Facebook nets Shaq series

Facebook Watch has ordered an eight-episode interactive series following former basketball star Shaquille O’Neal as he realises his lifelong dream of launching a restaurant.

Shaquille O’Neal playing for LA Lakers (photo: Steve Lipofsky)

Big Chicken Shaq will be produced by The Content Group’s Asylum Entertainment and will launch on the platform this autumn.

Steve Michaels, Jonathan Koch, Ryann Lauckner, James Macnab and Mark Efman will executive produce the show for Asylum and The Content Group. O’Neal is also an executive producer alongside Perry Rogers, Colin Smeeton and Mike Parris.

The series will chronicle the ex-LA Lakers star’s journey as he attempts to balance his busy life with opening his own establishment.

Fans will be invited to connect in real-time to help shape the new Las Vegas restaurant, called Big Chicken, which will launch later this year.

The series will also feature a variety of content in between episodes and O’Neal will leverage Facebook Live to surprise fans with cook-alongs, taste tests and other activities.

In related news, Facebook has renewed its transmedia scripted teen drama Skam Austin for a second season on Watch.

The series tells realistic and authentic stories about American teenagers, utilising Instagram in real time alongside the series as characters post pictures and updates.

The English-language version of Norwegian teen drama Skam (Shame), produced by Fuller’s XIX Entertainment, was first unveiled as a Facebook Watch series at Mipcom in October.