary series following the Bradford-born Bad Boy Chiller Crew, as they embark on a summer of gigs and performing their unique, feel-good baseline anthems to audiences. Described by Rolling Stone magazine as “Hometown UK Heroes Who Want to Make the Whole World Party”, who are reviving “a dormant style of dance music with outrageous raps” newly-formed indie Rogo Productions will produce this new series which will give ITV2 and ITV Hub audiences a front row seat following these rising music stars as they tour the UK for the first time. Satmohan Panesar is the Commissioning Editor for the series.
Also announced today, Olivia Attwood is to present a new documentary series for ITV2 and ITV Hub produced by Optomen TV, Getting Filthy Rich (w/t), in which she will explore the rapidly expanding new world of selling sexual content online, to discover the reality of this phenomenon for the increasing number of people making their living this way.
Olivia takes viewers into various areas, such as ‘Sugar Babies’, ‘Cam Girls’, amateur porn stars and OnlyFans Creators who can make thousands every month from their loyal subscribers. The Commissioning Editor for the series is Kate Teckham.
Mortimer said,“Olivia has huge appeal with our audience and I’m really looking forward to seeing her in this presenting role, where she will guide the audience through these subjects and hear real people’s stories. Working with Sue Murphy’s Factual Entertainment team, it’s going to be an exciting part of our developing factual strategy, finding new factual talent who can hook younger viewers into subjects.”
Mortimer and ITV’s Factual commissioning team has already announced a new younger skewing strand for the Autumn, the Social Media Murders, bringing together single films each featuring a shocking real crime involving young people. Linking them all is the unsettling role social media played in bringing together the culprit and the victim. Modern real life story-telling that puts the victim and their loved ones central to the narrative and draws on in-the-moment material harvested from social media accounts and mobile phone footage to immerse the viewer in events as they unfolded, providing a compelling yet cautionary insight into the experiences of young people affected by disturbing 21st-century crime and the dangers social media can pose.
ITV2 will continue to commission entertainment with strong online appeal, including new shows launching this autumn.
Launching soon, Ready to Mingle is a brand-new dating game show hosted by comedian Katherine Ryan, with the series following a single girl in the search for her perfect partner, as twelve male suitors compete for her affections and the chance to win a big money prize. But in a mischievous twist, not all the boys are single, with a number of them being guided by their partners in pursuit of the prize. Taking up residence in a luxurious house, the single girl will get to know all the boys through activities, games and dates, eliminating each boy one-by-one until her ‘dream man’ remains. But which boy will be left standing? Can she suss out who is the real deal? They may not all be single, but they’re all Ready to Mingle. The series is produced by Potato, part of ITV Studios, and the Commissioning Editor is Amanda Stavri.
Following the success of Celebrity Karaoke Club, the outlandish music entertainment show returns with an entertaining and explosive spin-off series, Karaoke Club: Drag Edition. Due to air on ITV2 and ITV Hub this autumn, Karaoke Club: Drag Edition promises more epic performances and naughty night out antics as a batch of the biggest Drag stars from across the globe arrive at the club in pursuit of the sought-after karaoke trophy. The series is produced by Monkey, which is part of NBCUniversal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group. The Commissioning Editor is Peter Tierney.
ITV2 has commissioned a brand-new series of the popular comedy sketch show featuring actress, writer and TV personality Emily Atack. The Emily Atack Show saw TV’s funny girl unleash her own uniquely personal comedy and mischievous sketches and skits about life as a young woman winning legions of young fans and achieving the biggest audience for a female lead stand up show in 2020. Following on from the success of her debut series, Emily will be bringing more of her loveable and unfiltered self to her infectiously funny and relatable comedy. Fans will also be treated to a host of new impressions. The series is also produced by Monkey, and Peter Tierney is the Commissioning Editor.
ITV has also recently announced the casting for provocative teen drama, Tell Me Everything, from Noho Film & Television, in association with BFI Young Audiences Content Fund, which Mortimer has commissioned for ITV2 and ITV Hub.
Newcomers Eden H. Davies, Lauryn Ajufo, Spike Fearn and Callina Liang will lead the line-up as 16-year-old friends Jonny, Louis, Neve and Mei. Also joining the cast are Tessa Lucille and Carla Woodcock (Ackley Bridge) as new college friends Regan and Zia.
Created by Mark O’ Sullivan (Lee and Dean, The Agency), and written by Mark O’Sullivan and Yemi Oyefuwa, Tell Me Everything explores what it’s like to be coming of age in the 2020s. Brimming with heart, laughs, pathos and gut-punches, tenderness and darkness, Tell Me Everything is a six part drama exploring the stresses to mental health for today’s teens created by the omnipresence of technology and social media, whilst they are still searching for their own identity, exploring sexuality, and experimenting with relationships, drink, drugs and sex (as well as what to wear tonight…). The Commissioning Editor for the series is Chloe Tucker.
Jon Creamer
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