COMMISSION
Following an option deal with ITV Studios, Germany’s ProSieben has commissioned a local season of MTV reality format “True Love or True Lies?” This is the first local adaptation of the format since the original launched on MTV in 2018 and the first time ProSieben has adapted an original MTV format. Shot on the Spanish island of Mallorca and locally titled “How Fake Is Your Love?,” the series will premiere Sept. 7.
Produced by Lime Pictures, “True Love or True Lies?” is a competitive reality dating show that brings couples from all walks of life together in a luxurious villa to compete for the title of “the perfect couple” and a cash prize. But there’s a twist — the couples soon discover that living amongst them fake couples there to fool the real couples and cheat their way to the prize money.
APPOINTMENTS
Mike Griffiths is joining ITN Productions as international executive producer and Claudine Parrish takes on the role of U.K. factual executive producer.
Griffiths was most recently at Raw where he was VP of U.S. factual programming. He has developed programs ranging from National Geographic’s specialist factual adventures “Eating with Cannibals” and “The Witchdoctor Will See You Now” to Sky’s “Gadget Geeks” and “Auto Biography” for Discovery Plus.
Parrish, who will join ITN in September, is currently producing the revamped 20-part hit series of “Married at First Sight” for E4. Her credits also include “Inside Poundland,” ITN’s production for Channel 4, “Great British Menu” for BBC2, “A Berry Royal Christmas” for BBC1 and ITV2’s “Educating Joey Essex.”
STREAMING
Streamer HBO GO has acquired dramas “The Little Nyonya,” “Last Madame,” and “Titoudao” from Singapore’s Mediacorp and will make them available to audiences in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
The three dramas share a common theme of women overcoming adversity during pre-independence Singapore.
Set in the 1930s, “Last Madame” tells the story of Chi Ling, a banker, who returns from Hong Kong to settle an inheritance from her great-grandmother, Fung Lan, the last brothel owner in Singapore. She then uncovers the secrets and mysteries behind the inherited shophouse, and reconciles with her roots.
“Titoudao” chronicles the ups and downs of celebrated theater actor Oon Ah Chiam who had to climb her way up to stardom. In the midst of this, she finds herself in a love triangle with two eligible men.
“The Little Nyonya” tells the story of how a lady from the Peranakan community overcame different struggles living in a traditional family, along with a jealous cousin who was envious of her many suitors.
“The Little Nyonya”
HBO GO