London, UK – BBC Worldwide announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with leading Chinese media company, Shanghai Media Group Pictures (SMG Pictures) that will see expansion of the Doctor Who brand in China.
The MOU was inked at a signing ceremony at BBC Worldwide’s Television Centre in London, with Mr Chen Sijie, GM of SMG Pictures and Jaclyn-Lee Joe, Chief Marketing Officer, BBC Worldwide. Madam Wang Jianjun, Director General President of Shanghai Media Group, Tim Davie, Chief Executive of BBC Worldwide and Kelvin Yau, GM, Greater China, BBC Worldwide witnessed the event.
The agreement will see BBC Worldwide working with SMG Pictures to increase the Doctor Who fan base in China, exploring future opportunities as well as exchanging expertise between the two teams.
The MOU comes on the back of a content deal that BBC Worldwide also signed with SMG Pictures yesterday evening. The deal will see the entire catalogue of Doctor Who including spin-offs, Torchwood and Class available on popular TV channels and on-demand platforms all over China.The deal not only covers Showrunners Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat’s Series 1- 10, but also incoming Showrunner Chris Chibnall’s yet-to-film Series 11, as well as a first look for Series 12-15.
BBC Worldwide and Oriental Pearl Group previously worked together on the theatrical release ofSherlock – The Abominable Bride as well as the upcoming launch of One Amazing Day a co-production with SMG Pictures. The entire catalogue of Top Gear, Top Gear UK and all the UK specials, as well as five series of Top Gear USA, six series of Top Gear Korea and both series of Top Gear China has also recently launched on BesTV, SMG’s linear television service. There has also been a CBeebies programming block on BesTV since 2014.
Shanghai Media Group Pictures is the film business unit of Oriental Pearl Group, held by Shanghai Media Group. Doctor Who is a BBC Studios production for BBC One and a BBC AMERICA co-production.