RDF Media is to produce a new Saturday night entertainment show for ITV in which two of Britain's top music managers will each have to transform a talentless group of friends into a credible band of performers, writes Glen Mutel.
The indie has just started production on a pilot of No Talent Required, which will be broadcast in the autumn. The programme sees music managers Jonathan Shalit - the man who discovered Charlotte Church - and rock agent Richard Connell given a fortnight to transform two groups of friends into two showstopping acts.The acts will then perform head to head in a studio showdown, presented by Pop Idol judge Neil Fox. The pilot will see a group of dustmen from Oldham pitted against a group of cleaners from Sheffield.Ordered by ITV controller of entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz, it will be executive produced by RDF's creative director, Grant Mansfield.RDF International will hold the worldwide rights to the show and plans to launch the format at MipTV later this month.The show is the latest in a series of ITV commissions RDF has managed to secure since it appointed former ITV controller Mansfield in November 2002.