Wall to Wall is to produce an ambitious canine competition format inspired by Canicross – a man and dog cross country sport - for BBC2 after being brought an idea by Hastings-based indie Ten66.

Canicross

Wall to Wall is currently hunting for eight competitors and their canine companions to take part in the 4 x 60-minute competition format, which was the developed from an idea by Ten66 founder Rukhsana Mosam.

Mosam described the format as “a great big, feel-good, family entertainment” show with widespread appeal.

You and Your Dog: The Perfect Partnership (w/t), which began life as an entertainment idea, was developed into specialist factual format by Wall to Wall producer Cate Hall and head of natural history and specialist factual Tom McDonald, whose role was recently expanded following the departure of Martin Davidson.

The show will follow people and their dogs under-taking training and activities together including intelligence challenges and obedience tasks.

It will show how to develop and maintain the health and happiness of your dog, as well as exploring the relationship between owner and dog.

Wall to Wall chief executive Leanne Klein was responsible for getting the commission over the line with the BBC.

Mosam said her initial pitch to broadcasters had been met with a combination of intrigue and disbelief, so standing by her conviction that she had a hit on her hands, she approached Wall to Wall.

“In the end I wasn’t pinning down that one deal with that one broadcaster that I wanted so I decided to do a co-pro on it,” she explained.

“I wanted it to be a big international format with international sales potential so I decided to go with someone that could offer us that on this first one”.

Ten66 was established in 2014 by the former Wife Swap producer Mosam and this will be its first major commission for a terrestrial broadcaster. However, the indie was behind the successful All 4 shorts series The Black Lesbian Handbook.

The BBC2 series, which is expected to start filming in the Lake District in the autumn, will be executive produced by Wall to Wall’s Cate Hall.

Ten66 was established in 2014 by the former Wife Swap producer Mosam and this will be its first major commission for a terrestrial broadcaster. However, the indie was behind the successful All 4 shorts series The Black Lesbian Handbook.

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