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BBC orders gameshow, charts iPlayer

Blue Planet II was iPlayer’s most popular programme of the year

The BBC in the UK has ordered a new Saturday night gameshow and revealed the most popular programme of the year on its on-demand service iPlayer.

Six-part gameshow And They’re Off For Sport Relief will see celebrities taking part in unpredictable obstacle courses, including running through mud and hurtling down giant water slides before a final showdown.

The series, which is being produced ahead of BBC charity event Sports Relief, will air from January 6 and will feature celebrities including ex-footballer Michael Owen and former rugby star Mike Tindall.

It is being made by STV Productions from a format co-developed by Motion Content Group. It was commissioned by controller of BBC Entertainment Kate Phillips and commissioning editor, entertainment and daytime Jo Street. Gary Chippington exec produces for STV Productions.

Meanwhile, the BBC has revealed that blue-chip natural history series Blue Planet II has become iPlayer’s most popular programme of the year so far, with 4.2 million requests for the first episode.

It has overtaken the first episode of Tom Hardy’s Georgian-era drama Taboo by 133,000 requests to become the new frontrunner.

Blue Planet II will remain on BBC iPlayer until the new year, and, following the final episode on Sunday, is joined by an ultra-high definition version.

Other popular shows on iPlayer include the second run of drama Doctor Foster, which had 3.7 million requests for its first episode and three million for the second, and BBC1 series Three, with 3.4 million requests for the first episode and three million for the second.

Other shows to feature in BBC iPlayer’s top 10 programmes of 2017 include Sherlock’s New Year’s Day episode, the second episode of Blue Planet II, new series Apple Tree Yard and the return of crime drama Line of Duty.

Finally, kids’ channel CBeebies has ordered a raft of new and retiring programming including a preschool production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It will be produced by BBC Children’s with Tony Reed exec producing.

The slate also includes fellow in-house shows Lochside (20×15′), about life in a Scottish veterinary practice, toddler series Baby Club and further seasons of Time for School and Magic Hands.

Other commissions, the last to come from outgoing CBeebies controller Kay Benbow, include Junk Rescue, which was announced yesterday after producer Hello Halo named its new head of children’s.

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