29 June 2007

2waytraffic International scores Russian hat-trick

2waytraffic International today announces three new format deals in Russia. The formats and interactive content provider has completed a deal with TNT Broadcasting Network for a Russian version of its comedy reality format, Hypnotic World, and with TV Channel Russia for home-grown versions of its lifestyle entertainment formats, You Are What You Eat and Turn Back Your Body Clock.

The series of 12 x 60 minute episodes of Hypnotic World will be called Hypnosis and produced by Kefir Productions, with transmission slated on TNT nationwide throughout Russia later this year. Russian hypnotist, Dmitry Dombrovski, will host the series. The deal is the first international license for the Hypnotic World format, originally a huge success on ITV in the UK, in which members of a studio audience perform extraordinary and hilarious actions under hypnosis.

State-owned Russian channel, TV Channel Russia will produce 13 episodes of You Are What You Eat with transmission slated for October 2007, and 8 episodes of Turn Back Your Body Clock for March 2008 transmission.

Since its launch on Channel 4 in the UK 3 years ago, You Are What You Eat has enjoyed considerable success across the globe with the format and/or completed UK series sold to over 30 territories, whilst the completed UK series of Turn Back Your Body Clock, which uses cutting edge medical analysis and lifestyle examination to show how unhealthy living effects life-expectancy, has been sold to 9 territories including Australia (Nine Network), Canada (W Network), the USA (BBC America) and the Netherlands (RTL) since its launch last year.

Ed Louwerse, Managing Director of 2waytraffic International, commented:

“Health and lifestyle programming is relatively new for the Russian market, so I’m delighted that we have been able to secure our place in this emerging trend with not just one but two formats. Hypnotic World was a huge hit in the UK and we’re confident TNT’s viewers will love it. Together these three deals make a fantastic hat-trick.”

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