YouTube-first label Hearst Canvas launches unscripted format Pitch, Please!

King Kenny and content creator Adeola Patronne in Pitch Please!

Hearst Canvas, the YouTube-focused label launched by Hearst Networks late last year, has launched a show featuring The Celebrity Traitors UK star Kenny Oghenovo Ojuederie, aka King Kenny.

Pitch, Please! sees two hosts compete to help a small business tackle a real challenge, whether it’s attracting more customers, boosting sales or standing out in a crowded market.

They then take to the streets to gather candid, often unexpected opinions from the public, and use those insights to develop two very different pitches offering potential solutions.

The result is a mix of ambitious ideas, unconventional problem-solving and comic chaos, Hearst Canvas said.

Talent featured in the series includes social media creator duo Will Makoni and Josh Grigson, and comedians Eshaan Akbarand Darren Harriott.

The second episode, launched last week, sees King Kenny go head-to-head with content creator Adeola Patronne.

Produced in partnership with UK indie Objekt, each 15-minute episode is available on a dedicated YouTube channel first, before rolling out across other social video platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.

Pitch, Please! is the first of two original shows being launched by Hearst Canvas this year. The second, Frontier Collective, is described as a digital-first adventure network built around established explorers and adventure personalities.

Both have been commissioned and are executive produced by Sam Pearson for Hearst Canvas.

Danny Baggott, who joined Hearst Canvas as creative director earlier this year, said: “The strength of Pitch, Please! lies in its clear and compelling premise, taking a genuine business challenge to the public and asking two hosts to transform that feedback into competing pitches.”

Heather Jones, chief creative officer EMEA and general manager UK at Hearst Networks, said: “We built Hearst Canvas because we saw a clear opportunity to create original brands specifically for audiences who increasingly watch content on digital and social platforms. It gives us the freedom to explore new genres, work with emerging and established talent, and build distinctive IP.”