Keshet International (KI), the global distribution and production arm of Israel’s Keshet Media Group, has sold ITV2 UK’s version of its successful dating format Girlfri3nds to TVA Group in Canada and the premium Australian subscription television network, Foxtel.
TVA Group has bought the complete first and second UK seasons of the show (16 x 1 hour) for its MOI&cie subscription channel (Oprah The Big Interview, One Born Every Minute) and began airing season one this month under the French title Célibatair3s. Foxtel has acquired season one (8 x 1 Hour) and will premiere the show on its LifeStyle YOU channel (Dance Moms, The Only Way Is Essex and Embarrassing Bodies) this year.
Girlfri3nds
The first series of Girlfri3nds in the UK averaged 445,000 viewers and a 1.7% share, regularly adding a further 400,000 viewers watching repeats during the week of transmission. The series peaked with the season finale which drew 552,000 and a 2.3% share. The second UK series maintained the series and drew a similar share for its season finale. Across the second series, including repeats, Girlfri3nds reached 5.4m individuals and 1.7m of which were aged between 16-34.
Keren Shahar, Head of Distribution and Acquisitions at Keshet International, said, “Girlfri3nds is very translatable series and the secret to its success is that it’s not just a dating format, it’s about friendship, support and guidance as three women bond together and look out for each other on their quest to find their true soulmate – much like we do in our real lives. I have no doubt that the series will do well in these new territories.”
Far from what we’ve come to know as a typical “dating show”, Girlfri3nds is about three hopefuls’ authentic quest to help each other find their Mr Right. Devoid of clichés and superficial displays of affection, the show goes to great lengths to capture real life interactions – the good, bad, weird and wonderful – as the singles whittle down hundreds of men from all over the country to three potential soulmates. Quite often what can be appealing to one single can repel another! But occasionally, more than one single is interested in the same potential date and that’s when the girls must call on their friendship and honesty to make compromises about who should move forward. Girlfri3nds follows our singles as they share a house together and support each other through every stage of the anxious yet exciting dating process – the laughs, the tears and the tensions –and reveals who will leave the house as one half of a couple and who will chose to leave alone.
The original Israeli version of the unscripted format, which premiered in prime time on Keshet Channel 2 in October 2011, achieved an average 40.2% share, 15% above the time slot average. The season finale scored a season high viewing record with a 45.3% share and 36.8% rating (HH), making the episode the highest rated non-live reality show in Israel.
