Tuesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Baywatch gets Fox greenlight

Fox has greenlit a 12-episode order for the long-gestating reboot of lifeguard series Baywatch.

The show will debut during the 2026/27 season and is being coproduced by Fox Entertainment and Fremantle. Matt Nix is showrunner, while original series creators Michael Berk, Greg Bonann and Doug Schwartz exec produce, alongside Dante Di Loreto.

Michael Thorn, president of Fox, said: “Together, Fox and Fremantle, along with Matt Nix and original co-creator Greg Bonann, will bring the California dream to a whole new generation of fans with fresh stories, rising stars and all the spectacle that make the Baywatch franchise a global sensation.”

Baywatch debuted in 1989 on NBC and starred David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson. It was cancelled by the network after one season, but later seasons were syndicated around the US and aired in more than 200 countries worldwide. No cast for the new iteration have yet been confirmed.

WBITVP unveils formats for Cannes

Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) is leading its MIPCOM slate with a French format that debuted on TF1.

The Final Circle is from Satisfaction and sees 50 players having to answer an array of questions to move towards the centre, where they attempt to win the grand prize.

Other shows launching in Cannes include WBITVP Netherlands’ Reality Kings on Safari and road trip adventure show World’s Wildest Race from Collectif for Kanal 5 and HBO Max Denmark.

Other unscripted formats include Custom Cars, by Ricochet for Quest in the UK, while the scripted front is led by relationship show Oh, Otto!, produced originally for Streamz in Belgium.

Atresplayer soap heads to HBO Max

HBO Max has picked up Spanish daily afternoon drama Sueños de Libertad for its service in Lat Am.

The show, which has aired more than 400 episodes on Antena 3, will make its bow on the Warner Bros Discovery streamer from 22 September following the deal with Atresmedia Sales.

The series - one of the most watched in Spain - is already available on Atresplayer, Movistar+, and Disney+ in Spain.

Animeta launches Indian studio

Singapore-based creator tech firm Animeta has launched a new studio in Mumbai, India.

Animeta AI Film Studio aims to use advanced AI tools to help creators marry original scripts, writing, music and voice over work with creative-driven AI visuals.

The studio intends to help brands, writers, filmmakers, IP owners and content creators, to produce content from promotional material to feature-length films.

Animeta currently produces end-to-end influencer marketing content for companies including Amazon, Starbucks, Warner Music and L’Oréal Group, using its proprietary tech platform Animeta Brandstar.

BBC names interim unscripted chief

Fiona Campbell is replacing Syeda Irtizaali as the BBC’s interim director of unscripted, following the latter’s decision to join Netflix. 

Campbell is currently controller, youth audience, BBC iPlayer and BBC3 and her direct reports will take on increased responsibilities in their areas to enable her interim appointment. They are Nasfim Haque, head of content for BBC3, and Mariel Capisciolto, head of digital development.

Michael Jochnowitz will continue as interim editor for unscripted and will work closely with Campbell and the BBC’s genre heads to deliver its unscripted strategy and slate. Read more

C4 expands Mog’s world

Channel 4 in the UK has commissioned a seasonal special based on Judith Kerr’s picture book Mog’s Bad Thing (1 x 24’).

The special is from Lupus Films and has been slated to debut in Christmas 2026. London-based Serious Kids is attached as worldwide distributor for theatrical and TV, outside of the UK.

Mog’s Bad Thing is being produced by Ruth Fielding and Camilla Deakin for Lupus Films, written by Joanna Harrison, and directed by Robin Shaw. It follows the 2023 adaptation of Mog’s Christmas for C4.

Sky Studios Elstree to expand 

Planning approval has been granted for a major expansion to Sky Studios Elstree, which the company says will create more than 2,000 jobs and attract £2bn worthj of production investment in its first five years. 

The plans will see a further 10 stages added to the site, which has hosted productions including Mr Bigstuff and A League of Their Own.

The studio was previously denied planning permission for an expansion last year by Hertsmere Borough Council, but this was successfully appealed.

The expansion will grow the site to 22 stages in all across 65 acres for a total of 470,000 sq ft of stage space. Dubbed Sky Studios Elstree North, the work is financed and developed by Legal and General.