Jimmy Kimmel Wheelhouse Wins First UK Commission – Global Briefs – Deadline
Wheelhouse UK Wins First Commission With Channel 5’s ‘Puzzling’
Jimmy Kimmel and Brett Montgomery’s Wheelhouse has secured its first UK commission, a Channel 5 quiz format produced with ITV Studios-backed 12 Yard. In Puzzling [working title], broadcaster and historian Lucy Worsley will challenge Britain’s brightest minds across five rounds on language, calculation, lateral thinking, visual intelligence and memory. In a dramatic plot twist, the winning team then turn on each other to be named the ‘Best of the Best’ and earn a place in the series Grand Final, where the winner will be crowned. The series is the first revealed commission for Wheelhouse’s UK arm, which is helmed by former Deal or No Deal producer Glenn Hugill, who set it up earlier this year. 12 Yard is co-producer. Channel 5 rarely dabbles in quiz formats but recently picked up Eggheads, another high-end quizshow that used to air on BBC Two. “Nothing beats the satisfaction of cracking a truly fiendish puzzle, and in this show, we get tough with all parts of the brain to see how smart you really are,” said Hugill.
Axel Milliam & Ebony Abogaye Set Drama Fantasy ‘Dali’
Axel Milliam (Secret Lives) and Ebony Abogaye (Staged) have signed on to star in Dali, a drama fantasy from the London-based studio Look Aside Films and the U.S.-based Palm Haven Studios. Cast is rounded out by Mickey Angelov (Oversaturated), Boyan Petrov (Barbarians Rising), Lucrezia Galeone (Jack & Michelle), and Jacob Utzon Krefeld (Kaos). Written and directed by Mickey Angelov, the pic tells the story of rapper Dali From The Valley. Donald L. Anderson (The Manor), founder of Palm Haven Studios, is EP alongside First AD Asen Simonov (Bagman, Marked Men) and Joseph Bushell (BFI-backed The Archive: Queer Nigerians).
Filippa Wallestam Promoted At Viaplay As Kim Poder Exits
Filippa Wallestam has been promoted to Viaplay Group’s EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, Nordics, with current incumbent Kim Poder exiting after 24 years. Wallestam, who is currently EVP and Chief Content Officer, steps into Poder’s shoes immediately and will have overall responsibility for the group’s biggest region, along with continuing to lead content operations. Wallestam joined in 2014 as Head of Strategy for free-TV and radio in Scandinavia, before becoming EVP and CEO Sweden in April 2018 and then EVP and Chief Content Officer in October 2019. Wallestam will continue to be a member of the Group Executive Management team and to report to Group President and CEO Anders Jensen. “My priority in recent years has been building Viaplay’s content leadership,” said Wallestam. “I am extremely proud that today we are the number one Nordic storyteller and a major international player, and that the quality of our productions is so widely recognized. Combined with our world-class sports rights and continuous tech innovation, Viaplay is one of a kind.” Poder has been with Viaplay for 24 years, having held a range of senior positions. Jensen said she had “done a great job and created significant value during his many years with the Group.”
Exhibitor Vue Signs Katrina Cliffe & Henry Birch
Exhibitor Vue International group has appointed Katrina Cliffe and Henry Birch to its non-executive board of directors. Cliffe currently holds non-executive director roles at DCC plc and International Personal Finance Plc where she is also a member of the audit committee. Her experience spans the payments industry and broader financial services. Birch has held multiple CEO roles including at The Very Group, The Rank Group, William Hill Online and Leisure & Gaming plc. He has also held non-executive roles at Plus 500 plc and was trustee & chair of the audit committee at GambleAware. During his previous executive roles, Birch focused on developing customer centric strategies, ensuring each organization became more data driven and technology enabled. The duo joins Tom Singer, non-executive director and chair of Vue International’s audit committee, and Stella David, Vue International’s non-executive chair, both of whom were appointed earlier this year.
