Dated: 29 November 2006
In a ground-breaking move, FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) today announced the signing of an exclusive international deal with celebrity chef, Kylie Kwong, in partnership with Singapore production company, Sitting In Pictures and the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA).
FME is partnering with leading documentary producers, Sitting In Pictures, and the MDA to produce the 9 x 30’ series Kylie Kwong: My China (working title). The deal, which grants FME worldwide television, DVD and ancillary rights (excluding Singapore), marks the first time that FME has collaborated with a Singapore production house on a project with such vast scope for international success.
Kylie Kwong: My China is a brand new inspirational culinary travelogue series in which brilliant chef, Kylie Kwong, travels back to China, the homeland of her ancestors, and the inspiration for her passion for the flavours of the east. Kwong, a fourth generation Chinese-Australian, is a chef, author, TV presenter and restaurateur known to millions worldwide through the success of her Sydney restaurant ‘Billy Kwong’, her best selling range of cook books and her previous television career in the US, UK and Australia. Kylie Kwong joins FME, which is one of the worlds leading distributors of lifestyle programming, and adds to an ever expanding list of world famous talent which includes Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart, Bill Granger, Jimmy Docherty to name a few.
Commenting on the innovative deal, David Ellender, CEO, FremantleMedia Enterprises said: “We are delighted to be entering into this new relationship with the MDA and Sitting In Pictures, the perfect partners for what we believe will be an iconic series featuring Kylie Kwong. We are immensely proud to help bring this local production house to the world stage and we can’t wait to begin our relationship with Kylie, a dynamic and talented presenter and accomplished chef, and launch a series that has such a fresh and innovative take on China around the world."
Said Dr Christopher Chia, CEO, MDA: “We are delighted to see FremantleMedia Enterprises partnering with our Singapore production company, Sitting in Pictures, in this exciting new project set in China and featuring an Asian celebrity chef. This is the first time FremantleMedia is working with a Singapore company to develop a series for international distribution –a strong vote of confidence in the quality and talent of our local production companies. We look forward to more collaborative opportunities with FremantleMedia in the near future.”
Sitting In Pictures’ Executive Producer, Chang Soh Kiak commented: “This series is the start of many good things to come, but most of all, it will cement a long term working relationship with FremantleMedia Enterprises and with talent of international appeal like Kylie Kwong.”
Kylie Kwong said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be directly associated with such professional, innovative and cutting-edge people, as I embark upon this inspirational odyssey through my ancestors’ homeland.”
Slated for production in early 2007, Kylie Kwong: My China will be an uncharted journey of personal discovery for Kylie as she traverses China, living off the land, eating where locals eat, helping to prepare meals with locals and recreating the dishes al fresco, under the critical gaze of her hosts. Set to play an integral role in FME’s factual catalogue from 2007, Kylie Kwong: My China is set against the backdrop of the breath-taking Chinese landscape, exploring the Chinese people and their culinary traditions, the very heart and soul of China.
David Ellender added: “This new collaboration comes as the direct result of the hard work of our team in Asia who have cultivated this deal as part of our strategy to source original Asian content featuring local talent, for distribution both locally and globally. We very much look forward to embarking on this new chapter.”
For further information, please contact:
Ms Tessa Monteiro
Manager, Communications
Media Development Authority
Tel: (65) 6837 9757
Email: tessa_mae_monteiro@imda.gov.sg
Ms Sant Kaur
Assistant Director, Communications
Media Development Authority
Tel: (65) 6837 9013
Email: sant_kaur@imda.gov.sg
Ms Lynne-Mei Lee
FremantleMedia
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 6782
Email: megan@lippingroup.com
Ms Megan Kirkcaldie,
The Lippin Company Ltd
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 3008 5407
Email: lynne-mei.lee@fremantlemedia.com
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