Tuesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Caught in the Middle heads to Spain

Atresmedia’s Antena 3 in Spain has ordered a local version of Talpa Studios quiz show format Caught in the Middle.

The show will be produced by Fremantle Spain in partnership with Talpa Studios and recorded later this year at Talpa Studios’ production hub in the Netherlands.

It marks the third deal between Talpa and Atresmedia this year, with the pair already adaptating The Jump and The Quiz with Balls.

Caught in the Middle launched on SBS6 in the Netherlands last year and has already sold into Australia. The format follows a pair of players who stand at the center of a giant LED arena as 100 opponents close in, with the duo having to answer 15 questions to avoid being knocked out and win a cash prize.

Sara Simarro joins HBO Max

HBO Max has appointed former agent Sara Simarro to work across its acquisitions activity in the Spanish, Portuguese and Italian markets.

Simarro previously worked for Alter Ego Talent House and has also held roles including director of content acquisitions at QuiverTree Media.

She joins Joana Correia da Silva’s team as acquisitions manager, confirming her appointment on LinkedIn.

The ’Burbs land extension

Peacock has renewed comedy series The ’Burbs for a second season.

The show, which the NBC Universal-owned streamer said has generated more than 1.7 billion viewing minutes since its 8 February launch, is from creator, writer and executive producer Celeste Hughey.

Writer Rachel Shukert is also attached to the series, which is inspired by the 1989 horror-comedy film of the same name that follows a young couple who have reluctantly relocated to the husband’s childhood home.

The series is produced by Universal Studio Group and has been sold to more than 100 territories. Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins and Aimee Carlson are also EP’s for Fuzzy Door, with Brian Grazer, Kristen Zolner and Natalie Berkus for Imagine Entertainment.

Drive to Survive names president

Box to Box has rejigged its senior management team with the hire of Wiip co-founder Matteo Perale and former Vice exec Matt Moore.

In the newly created president role, US-based Perale will work across development, partnerships and new business opportunities.

Perale co-founded Mare of Easttown studio Wiip, which was sold to Korean conglomerate JTBC, and was head of strategy and corporate development at CAA. Moore becomes CFO at the company.

Following Perale’s appointment, Box to Box founders James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin will now serve as co-chief executive officers of the Drive to Survive indie. Read more