LONDON – Global producer and distributor Endemol Shine Group has signed two new series deals for MasterChef Junior across Central and Eastern Europe.

These deals will see the blockbuster competition culinary show launch in Greece on Star and Hungary for TV2, both of which will air fall 2018.

Natalie Bushaeva, Regional Director of Format Distribution for Central and Eastern Europe at Endemol Shine Group said: “MasterChef Junior is an inspirational show with broad audience appeal and is set to be a sure-fire hit across the region. Announcing two new deals, with more in the pipeline, as we head to NAPTE Budapest really cements the format as one of the our most popular brands.”

MasterChef Junior gives young super cooks aged between 8-13 years the chance to showcase their culinary abilities and passion for food through delicious challenges. From the technical to the spectacular these contestants prove that when it comes to cooking, age doesn’t matter.

A global success, MasterChef Junior is a primetime hit in 28 markets including the US, Spain, Finland and Poland.

The show is part of the MasterChef franchise, which was last year named as the most successful cookery television format in the world having been adapted locally in 54 countries, it is seen in over 200 countries and watched globally by over 250 million viewers. Originally created by Franc Roddam, the format was revived as MasterChef Goes Large in 2005 by Shine TV in the UK.

The MasterChef brand extends into a huge range of successful commercial activities across multiple platforms including extensive publishing, consumer products, live events, travel, digital and B2B activities.

Endemol Shine Group creates various content for all platforms including global hits Black Mirror, Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, Humans, Hunted, Peaky Blinders, The Island, The Brain, Tin Star and Your Face Sounds Familiar.

The company is also behind new entertainment formats such as All Together Now which launched in the UK in January and has already sold to a total of five markets including Germany, France, Australia and Brazil, Big Bounce Battle which has been ordered for a second series by RTL Germany and Australia’s Family Food Fight which has been commissioned by ABC in the US.

Last year, Endemol Shine Group produced more than 800 productions, in 78 territories airing on more than 275 channels around the world.