RDFR brings Iron Chef to MIPTV
17 February 2010
RDF Rights (RDFR) and the producers of Iron Chef America, Keller Productions and Triage Entertainment, have teamed up to represent the Iron Chef format at MIPTV.
Iron Chef, originally devised and owned by the Fuji Creative Corporation, enjoyed huge success in Japan in the 1990s, and subsequently on the Food Network in the USA which is currently airing its 9th season.
The deal was brokered by Barnaby Shingleton, RDFR Rights’ Head of Light Entertainment Acquisitions and Pippa Lambert of agency ICM and comes off the back of a commission by Channel 4 of a daily stripped version of the classic format to be produced by IWC Media, part of the RDF Media Group.
The Iron Chef UK format takes the characteristic elements of the Japanese and American shows but tweaks them slightly to allow the format to run in a prime access slot across a week.
RDFR, on behalf of Keller/Triage will be handling both the primetime format and the daytime format for all territories excluding Asia and North America.
“Iron Chef is a great show with a proven track record. With the movement of cooking competitions into primetime slots and the production efficiencies made in Iron Chef UK we are confident that many broadcasters will take a fresh look at this classic format” says Barnaby Shingleton.
“We are very excited to be launching Iron Chef in the UK with RDF and IWC” says Eytan Keller of Keller Productions.
Steve Kroopnick of Triage Entertainment added "Moving forward, this is a partnership we all truly believe in"
Iron Chef UK is due to launch on Channel 4 later this year.