RDFR SECURES HOST OF SALES FOR PANIC

23 March 2009

  RDF Rights, part of the RDF Media Group, has secured a number of deals for Panic, the primetime celebrity interview format currently airing on France 2.   


Magnolia is producing a pilot of the format in Spain for Antena 3, and they have also optioned the format for the Italian market. Panic has also been picked up by Tévé Company in Belgium and Metrenome in Norway and Sweden. MBC has picked up the show for Arabic speaking territories in the Middle East excluding Israel, and Panic is being represented by RDFUSA and RDF TV in the USA and UK respectively.  

The show, originally developed by host Frédéric Lopez of Adenium, and produced by Tout Sur L’Ecran, launched on the French terrestrial channel in September 2008 and moved to a primetime slot in 2009. 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.  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.  

Barnaby Shingleton, RDFR’s Head of Light Entertainment Acquisitions said; ”We are very pleased that so many top producers and broadcasters have shown confidence in Panic, particularly given the difficulties in the market. The show is an innovative re-working of the tired chat show format that clearly appeals to viewers, as demonstrated by the excellent ratings coming out of France.”