BBC Worldwide Channels has ordered Million Dollar Intern (10 x 48 mins), a brand new factual entertainment format from Outline Productions, to air on its network of BBC-branded channels around the world. The title reinforces BBC Worldwide Channels’ commitment to increasing the number of original programme hours on the global network to 100 by 2014.
Million Dollar Intern will be fully funded by BBC Worldwide Channels as part of the strategy outlined by Vice President of Commissioning Tracy Forsyth last September, to work with independent producers and the BBC’s in-house production teams to create long-running, returnable
television formats for the global channel portfolio. BBC Worldwide will hold all commercial rights to the new series, including global broadcast and distribution.
Tapping into the creativity and dynamism of a new generation of young entrepreneurs, Million Dollar Intern will see business whiz kids from around the world go to work for a week at the bottom rung of a range of businesses which are failing to reach their potential in an effort to re-energise them. Disguised as ordinary interns, they will monitor the companies from the inside – in between making cups of coffee and doing menial tasks. With the innocence of youth as cover, the interns gain the confidence of the staff and start unravelling where problems lie. When they finally reveal their true credentials, it will be to shake up the businesses with a raft of inspiring ideas.
Created with global audiences in mind, the new title builds on one part of Tracy Forsyth’s twin track commissioning strategy; to order both international formats which will air in all markets, alongside local productions targeting individual markets. Million Dollar Intern will premiere globally in Summer 2013 on BBC Knowledge (Africa, Asia, Australia, Cyprus, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, the Nordic Region, Poland and Romania), BBC Entertainment (Latin America), and BBC HD (Latin America, the Nordic Region, Poland and Turkey).
Tracy Forsyth, VP Commissioning, BBC Worldwide Channels said, “The concept of entrepreneurship, especially among young people, has great universal appeal, and I have no doubt that Million Dollar Intern will do to really well with our international audience. Outline Productions pitched a fantastic format, with huge potential to run and run – exactly the type of high quality, returnable series that I’m seeking for BBC Worldwide’s channel portfolio.”
Laura Mansfield, Managing Director, Outline Productions and Executive Producer said, “As a producer, the opportunity to create a new format directly for a global audience is an exciting challenge, and one which inspired not only our development team, but appealed to the extraordinary young business people we’ve found. We’re really excited about the creative learning in building a global brand from the outset with BBC Worldwide and think this format and the new talent we’ve got on board to star in it has loads of scope.”
BBC Worldwide Channels’ slate of original commissions has been steadily gathering pace since Tracy Forsyth unveiled her commissioning strategy last September. Recently announced titles include Best In Town (Mox Productions), Bill’ Kitchen: Notting Hill (Furneaux and Edgar Productions), and a second series of Come Dine With Me South Africa (Rapid Blue), alongside Dara O Briain’s Science Club, Stargazing, Food and Drink (all ordered from the BBC’s in-house production teams).
