Yesterday, Britain's biggest factual channel, today announced a co-production deal with Like A Shot Entertainment for a new series with popular presenter and radio DJ Jamie Theakston, Forbidden History. The deal was negotiated by UKTV's Acquisitions Executive Emma Sparks, and ordered by the General Manager of Yesterday Adrian Wills, and is scheduled for Q3 2013.
Throughout history, information has been suppressed and evidence withheld about long-held conspiracy theories, ancient treasures, lost civilisations and war time secrets. This series (6 x 60') takes viewers on a journey with Jamie Theakston to discover the truth and unearth new facts about great mysteries.
In one episode, Jamie travels to France to investigate what could be one of the greatest cover-ups in human history; did Jesus and Mary Magdalene marry and have children? In another, he seeks out and meets the controversial scientists and archaeologists who have extraordinary evidence which proves giants once lived on earth.
Adrian Wills, General Manager of Yesterday, said: ?Jamie Theakston is a great addition to the channel and Forbidden History fits perfectly into Yesterday?s remit of ?Entertainment Inspired by History?. The series will appeal to the channels? viewers as they really enjoy historical thrillers and fascinating stories, as the success of Raiders of the Lost Past earlier this year has shown.?
Emma Sparks commented:
We're delighted to be working with Like A Shot Entertainment and Jamie Theakston on this mysterious and fascinating new series. Jamie?s likeable character and captivating storytelling brings the series to life. Every episode of Forbidden History is bound to intrigue and astonish viewers as history?s most contentious secrets are investigated, scrutinised and analysed.
Henry Scott, Managing Director of Like A Shot Entertainment, said:
It has been great to be able to work with UKTV to create this fantastic contemporary history series. We enjoyed making it and all believe the series concept will have on-going appeal for both the Yesterday viewers and in subsequent International markets.
Other unsolved mysteries Jamie investigates in this series include what really happened to the fabled Treasure of Solomon?s temple, did the Vatican try to cover-up the Three Secrets of Fátima, and how did the Alchemists gain so much power and influence over Elizabeth 1?
Yesterday has already enjoyed an impressive start to the year thanks to the brand new series Black Ops, which averaged an opening audience of 389,000 adults and was +172% on slot average, and Secret Life Of?, with the premiere episode reaching 258,000 adults.
For more information please contact: Emily Jones, Publicist, Factual or Kerry Parker, Senior Corporate Communications Manager
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Notes to Editors
About Yesterday (Sky 537, Virgin 203, Freeview 19)
(www.yesterdaytv.co.uk)
Showcasing UK premiere series such as Raiders of the Lost Past, Museum Secrets, and Treasure Detectives, Yesterday provides entertainment inspired by history. The channel also features dynamic history and science-inspired series such as Perfect Storms: Disasters that Changed the World, and programmes which challenge expectations including Secret Life of?. Ancient history is also featured in series including Alexander?s Lost Cities and Mummy Mysteries, plus modern conflict in shows such as Black Ops.
pressoffice.uktv.co.uk / @UKTV_Press
About UKTV (uktv.co.uk)
UKTV is a major industry player and one of the most important and successful multichannel providers in the UK. Formed in 1997, it is an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, and Scripps Networks Interactive Inc.
Attracting over 41 million viewers each month, the network consists of 10 distinctive channel brands ? Watch, Gold, Dave, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Eden, Home, Really and Good Food ? offering a broad range of quality programming across entertainment, lifestyle and factual. UKTV currently operates 22 broadcast streams when its eight multiplexes and five HD channels are taken into account, and 11 highly successful websites. The network also runs video on demand (VOD) services on Sky and BT Vision.
UKTV's successful programming strategy combines high profile original commissions and key acquisitions with quality content from the BBC.
All UKTV channels are distributed on Sky and Virgin Media. Dave, Really, Drama and Yesterday are also available on Freeview.
About Like A Shot Entertainment
Like A Shot Entertainment was created by TV Executive Henry Scott and Producer Steve Gillham in 2011 specifically to address the growing finding gap in domestic TV commissioning and focus on factual and history based content with an International appeal. Recent productions include Instruments of Death, By Royal Appointment and Fight Club: A History of Violence.
As the market leans towards a co-production, or fully producer-funded model, the financial pressures on smaller independent Producers and Directors is increasing with no signs of abating.
Like A Shot not only creates its own programmes, it also works with talented individuals to provide development funding and then produce TV programmes under the Like A Shot umbrella before securing the best international distribution and secondary rights exploitation.
We have an ethos of creating a fair deal for our creative partners in terms of co-ownership of the rights, deferred revenues and any returning series or format rights. It is this equitable relationship which has allowed us to work with some of the most creative and inspirational partners both currently and long in to the future. Like A Shot is based in Chiswick, West London.
www.likeashot.tv