Wednesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

SVT welcomes Popular Problems

Swedish public broadcaster SVT has ordered a six-part comedy from Banijay Entertainment’s Filmlance International.

Popular Problems (6 x 30 minutes), which has been created and stars Sissela Benn and Jonatan Unge, is described as “a quirky and honest comedy series exploring the absurd complexity of continuing a relationship when you’ve decided to breakup, all because you happen to have a child together.” 

Benn, Unge, Isabella Rodriguez and Andreas Nygård write, with Ernst De Geer directing. Filming will take place in Malmö and the surrounding area this spring, and the series will premiere on SVT in 2026.

The show has been commissioned for SVT Humour, with Julia Törnberg and Mats Grimberg serving as executive producers. Film i Skåne is attached to coproduce, with Sigrid Nordenhake producing for Filmlance.

Fremantle tweaks UFA leadership 

Germany’s UFA Show & Factual arm has appointed Vanessa Schmit and Sascha Rustmeier to take over as managing directors from 1 July.

The duo, who report into UFA chief exec Sascha Schwingel, replace long-time managing director Ute Biernat, who is stepping down but will remain involved with the company as a consultant.

Schmit most recently headed the reality division at RTL Studios, working on the German remake of Ex on the Beach, and before that was an exec producer at Warner Bros. Germany.

Rustmeier was previously chief operating officer at RTL Studios and before that worked at Endemol Shine Group.

BBC comedy head moves to drama

BBC head of comedy Tanya Qureshi is to step over to the broadcaster’s drama team as commissioning editor.

Starting her new role at the end of May, she will oversee upcoming shows including Sally Wainwright’s forthcoming Riot Women and the recently announced Dennis Kelly series Waiting For The Out (w/t), as well as continuing to oversee comedies Ludwig, Amandaland and Can You Keep a Secret? Broadcast understands that her head of comedy role will not be directly replaced. 

Qureshi joined the comedy team four years ago and since then has ordered hit titles including Dreaming Whilst Black, The Outlaws, Am I Being Unreasonable?, Amandaland and Ludwig. Read more.

SBS6 orders YouTube’s ball format

SBS6 in the Netherlands has picked up Let’s Play Ball, a new co-development from Banijay Benelux label EndemolShine Nederland, Talpa Studios and Signal.Stream.

The eight-episode series, which will make its international debut on Talpa-owned SBS6 this summer, features two celebrity-led teams navigating varied landscapes with a giant ball. 

The show was originally piloted on YouTube via StukTV. 

RIISE in Oz ups McCulloch

Australia-based RIISE Productions has upped Amy McCulloch to global head of development, film and TV.

The former Disney exec now oversees all originals around the world for RIISE, which produces scripted and unscripted, as well as films, formats and documentaries.

McCulloch has previously held senior positions at Seven News, Seven Network and Endemol Shine.

UK’s Protagonist expands buyer focus

UK production, distribution and financing outfit Protagonist Pictures has set up a specialist sub-label focused on non-theatrical buyers. 

Protagonist Picks will be a boutique label that aims to expand the company’s main slate of first-run films and library – which includes distribution of the Film4 catalogue – with a mix of curated features, documentaries and episodic titles.  

Isabel Ivars, who joined Protagonist Pictures in 2021 as festival and library manager, has been promoted to run the new venture as director of sales at Protagonist Picks and library. Read more.

Apple TV+ extends The Studio

Seth Rogen-starring comedy The Studio has secured a second season with Apple TV+, ahead of the finale of its first run,

The show stars Rogen as a newly appointed head of an embattled US studio as he attempts to keep the company afloat. Lionsgate Television produces, with the show created by Peter Huyck and Alex Gregory, along with Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Frida Perez.

Point Grey Pictures’ James Weaver executive produce the show along with the creators. Alex McAtee and Josh Fagen also serve as executive producers, with Rogen directing.

“We’re looking forward to taking the lived experience of making season one and immediately putting it into season two, then repeating that loop for ten more seasons,” said Rogen and Goldberg. “And, we’re excited to keep all our industry friends and colleagues guessing as to when one of their personal stories will stream on Apple TV+.”

BBCS’s Trying extended, Acapulco to end

In related Apple TV+ news, the streamer has extended Andy Wolton’s Trying for a fifth seaosn, with BBC Studios again attached to produce,

Apple TV+ has also confirmed that Acapulco, which was spun off from Mexican movie How To Be A Latin Lover, is to end with its upcoming fourth season that debuts in July.

The show was produced by Lionsgate TV, 3Pas Studios, Zihuatanejo Productions and The Tannenbaum Company and created by Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman.