Fremantle & Japan’s Kansai TV strike format co-development deal

Vasha Wallace & Miho Okada

Fremantle has struck a co-development deal with commercial broadcaster Kansai TV to launch a new format in Japan. 

Kansai TV will produce and broadcast the Japanese original version later this year, and Fremantle will handle production and global distribution for the show. Details of the new entertainment format will be shared soon, said Fremantle.

Kansai TV is a Japanese broadcaster, based in Osaka. Its content slate includes drama series such as My Dangerous Wife, He Who Can’t Marry and My Dear Exes, as well as non-scripted titles including Matchmakers and Crazy Carousel.

Miho Okada, executive managing director at Kansai TV, said “We’re delighted to work with Fremantle to co-develop a new game show format. We have started to exchange ideas with Fremantle’s development team, and we believe that the format will bring great fun and excitement. We can’t wait to show our Japanese version to the world and hope that the format will travel to many countries and regions.”

Vasha Wallace, EVP, global Acquisitions and development at Fremantle, added: “Japan is such an interesting and creative market, and we’re thrilled to be working with Kansai TV to develop, produce and distribute an exciting new format with their talented production team.

“This partnership further builds on the work we have done with the Fuji group to create global hit formats which have travelled very successfully around the globe including Hole in the Wall, Total Blackout, All Star Athletics and The Noise. We look forward to sharing more about this exciting new format soon.