Ireland's TV3 to adapt Gogglebox

All3Media international has sold the successful Channel 4 format to TV3, whose programming division is run by former Channel 5 content chief Jeff Ford. It is not clear if Studio Lambert or a local indie will make the show.

TV3 unveiled details of its first domestic long-running soap. It has ordered Red Rock from Shameless indie Company Pictures and Quirke producer Element Pictures, which will be penned by The Musketeers writer Peter McKenna.

Separately, TV3 has commissioned quiz show Sitting On A Fortune, a 10 x 60-mins coproduction with UK indie RDF and its own 3 Studios. It will be filmed at TV3’s in-house studio.

It has renewed The Great Irish Bake Off, Brain Hacker and The Lie, which is a coproduction between STV and 3Studios, and has ordered 100 hours of factual series, including Paramedics, Islanders, 24 Hour Shelter and Lazy Chef as well as Alaska TV’s Ireland’s Oyster Empire.

TV3 has also acquired Downton Abbey for life of series, as well as The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, following the end of its output deal ITV earlier this year.

“2015 will be a landmark year for TV3 that will see the group invest the most it has ever done on home produced originated programming and a number of major entertainment co-productions,” said director of content Jeff Ford.

“As Ireland’s leading commercial broadcaster, these are exciting times for TV3 and I look forward to fulfilling our strategic goals across our six programming genres that will define us against our competitors in 2015 and beyond.”

TV3 Group CEO David McRedmond added: “2015 is TV3’s most ambitious schedule ever. Since 2007, TV3 has committed to developing a schedule based predominantly on home-produced programming. Last year we opened the TV3 Sony HD Studio. Now in 2015 originated content will account for the majority of TV3’s programming spend.