Cannes – FremantleMedia announced on April 8 an exclusive multi-year co-development deal with the creative mastermind behind a number of the world’s biggest television formats, Dick De Rijk. FremantleMedia’s Global Entertainment Development team will form a strategic partnership with De Rijk to create the next generation of globally adaptable game and entertainment formats.
Specialising in entertainment programming, De Rijk is renowned for having developed numerous global successes during his exclusive partnerships with John de Mol, Endemol and Red Arrow International. The most distributed game show ever, Deal or No Deal, was created by De Rijk and proved to be an international blockbuster (on TV and in multimedia applications) having been on air in well over 150 countries. Other successes include formats such as Set For Life, Show Me The Money and You Deserve It. With offices based in Hilversum, Netherlands, Dick is one of the few European format developers to be repeatedly successful in the U.S. (including syndication).
Rob Clark, Director of Global Entertainment Development, FremantleMedia said: “Dick is a format mastermind and I am extremely excited to be working with him. Dick is an ideas man, with a fantastic understanding of the Global TV market and you can see from the formats that he’s developed, that he thinks creatively and strategically. I hope that alongside our global network of production companies, we can together build the next Global Entertainment TV franchise.”
Dick De Rijk said: “This new alliance with FremantleMedia feels like a big challenge. A distributing partner of this size, both creatively and geographically, offers every opportunity to create some new fireworks in the television landscape. Working closely with Rob is a privilege, and will be great fun. He is no doubt one of the most respected professionals in our business. To be part of a culture that cherishes originality and top quality productions around the globe sounds very promising to me. I can’t wait to get going.”
FremantleMedia is home to some of the biggest entertainment formats in the world including Idols, Farmer Wants a Wife, Take Me Out, The X Factor and Got Talent. This MIPTV, FremantleMedia came to the market with a whole host of new formats including the controversial social reality show, Benefits Street; dating format, The Love Table; sporty entertainment competition, Fittest Family; medical reality format, An Hour to Save Your Life; and a talent series for aspiring writers, Masterpiece.
