Shine ready to educate China

MIPCOM: UK terrestrial Channel 4’s observational documentary format Educating… is heading to China thanks to a deal between distributor Shine International and local broadcaster Hunan TV.

The School, created by UK prodco Twofour and aired on C4 as Educating Essex, Educating Yorkshire and Educating The East End, places fixed-rig cameras throughout a school building and films the staff and students.

The UK versions have achieved critical acclaim, won numerous awards and quadrupled C4’s slot average. A Chinese version will be worked on for 2015.

Beryl Yan, Hunan TV’s head of programme strategy and international business, said: “The format itself is a breakthrough in telling real-life stories and sheds light on how the future of our nation is being educated.

“A group of in-house production teams are currently working on different ideas of localisation and we expect to launch the Chinese version next year.”

The show follows other Shine formats into China – Celebrity MasterChef airs on JiangSu TV and Big Town Dance on Yunnan TV.