BBC and NBCUniversal unite for unscripted partnership

The development partnership will find and fund UK production companies with ideas that can reach a global scale and appeal.

The joint unscripted partnership will be open to all UK-based production companies and studios, maximizing the opportunities presented by the wide-ranging shared DNA of NBCUniversal and the BBC. Together, both parties will search for ambitious, platform-defining ideas with transatlantic potential, which will resonate across their respective linear and streaming platforms.

“In such a competitive landscape, we love the idea of amplifying our audiences and creative output in partnership with the BBC. There is no better partner for NBCU and with Sharon Vuong and her team helping to lead the charge for us, we look forward to bringing the next great wave of unscripted formats to viewers across the globe.” – Jenny Groom, EVP, Entertainment Unscripted Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming

A broad range of unscripted genres will be considered, with a view to co-commission pilots or developments that have series potential. Both parties have agreed an aligned set of terms for UK producers, which are based on the BBC terms of trade. On and off-screen diversity will form a significant part of the decision-making process. An outline of the terms and process will be made available to all producers.

The joint unscripted partnership was developed by Syeda Irtizaali for BBC Entertainment and Ed Havard, VP, Creative Partnerships for Universal Studio Group, which is a division of NBCUniversal.

Submissions will be overseen by BBC Entertainment Commissioners Pinki Chambers and Neil McCallum, and Sharon Vuong and Ed Havard for NBCUniversal. The BBC and NBCUniversal already share success with several hit unscripted brands and formats. Recent examples include The Wall, The Wheel, The Weakest Link and Dragon’s Den, and the new development partnership builds on this track record of success.

“This unique partnership is such an exciting opportunity for UK-based producers. We want to lead the way in finding and investing in high impact, returnable British ideas and formats from all nations and regions, and this collaboration with NBCU will enable producers to develop their ideas at scale and win commissions on both sides of the Atlantic.” – Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment, BBC Commissioning