11 November 2019
HAMMER GOES DOWN ON BUMPER 'ANTIQUES ROAD TRIP' DEAL
STV Productions secures 220 episode deal with Discovery for Really
Glasgow-based independent production company, STV Productions, today confirms a deal with Discovery for the licensing of 160 episodes of Antiques Road Trip and 60 episodes of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, to air on free-to-air channel Really.
The series follows the country's top antiques experts as they battle it out in a search for quirky and valuable antiques to auction off for profit, with all profits going to Children in Need. The experts pair up for a scenic road trip through the British countryside, visiting antiques shops and local areas of interest while exploring the country's rich historical and cultural heritage.
The celebrity edition of the show has seen a variety of famous faces from stage, screen, sport and media take on the challenge, including Jennifer Saunders, Charles Dance, Judy Murray and Chesney Hawkes.
Antiques Road Trip is a top performing show on Really. The show has reached over 13.9 million people in 2019. Equally, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip has performed strongly on the channel, consistently reaching millions of viewers. The deal includes series 5-14 of Antiques Road Trip and series 4-6 of the Celebrity version. Previous series of both shows are currently airing on Really.
Antiques Road Trip and Celebrity Antiques Road Trip are original commissions for the BBC, with the brand new celebrity series currently airing on BBC2.
Paul Sheehan, Chief Operating Officer at STV Productions, said: "Antiques Road Trip and Celebrity Antiques Road Trip continue to go from strength to strength, clearly resonating with and entertaining viewers, week in week out. We're thrilled that the series continues to deliver impressive audiences for Really, and that Discovery has committed to an additional 220 episodes. This deal and our relationship with Discovery is testament to the brilliant team behind what has become a much-loved show, which maintains its vitality and energy with every new episode."
Clare Laycock SVP Head of Lifestyle and Entertainment Brands, Discovery said:
"I'm delighted we've been able to secure further series of these two fantastic series from STV Productions. Both are firm favourites with Really's audience".
Ends
Notes to editors
*Source: BARB/TechEdge, January - October 2019.
*Antiques Road Trip is Really's #1 title in 2019 (based on ratings contribution), accounting for 21% of all channel ratings from 8% of the schedule (efficiency index: 249)
For more information, please contact:
STV Productions
Kirstin Stevenson, 07803 970106 / [email protected]
Discovery:
Christabel Smith, 44 (0) 7584 509426 / [email protected]
STV Productions
STV Productions is one of the UK's leading content businesses with ambitious plans for domestic and international growth and was recently confirmed as Scotland's biggest indie. The company, led by award-winning executive David Mortimer, has an impressive track-record of success across genres including drama, entertainment and factual, with commissions from a wide range of broadcasters.
Eighteen series of ratings winner Antiques Road Trip have been produced for the BBC along with eight series of sister programme Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. A further two series of Antiques Road Trip and a ninth series of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip have been commissioned for production in 2019.
In entertainment, the company has produced seven series of Catchphrase for ITV, game shows And They're Off...for Sport Relief for BBC One and Babushka for ITV Daytime, two series of Safeword for ITV - with a two series remake for VHI/MTV in the US, as well as The Dressing Room for UKTV's entertainment channel W. Sex Tape, a four-part relationship series recently aired on Channel 4.
STV Productions has a track record of producing quality drama, with critically-acclaimed four-part thriller The Victim for BBC One, starring Kelly Macdonald and John Hannah, watched by more than 7.2 million people. STV Productions has also confirmed a second BBC drama commission - Elizabeth is Missing, adapted from Emma Healey's novel which will star two time Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson in the lead role. Previous drama productions include Taggart and Rebus for ITV.
Highlights among factual series and specials include Britain's Polar Bear Cub for Channel 4, two series of Prison: First & Last 24 Hours for Sky1, Ross Kemp Behind Bars - Inside Barlinnie for ITV, Scotland and the Battle for Britain presented by Andrew Marr for BBC Two, Fire in the Night, an award winning feature documentary to mark the 25th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster, Tutankhamun: The Truth Uncovered for BBC1, Smithsonian Channel and Discovery Canada, as well as documentary series Yes/No - Inside The Indyref and Inside Central Station for the BBC Scotland channel.
STV recently acquired a majority stake in award-winning unscripted producer Primal Media.
STV Productions works with a number of leading international sales agents that distribute its programmes and formats outside the UK. The company's partnership with Sky Vision covers international distribution of STV Productions' unscripted catalogue as well as a global distribution deal for BBC drama, The Victim.
About Discovery
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps and Discovery Kids Play; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player and Motor Trend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media and a strategic alliance with the PGA Tour to create the Global Home of Golf. Discovery's portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, Motor Trend, Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit https://corporate.discovery.com/ and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.
