Singing Show ‘Starstruck‘ Gets Italian Remake
Starstruck, the Banijay singing format, is being remade for Warner Bros Discovery channel Nove in Italy. The show sees trios of ordinary people team up and take to the stage, transforming into tributes of significant music acts. They compete against other groups before a final round when they compete against each other for a cash prize. Banijay Italia is making Nove’s show, which is the seventh version of Starstruck, following the ITV original from the UK and subsequent remakes in Chile, Bulgaria, Belgium, Denmark and Portugal. “Starstruck is a celebration of music, talent, and transformation,” said Francesco Lauber, Chief Creative Officer of Banijay Italia. “Italian audiences love high-energy competitions, and with its mix of incredible performances and emotional moments, this adaptation is set to become must-watch TV.”
Road Trip Comedy ‘Saving Buddy Charles’ Readies Shoot
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EXCLUSIVE: A buddy comedy from writer and actor Jillian Shea Spaeder is set to begin production this spring in LA. Directed by Grace Wethor, Saving Buddy Charles follows best friends Clara and Sydney, played by Analesa Fisher (Metal Lords) and Spaeder (Walk the Prank), respectively, who embark on a cross-country journey to rescue a pet lizard. Secretly, Clara is battling with an illness that has given her just six months to live without a heart transplant. Ariel Martin (Zombies 2) and digital content creator Ian Boggs are also in the cast. Spaeder is producing the film in association with David Lyons and Jeremy Walton of Moo Studios and Tom George of Happy Hour Productions. “At its heart, Saving Buddy Charles is a story about love, loss, and the reckless, beautiful chaos of friendship,” said Wethor. “It’s a coming-of-age comedy that leans into the absurd, because sometimes when life delivers its hardest blows, laughter is the only way to fight back.” Spaeder is represented by CESD; Wethor by Authentic Talent & Literary, Jackoway Austen Tyerman, and EAA; Fisher by Ad Lunam Entertainment & CESD; and Martin by Avenue Artists Management.
Grierson Trust Names Latest Trustees
The UK’s Grierson Trust has named six new trustees following an open call for board applications. They are editor and edit consultant Zeb Achonu; Derren Lawford, founder of Dare Pictures; Rick Murray, CEO of Workerbee Group; director Toby Trackman; Oli Harbottle, Chief Content Officer of indie film distributor Dogwoof; and Netflix production exec Jessica Ross. Achonu, Lawford, Murray and Trackman join as this month, while Harbottle and Ross take up their roles in December, when two existing trustees, Guy Davies and Rob Stapledon, finish their second and final terms. Already on the board are Davies, Stapledon, Sreya Biswas, Louisa Compton, Harjeet Chhokar, Amali de Silva, Nelesh Dhand, Poppy Dixon, Tanya Motie, Donna Taberer and Maxine Watson. The Grierson Trust celebrates British and international documentary and factual TV. It oversees the British Documentary Awards, known as the Griersons, which takes place this year on November 18 at the Roundhouse music and arts venue in Camden, London.
The post ‘Starstruck’ Tunes Up In Italy; Road Trip Movie Readies L.A. Shoot; Griersons Trustees Named – Global Briefs appeared first on Deadline.
