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NBC seeks Geller
successor
Ben Silverman's long-standing love of overseas
formats is showing no sign of abating after the new NBC entertainment
chief okayed a US version of Israeli hit The Successor.
Created by
Israeli commercial broadcaster Keshet and indie Kuperman Productions for
Channel 2, the supernatural talent format involves spoon-bender Uri Geller
seeking the next big star of mentalism and magic.
Distributed by
Germany's SevenOne International and with US rights packaged by talent
agent Endeavor, the format will be adapted for the US market by Granada
America, in coproduction with Keshet and Kuperman, in association with
SevenOne. The deal was brokered by ICM and Endeavor.
The US show
will star Geller, along with the American mystifyer/artist Criss Angel
(Mindfreak). Together they'll search for America's next great mentalist.
NBC is broadcasting the show with the working title Phenomenon, perhaps a
reference to the Travolta movie of the same name.
In the Phenomenon
series Geller and Angel will judge the candidates but, like American Idol,
ultimately the winner's fate will be determined by the viewers at home,
via text voting and phone lines.
"The match-up of two world famous
personalities, Uri Geller and Criss Angel - who have demonstrated
astounding skills - makes for a riveting series format," said
Silverman.
"Factor in the mystery of the genre, the live
competitive angle as the contestants attempt to follow in Criss and Uri's
footsteps, and incredible interactive applications, and we think viewers
will have many compelling reasons to watch," the former Reveille cheif
added.
After first airing on Channel 2 in Israel in November 2006,
the live primetime show garnered an average share of 50% (among
households) and a peak of 39.3% rating (households). It reached some
850,000 viewers (34% rating) at its peak on Saturday night in the 21.00
hour.
Picked by SevenOne under an ongoing deal with Keshet, the
format has since been acquired by ProSieben, like SevenOne part of the
ProSiebenSat.1 Group. It will air in Germany in 2008.
Ed Waller
17 Jul 2007
© C21
Media 2007
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