“Impractical Jokers” Set to Make Audiences Laugh around the Globe
Warner Bros. International Television Production has announced its first format licenses for the NorthSouth Productions comedy show “Impractical Jokers.”
WBITVP acquired the rights to distribute the format, which is currently airing on truTV in the U.S., in October last year and has already secured deals in three territories for local versions to be produced.
In Belgium, BlazHoffski has been commissioned to produce 8 x 35’ episodes plus 1 compilation episode due to TX in Autumn this year on VMMa. BlazHoffski will also be the producer in The Netherlands for an 8 x 25’ series which will go out on Veronica in the Spring. In the UK, Shed owned Yalli has been commissioned to produce two online pilots (10’) for BBC3 which will be launched in May.
The half-hour series is a simple and hilarious format featuring four friends competing in unbelievably awkward social challenges - all recorded by hidden cameras. But in this show, winning doesn’t matter…it’s the loser who counts, as he or she gets punished in the most mortifying, but excruciatingly funny forfeit.
“The fact that we have secured these deals whilst the first series is still airing in the U.S. shows that international producers and broadcasters agree with what first attracted us to the format – that it’s a simple and strong concept certain to make audiences laugh around the world. We are very excited to see these first local versions in production and are sure that the format will continue to travel successfully internationally” said Andrew Zein, SVP, Creative, Format Development and Sales WBITVP.
Warner Bros. International Television Production:
Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) aims to establish or acquire production companies in the major television territories around the world in order to become a leading producer of local scripted and non-scripted programming. In those territories where WBITVP establishes a production base, it operates by developing and producing original programming and also producing local versions of formats owned and controlled by the group such as “The Bachelor”, “The World’s Strictest Parents” and “Who Do You Think You Are?” Where WBITVP has no local production capability it licenses Warner Bros. formats to 3rd parties. WBITVP has already taken significant steps by acquiring a majority stake in UK production group Shed Media, one of the UK’s largest and most successful independent production companies, which operates both in the UK and the US. Most recently it has acquired a majority stake in BlazHoffski Holding B.V., a leading independent television producer in The Netherlands and Belgium. About NorthSouth Productions:
Founded by Executive Producers Charlie DeBevoise and Mark Hickman in 2000, NorthSouth is one of America’s largest independent television producers. Their credits spans a range of factual programming for clients including History, TLC, Discovery, TruTV, A&E, Food Network, Sundance, Speed and Travel Channel. NorthSouth has corporate offices in New York, LA and Tennessee, as well as production offices in Atlanta and Miami. About truTV:
truTV is television's destination for real-life stories told from an exciting and dramatic first-person perspective and features high-stakes, action-packed originals that give viewers access to places and situations they can't normally experience. Among truTV network's primetime fan favorites are the original series “Operation Repo,” “World's Dumbest,” “Hardcore Pawn,” “Lizard Lick Towing,” “Disorder in the Court,” “Black Gold,” “Las Vegas Jailhouse,” “Top 20 Most Shocking” and “Bait Car.” Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.###
Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) aims to establish or acquire production companies in the major television territories around the world in order to become a leading producer of local scripted and non-scripted programming. In those territories where WBITVP establishes a production base, it operates by developing and producing original programming and also producing local versions of formats owned and controlled by the group such as “The Bachelor”, “The World’s Strictest Parents” and “Who Do You Think You Are?” Where WBITVP has no local production capability it licenses Warner Bros. formats to 3rd parties. WBITVP has already taken significant steps by acquiring a majority stake in UK production group Shed Media, one of the UK’s largest and most successful independent production companies, which operates both in the UK and the US. Most recently it has acquired a majority stake in BlazHoffski Holding B.V., a leading independent television producer in The Netherlands and Belgium. About NorthSouth Productions:
Founded by Executive Producers Charlie DeBevoise and Mark Hickman in 2000, NorthSouth is one of America’s largest independent television producers. Their credits spans a range of factual programming for clients including History, TLC, Discovery, TruTV, A&E, Food Network, Sundance, Speed and Travel Channel. NorthSouth has corporate offices in New York, LA and Tennessee, as well as production offices in Atlanta and Miami. About truTV:
truTV is television's destination for real-life stories told from an exciting and dramatic first-person perspective and features high-stakes, action-packed originals that give viewers access to places and situations they can't normally experience. Among truTV network's primetime fan favorites are the original series “Operation Repo,” “World's Dumbest,” “Hardcore Pawn,” “Lizard Lick Towing,” “Disorder in the Court,” “Black Gold,” “Las Vegas Jailhouse,” “Top 20 Most Shocking” and “Bait Car.” Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.