HISTORY™ commissions Alaska to produce new factual entertainment series
LONDON – 15 September - HISTORY™, one of the flagship channels of leading factual entertainment broadcaster AETN UK, a joint venture between A+E Networks and BSkyB, has commissioned NO COUNTY FOR OLD MEN (8x60’), a brand new series from the production company ALASKA.
In the series, comedians and best mates Simon Day and John Thomson attempt to uncover and discover how our counties help define who we are….What’s the difference between an essex girl and a cornish maid?. Do you call a ‘bread roll’ a cob, batch, a barn cake or scuffler?. What’s the sexiest accent in Britain and what do Richard Burton and Wayne Sleep have in common?.
These questions and many more will be asked and answered as southerner Simon and northern John travel from Cornwall to Cumberland, Surrey to Suffolk, from Herefordshire to Carmarthenshire in a historical and pop cultural romp across the nation.
AETN UK’s VP of programming, Adam MacDonald, said: “The counties of Britain are living historical artefacts and Simon and John's comedic peregrination through our county customs and characters will show how our history is alive and evolving all around us."
ALASKA’s Paul Sommers commented: “We are delighted to have won our second series commission since forming just six months ago and working with the team at HISTORY is very exciting for us. Simon and John’s infectious friendship and hilarious on and off screen relationship gives NO COUNTY FOR OLD MEN a really unique flavour that will be central to the series.”
John loves accents Simon loves weird history, John loves obscure jazz funk, Simon loves to eat and both of them are constantly on the look out for inspiration for new comedic characters. They are a genuine on-and-off screen double act and this is a unique chance to see two of the stars of The Fast Show and one of Britain’s best loved sketch shows, on a mission to explore, uncover, confound re-affirm or explode stereotypes on NO COUNTY FOR OLD MEN.
ALASKA’s Chris Fouracre, added “Our ambition at ALASKA is to work with commissioners and talent we like and having been at primary school with Simon I’ve had to wait 42 years for the experience.”
The series is commissioned by Adam MacDonald and Rachel Job, head of acquisitions & commissioning, HISTORY & MILITARY HISTORY® and will be executive produced by Paul Sommers and Chris Fouracre. The series is expected to TX on HISTORY in April 2012.
-ENDS-
About AETN UK
AETN UK, a joint venture between A+E Networks and BSkyB, is a leading broadcaster representing a portfolio of high-quality, ground-breaking factual channels including HISTORY™, HISTORY™HD, Crime & Investigation Network® and Crime & Investigation Network® HD, BIO®, BIO® HD and MILITARY HISTORY®. AETN UK launched in November 1995, and operates channels in 27 countries across the UK, Scandinavia, the Benelux, Central & Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and is available in more than 60 million homes and in 14 languages.
About HISTORY
HISTORY first launched in the UK in November 1, 1995 and it is currently available in over 300 million TV households, in over 150 countries, in more than 30 languages worldwide, HISTORY is the world's leading broadcaster of historical entertainment. For more information please visit www.history.co.uk, follow us on Twitter twitter.com/HISTORYUK and become a fan on Facebook.
HISTORY makes history more relevant and entertaining by taking a fresh look at everything that makes us who we are. With compelling stories told through new perspectives and vivid reconstructions, its high quality programmes brings history to life; thrusting you into the action, and challenging your perceptions of what history is. HISTORY will entertain and engage you, connecting you to a reality like no other.
About ALASKA
Alaska was set up this year by Chris Fouracre (founder and Ex MD of At It Productions), Paul Sommers (founder and Ex MD of Tiger Aspect) and Ian Lamarra (Ex Head of Global Formats at IWC). Our aim is to produce high quality, talent driven programmes to a mainstream, populist audience. NO COUNTY FOR OLD MEN is ALASKA’S second of three new commissioned Series.
Rachael Thomas
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0207 403 8878
rachaelt@rlyl.com