Japan’s NHK picks up De Chinezen’s Emergency Call, plays The Mating Game

Silverback Films’ The Mating Game was produced for the BBC and Discovery

Japanese broadcaster NHK has acquired documentary format Emergency Call for local adaptation.

Created by De Chinezen for Belgian Flemish broadcaster VRT Eén, Emergency Call follows the ups and downs of an emergency call centre through the experiences of the people who work there.

Lineup Industries handles global distribution of the format, which has already been adapted locally in French-speaking Belgium, Australia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Turkey and the US, as well as being actively optioned for further markets. NHK’s adaptation will premiere in January.

The broadcaster will also air natural history series The Mating Game on its 8K satellite channel in January.

Produced by NHK and UK-based Silverback Films for the BBC and Discovery, and coproduced with China’s Bilibili and France Televisions, The Mating Game (5×60’) explores how animals tackle nature’s ultimate quest: the pursuit of a partner.