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Banijay, Tuvalu knock for Magnify format

Emilie Cerretti and Joël Legendre front Ouvrez, on ne Sait Jamais!

Banijay in the Nordics and Tuvalu Media in the Netherlands are among the companies to have picked up home-improvement format When a Designer Knocks from UK distributor Magnify Media.

The pan-Scandinavian deal with Banijay has seen the format optioned for Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.

Along with Newen-owned firms Tuvalu and Constantin Entertainment (Germany), the format has been acquired by Banijay outfit Zodiak in Belgium and Screentime in Australia. Newen’s factual- and entertainment-focused subsidiary Production Valley has picked up the rights for France.

The original When a Designer Knocks (13×30’) was produced by Zone 3 in Canada for Bell Media’s French-language Canal Vie, airing earlier this year under the title Ouvrez, on ne Sait Jamais! (Open, You Never Know!).

The format sees a celebrity designer and comedian enter people’s houses to see if they can sort out any decorating mistakes they find within.

Andrea Jackson, CEO of Magnify Media, said it was “rare that a format gets picked up so rapidly by so many prestigious production companies in this number of territories,” adding that this proved the programme had the ingredients for a “highly returnable” series.

“The potential for the show is clear. There’s no pre-casting in this format so there’s a raw energy that’s so much fun. If you’re not expecting guests, most people’s homes are a real mess and this is really funny,” Jackson said.

Magnify is also representing Zone 3 design show All For a Cottage (Tous Pour un Chalet), which was also originally produced for Canal Vie. The format has been optioned by Keshet for its UK production company.

Magnify’s representation deal with Zone 3 comes hot on the heels of the agreement Magnify struck with CNN International’s production department, CNN Vision. Under the terms of the deal, Magnify will distribute three CNN Vision shows focusing on travel, cookery and health.

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