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BRAND NEW FRENCH PRIMETIME CELEBRITY FORMAT
07 October 2008
RDF Rights, part of the RDF Media Group has signed a deal with French independent production companies Tout Sur L’Ecran and Adenium to represent the international distribution rights for their France 2 entertainment format, Panique dans l’Oreillette (to be known internationally as Panic).
The show, originally developed by host Frédéric Lopez of Adenium, launched on the French terrestrial channel on 6th September, in the same slot as RDFR’s hit show Don’t Forget the Lyrics (N’Oubliez Pas Les Paroles) which will return later this year. Panic is a novel celebrity interview format with broad appeal. Throughout the show, which is recorded ‘as live’, a well known presenter is prompted by four friends or relatives of the celebrity who communicate with the presenter via his/her earpiece; so the presenter, the studio audience (also wearing earpieces) and the audience at home can all hear the questions and prompts from the friends and family, but importantly, the celebrity can neither hear nor see them.
The friends may be from the celebrity’s past or present, such as work colleagues or childhood friends. Their role is to provide the presenter with recollections and mischievous questions that would not normally come to light in a conventional celebrity interview. The tone is upbeat, light-hearted and maybe be a little teasing. “Thanks to a cheeky set up and an original process, Panic (Panique dans Ll’Oreillette) allows the viewers to discover the stars as they’ve never seen them before." said Frédéric Lopez, host and creator of the format. “In this big entertainment show, the truth unfolds itself and surprises unsettle the celebrity guests. The hidden friends and relatives keep the laughter coming. We are delighted as viewers have been flocking to the show and the ratings are excellent.”
“As well as being a really original idea, we were particularly drawn to the flexibility of Panic,” said Barnaby Shingleton, RDFR’s Head of Light Entertainment Acquisitions. “We think this will play well on a variety of channels and slots; from the heart of primetime to post-watershed with a slightly naughtier feel. It’s great to be able to bring fresh ideas quickly to market, and we’re really looking forward to taking Panic to MIPCOM later this month”.
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