Pascal Dalton’s Shimmer partners with William Tan to shop Chinese formats globally

Shimmer Media, the new boutique formats company set up by former ITV Studios exec Pascal Dalton, has picked up distribution rights to a slate of Chinese formats.

Pascal Dalton

The properties, to be shopped internationally, are part of a new partnership with William Tan, the former MD of Endemol Shine China, and his The Content Connect Company.

Shimmer’s slate includes The Next, a Tencent game and talent format in which 26 social media singers have to mix strategy, gameplay and singing to guarantee their place in the final. Described as “Squid Games and talent combined,” the format rewards both good singing and strategic gameplay.

Another Tencent format, Moving On, is also included. The reality show sees six jilted lovers go on a 21-day trip in two camper vans in a bid to mend their broken hearts.

Finally, Crush of Music, from JSTV, aims to create a hit song by matching 10 famous singers with six songwriters, with a judge deciding on the right combination.

Dalton, who was at Endemol Shine from 2009 to 2017, launched Shimmer earlier this year after working at ITV Studios between 2017 and 2024.