London – Banijay International has signed an exclusive formats representation deal in the Middle East, teaming with local production partner Periscoop.

The deal will see Periscoop, which is led by Péri Cochin and is one of most prominent producers in the Middle East, representing adaptation and distribution rights for Banijay International’s portfolio of hit non-scripted formats throughout the region.

The new partnership follows a previous collaboration between Periscoop and Banijay International for Dubai, which saw a local adaptation of France’s longest running live music show Taratata – originally produced by Banijay Group’s Air Productions – running for seven seasons on pan-regional broadcaster Dubai TV. Periscoop is already in advanced discussions on a number of key titles from the Banijay International formats portfolio, with new local adaptations expected to be announced soon.

Sebastian Burkhardt, SVP International Distribution at Banijay International, commented, “We’re delighted to team with such an expert partner in the Middle East. Péri Cochin and her team at Periscoop have a wealth of knowledge and experience of successfully adapting international formats for this market and this collaboration will provide a host of further opportunities for our hit shows in this vibrant region.”

Péri Cochin added, “There is always strong demand throughout the Middle East for innovative new shows and we’re very pleased to exclusively partner with Banijay International in showcasing their diverse formats portfolio to this market. We’re already in talks with local broadcasters and look forward to bringing some fantastic new productions to Middle Eastern viewers.”