A GLOBAL SHOWDOWN - LEGO MASTERS AUSTRALIA VS THE WORLD

PREMIERE SUNDAY, APRIL 14, AT 7.00PM ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW

In a world first, Logie-winning LEGO® Masters Australia is back for its sixth season with a global showdown.

In a momentous Olympics year, it’s “Australia vs The World” at LEGO® Masters, with four brand-new teams from Australia taking on four International LEGO® counterparts from Denmark, Germany, France and USA. 

Gold Logie winner Hamish Blake returns as host, alongside judge Ryan “Brickman” McNaught. Special guest Sophie Monk joins the dynamic duo for the most demanding challenges we have seen in a season so far.

The international teams have competed in their own local LEGO® Masters competition before, but now they’re up against four Australian teams who comprise the brightest and best new builders in the country, including a LEGO® store manager, a LEGO® art designer and an official LEGO® master builder.

The Aussies have an undeniable home-ground advantage and come with the added benefit of knowing exactly what’s required in a LEGO® Masters Australia competition.

This season, there will be special guest appearances from Australian radio presenter and comedian Michael “Wippa” Wipfli and Jordy Hocking from Lego Masters Season 1. This year, the challenges are more demanding than ever. They include LEGO® go kart racing, a spectacular window display challenge, fan favourite Is It Fake? with a Parisian twist and celebrating 85 years of Batman.

LEGO® Masters: Australia vs The World will host the ultimate showdown, with contestants reaching incredible new levels of creativity as the most skilled brick artisans on Earth delve into the endlessly expanding brick pit, striving to make their country proud.

With this year’s brick pit ready to go with more than 4 million bricks on offer, viewers can expect the most unbelievable builds in LEGO® TV history as teams build to their hearts’ content for the most prized trophy of all.

LEGO® Masters: Australia vs The World comes from producers Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Company). The series is adapted from an original UK format from Tuesday’s Child Productions and The LEGO® Group.

LEGO MASTERS AUSTRALIA - TEAMS

Ben (24) & Eric (21)

These friends from Newcastle bonded over their love for bricks whilst working at the LEGO® store together. Spending 20 hours a week building, they have a particular interest in custom vignettes. They are ready to take their skills out of the LEGO® retail space and into the Masters arena.

Dianne (59) & Shane (38)

Mother and son Dianne and Shane are ready to showcase their unique building skills on the LEGO® Masters Australia stage. They are more than just family – these two are an inseparable team. With a connection forged through a shared love of creativity, competition and enchantment, this Disney princess and mathematics whizz spark joy not just in their builds, but in everything they do.

Charlie (19) & Haley (25)

Solo builders Charlie and Haley will be a force to be reckoned with when paired for the first time in this season’s battle of the best. Having achieved fabulous success in both their LEGO® accomplishments and personal careers, this young female duo are ready to front up against some of the toughest competition LEGO® Masters Australia has ever seen.

Sam (38) & Emilio (38)

This quirky Victorian duo is high-energy, ultra-competitive and ready to attack every challenge with gusto. Bricks play an important part in their relationship, with the loveable couple meeting years ago at a LEGO® themed adult scavenger hunt. With Sam specialising in digital LEGO® artwork and Emilio having a keen eye for aesthetics and colour coordination, this is a duo to watch out for.

Krystle (36) & Michelle (44)

LEGO® building superstars Krystle and Michelle represent America in this season’s intercontinental competition. Both hailing from Texas, the pair are teaming up for the first time. Krystle competed in Season One of LEGO® Masters USA and then won the 2023 Celebrity LEGO® Masters Holiday Bricktacular Special. Michelle appeared in Season Two.

Felix (21) & Annalena (27)

Representing Germany, these fitness fanatics and winners of LEGO® Masters Germany Season One are ready to put on a show for Australia. Unsurprisingly, they met 10 years ago at a track and field training day. With both thriving in their personal lives and LEGO® approaches, they are ready to take their building capabilities to the next level on LEGO® Masters Australia.

Camille (34) & Caroline (22)

To celebrate the Olympic games in France, semi-finalists in Season 3 of LEGO® Masters France, siblings Camille and Caroline, are back for another crack at LEGO® glory – on the other side of the world. After placing third in 2022, they are hoping that with an extra year of building under their belts, 2024 might see them inching higher up the brick totem pole and into the winning position.

Peter (41) & Ida (33)

Hailing from the original home of LEGO®, Danish team Peter and Ida have one strategy when it comes to tackling the Australian competition: have fun. Quirky, bright, playful friends, the duo were runners up on Season 2 of LEGO® Masters Denmark. Arriving in Australia for the first time, Ida and Peter are excited to have another opportunity at taking out the LEGO® Masters title.

Paramount+ Greenlights Season Two Of Australian Original Series NCIS: Sydney

The International Hit Receives A Simultaneous Cross-Continent Renewal In The U.S. By The CBS Television Network.

Paramount+ today announced that international smash hit, and Australia’s most-watched local series premiere since the launch of Paramount+, NCIS: Sydney, has been greenlit for a second season. Production will begin shortly. The announcement coincides with a season two renewal by the CBS Television Network in the U.S.

The first international iteration of the global NCIS franchise outside of the U.S, NCIS: Sydney is a brilliant and eclectic team of U.S. NCIS Agents and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) who have been grafted into a multi-national taskforce to keep naval crimes in check.

Having only just found their feet, in season two, the agents of NCIS: Sydney square off against a much more powerful adversary, threatening the very stability of the region… and the team itself. 

Paramount ANZ’s Creative Advisor Drama, Rick Maier said: “This is such a powerful acknowledgement of both the great work and the wonderful audience response for season one. We’re thrilled to be going again with our brilliant cast, story team, crew and the best backdrop we know.”

Head of International Co-Productions and Development at CBS Studios, Lindsay Martin said: “We are ecstatic over the warm welcome NCIS: Sydney received in its freshman season. The success of our first international expansion of the franchise further demonstrates the strength and global demand of this iconic IP. We can’t wait for fans to spend more time with these characters and see what new stories this wonderful creative team has in store for season two.”

Executive Producer and Showrunner for Endemol Shine Australia, Morgan O’Neill said: “We’re beyond stoked with the response to the first season of the show, both in Australia and around the world, and that the team at NCIS: Sydney are returning for a second season. We’re especially thrilled to invite our audience deeper into the lives of our core team, peeling back the layers to find out what really makes them tick. This will be even more important as we see the bonds of the new family tested to breaking point in the face of a much more potent enemy looming on the horizon...”

NCIS: Sydney stars Olivia Swann, Todd Lasance, Sean Sagar, Tuuli Narkle, Mavournee Hazel and William McInnes. The series is created by Morgan O’Neill, who serves as executive producer alongside Endemol Shine Australia’s Sara Richardson and Michele Bennett. Produced by Endemol Shine Australia for CBS Studios and Paramount Australia, and distributed outside Australia by Paramount Global Content Distribution, NCIS: Sydney season one is streaming now on Paramount+ in New Zealand, USA, UK, South Korea, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and will be available later this year in Japan.

NCIS is one of the world’s most successful TV dramas, ranking as the #1 U.S. TV drama franchise globally. In the U.S. alone, NCIS has amassed over 4.37 trillion minutes viewed across the entire franchise during its 20 years on TV. NCIS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, NCIS: HAWAI’I and NCIS: NEW ORLEANS, have been licensed in over 200 markets worldwide and NCIS won the International Audience Award as the most watched television series by Médiamétrie and Eurodata in 2014, 2015 and 2017. The franchise will reach its 1,000th episode milestone on April 15th.

NCIS: Sydney (season two) joins a host of the Paramount+ Australian Originals currently streaming on Paramount+ including Paper Dolls, Last King Of The Cross (S1), The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers, with Fake and Top Gear Australia streaming soon.

You can stream 20,000 hours of unique stories, iconic stars, live sport and a mountain of entertainment on Paramount+ for $9.99 per month for a monthly subscription, or $89.99 for an annual subscription.  

About Paramount+ 

Paramount+ is a global digital subscription video streaming service from Paramount that features a mountain of premium entertainment for audiences of all ages. Internationally, the streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including SHOWTIME®, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel™, in addition to a robust offering of premier local content. The service is currently live in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and South Korea. 

About CBS Studios

CBS Studios is one of the world’s leading suppliers of entertainment programming with development and production for broadcast, cable networks, streaming services, and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, which includes genre-defining franchises such as NCIS, CSI and the ever-growing Star Trek universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, as well as an extensive library of iconic intellectual property. The Studio also develops and produces local language and international content originating outside of the US for viewers around the world.

About Endemol Shine Australia

Endemol Shine Australia (ESA), a Banijay Group company comprises proven leaders in television and digital production whose shows have become ratings hits. ESA’s slate represents the most exciting and popular programming on Australian free-to-air networks and pay TV channels–including MasterChef Australia, Australian Survivor, Big Brother, LEGO Masters, Married at First Sight, Gogglebox, Hunted, The Bridge, The Traitors, and the International Emmy Award winning Old People’s Home For 4 Year Olds as well as acclaimed dramas including RFDS, Bali 2002,Blue Murder: Killer Cop, Offspring, Sisters, Peter Allen: Not The Boy Next Door and INXS: Never Tear Us Apart.

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Gordon Ramsay and Janine Allis search for Australia’s next food star

Australia’s newest entrepreneur hopefuls, looking to turn their dreams into reality, will put everything on the line in Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, a brand-new series for the 9Network, premiering Tuesday, March 26, at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. 

Breaking into the multi-billion-dollar food and beverage industry can be an impossible feat, unless you’re lucky enough to have some big investors behind you. 

Global culinary superstar and CEO Gordon Ramsay will be pitted against Australian business mogul Janine Allis. With an investment of $250,000 each, they’re on the hunt for Australia’s most exciting and innovative new food and drink ideas to mentor and invest in. 

Contestants will first pitch their concepts hoping to win a place in the competition and their dream investor. With only 14 spots up for grabs, they will need to put their best foot forward to impress Gordon and Janine for the chance to be selected in one of their teams. 

These two teams of driven, ambitious, competitive and creative contestants will then have to fight to survive and compete in various high pressure challenges. The losing team faces an intense grilling from Gordon and Janine where one team member will be eliminated. 

Battling it out for their place to the top, they’ll need to prove they have what it takes across all the essential elements of running a successful business including customer service, marketing, sales, branding and event management. 

The winning entrepreneur from each team will take home a cash prize of $250,000 investment, as well as a one year mentorship program from either Gordon or Janine as their investor. 

Gordon Ramsay said: “This is a competition that highlights the most exciting food and drink ideas in the country, some of which may have never been heard of before. Viewers will see what Australia has in terms of Food Stars, and these businesses are going to surprise you.” 

Janine Allis said: “Australia’s food and beverage businesses are some of the most innovative in the world, and the entrepreneurs behind them have thrown everything they have into it. Food Stars showcases some of these extraordinary concepts and products, and viewers will get to see just what they’re made of. It is one hell of a journey.” 

Who will have the raw ingredients and what it takes to become Australia’s next Food Star? 

This bold and competitive format with Gordon Ramsay, already broadcasting in the UK and US, is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (A Banijay company) and Studio Ramsay Global (a FOX Entertainment company), for the 9Network. 

GORDON RAMSAY’S FOOD STARS
TUESDAY, MARCH 26, AT 7.30PM ON CHANNEL 9 & 9NOW

Banijay Launch Winners Unveiled

London, 8 March 2024: Coinciding with International Women’s Day, media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, today confirms Amber Kane and Emily Wilson as joint winners of its inaugural Banijay Launch program. Kane, a freelancer from Australia, scooped the prize for her high-octane variety talent concept, Double Act; and Wilson, for her original psychological dating format, Can’t Buy My Love. Selecting two owing to the fierce competition amongst the four finalists, the judges commended both entries as “fantastic ideas with significant international appeal.”

Designed to exclusively support women creators with promising unscripted formats, Banijay Launch was unveiled at MIPCOM 2023 and received an extraordinary 500+ applications from 30+ territories. Spanning Australia (Amber Kane), UK (Emily Wilson), France (Yasmina Salmandjee), and Denmark (Lisbet Winther), the respective finalists assembled in London on Tuesday 6 March for the grand finale, where they pitched their ideas to an esteemed jury comprising Endemol Shine North America CEO, Sharon Levy; Banijay Chief Content Officer, Development, James Townley; Banijay Chief Business Officer, Fred Balmary; Banijay Iberia CEO, Pilar Blasco; and Founder and CEO of Everywoman Studios, Abby Greensfelder. But there could only be... two winners!

Kane’s idea was credited by the judges for its brilliant reality elements, highly-clipable offering, and the way in which it taps into the zeitgeist of the “mash-up” in a spectacular way to create a new competition show. Elsewhere, Wilson’s was enjoyed by judges for its twist and turns, strong format pillars, brandable moments, and original “gifting” concept everyone can identify with.

Sharon Levy, CEO, Endemol Shine North America comments: “Banijay Launch was envisioned as a bridge for women to gain access to our industry, and based on the sheer volume and quality of pitches we received, its time was long overdue. Mirroring the global reach of Banijay, we heard from applicants far and wide, and I hope the result illustrates just how strong the four finalists were. The two fantastic women who share the ‘winner’ title had unbelievably competitive ideas that were well- pitched, original, and highly sellable. The ambassadors and Banijay at-large feel fortunate to continue collaborating with them to bring their amazing concepts to life. We are all so proud to have played a role in opening the door to the next generation of talent, and with the study results from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media imminent, we hope to keep doing more to foster a wider community of women in non-scripted.”

Amber Kane says: “I still can’t quite believe it. I had been working on Double Act for six years and it always felt taking it to screen may be impossible given the continued challenges for women in the content industry. However, Banijay Launch truly opened the door for me. Working with the talented Amelia Fisk, I have not only strengthened my idea but also my confidence in pitching, and I look forward to continuing to partner with her, and Banijay’s Creative Networks, in hopefully landing my idea on-screen. I am hugely thankful for the opportunity and feel inspired to keep going with creating great formats for the world to enjoy.”

Emily Wilson says: “As a huge reality TV fan, it was always my dream to create my very own unscripted format that could transcend audiences across the globe. In Can’t Buy My Love I feel I have crafted an original show that I truly believe has all the elements for success, and with the help of Banijay, and my brilliant mentor Claire O’Donohoe, could tap into the buyer demand for social experiments everywhere. I’m hugely grateful for this life-changing experience and look forward to seeing where this opportunity can take me in a career capacity.”

Addressing gender equality by discovering and incubating untapped women talent, Banijay Launch was initiated by Levy, co-led by Townley, and supported by the group’s network of creative ambassadors who nurtured the finalists in developing their bold new formats from concept to pitch, with the aim of the winning ideas eventually landing on screen. It was inspired by the Propelle program, a female-focused accelerator initiative created and developed in 2020 by Everywoman Studios’ CEO, Abby Greensfelder. Both Kane and Wilson will now work with their ambassadors and

Banijay’s Creative Networks to develop their ideas further, and the group hopes to unveil both ideas fully at launch.

Coinciding with the program, Banijay Americas announced the commission of a first- of-its-kind study with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, in partnership with Everywoman Studios. The findings of the ground-breaking study, which investigates women’s inclusion in creative leadership roles in unscripted production across Brazil, U.K., U.S., and France, will be unveiled at an event in Los Angeles in May. Further news will follow in the coming weeks.

Notes to editors:
Below are the local Banijay Launch ambassadors who locally mentored their respective candidates through the program process:

• Australia: Amelia Fisk, Endemol Shine Australia

• Denmark: Line Westi, Metronome

• France: Leslie Blumberg, Air Productions

• UK: Claire O’Donohoe, Remarkable, Initial, and ZnakTV
  

About Banijay

Launched in 2008, media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, is home to over 130 production companies across 21 territories, a multi-genre catalogue boasting over 180,000 hours of original standout programming, and a complementary live entertainment business – Banijay Events.

Imagining and delivering high-quality, multi-genre IP that was born locally and travels globally, the business offers the best stories told the best way, and represents some of the biggest global brands in the market including Survivor, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, Rogue Heroes, Marie Antoinette, Mr Bean, The Summit, Black Mirror, Deal or No Deal Island, and Upside Down among others.

Built on independence, creative freedom, collaborative entrepreneurialism, and commercial acumen, the company, operates under the direction of Chief Executive Officer, Marco Bassetti. It is under his leadership, the business has grown to reach €3.3bn in revenues and €494m in EBITDA for 2023.

About Banijay Americas

Banijay Americas is a leading creator and producer of entertainment content, composed of production companies in the United States and across Latin America. A division of media

and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, Banijay Americas includes subsidiary production companies across two continents – U.S.-based Endemol Shine North America, Bunim/Murray Productions, Truly Original, 51 Minds Entertainment, Authentic Entertainment, and Stephen David Entertainment; Mexico-based Endemol Shine Boomdog and Banijay Mexico and U.S. Hispanic; and Brazil-based Endemol Shine Brasil and A Fábrica. Additionally, the company is set to open Banijay Studios Brasil, a 750,000 square- foot studio facility in 2023. Together, Banijay Americas is home to more than 100 original series, including some of the biggest brands in television, and produces over 1,500 hours of original content per year.

About Everywoman Studios:

Everywoman Studios is a full-service media company, dedicated to women-fuelled content that can create positive cultural impact. Founded in 2019 by veteran producer, Abby Greensfelder – creator of global hits such as Say Yes to the Dress and The Last Alaskans, among others – Everywoman Studios currently has a range of non-fiction series and features in development and production across multiple networks and streamers. The company’s first feature documentary, LFG – which chronicles the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s fight for equal pay – premiered in 2021 at The Tribeca Film Festival before launching on HBO Max. The Emmy-nominated film is credited with helping the players achieve equal pay.

Greensfelder and Everywoman also founded “Propelle,” a content accelerator program for women producers and filmmakers. The first year’s winning project, Prisoner of the Prophet, is streaming now on Discovery+. For more information, please visit Everywoman Studios’ website.

About Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media:

Founded in 2004 by Academy Award Winning Actor Geena Davis, the Institute is the only research-based organization working collaboratively within the entertainment industry to create gender balance, foster inclusion, and reduce negative stereotyping in global family entertainment and media. Visit seejane.org for more information.

Fridays Are Set To Sizzle With Ready Steady Cook. Premieres Friday, 8 March At 7.30pm On 10 And 10 Play.

Australia’s most loved TV chef and host with the most, Miguel Maestre, is bringing big food fun to Friday nights in the tasty new series Ready Steady Cook from Friday, 8 March at 7.30pm on 10 and 10 Play.  

Returning to 10 after more than a decade-long hiatus, the original cooking competition show showcases some of the country’s best chefs, who will join forces with everyday Aussie home cooks, to prepare delicious dishes using only five ingredients (and pantry supplies). The team who takes out the win after the strict 20 minute cook time, will be decided by the live studio audience. In the final round, our two chefs will battle head-to-head in the ‘Chef’s Challenge,’ where they will push culinary boundaries in a 10-minute fast round. 

Hoping to reign supreme in their Capsicum and Tomato teams, are culinary royalty Adriano Zumbo, Hayden Quinn, Anna Polyviou, Khanh Ong, Mindy Woods, Sarah Todd, Sergio Perera, Diana Chan, Alastair McLeod, Mike Reid, Adam D’Sylva and Alice Zaslavsky.  

In addition, some of Australia’s favourite celebrities will also join in on the cooking spectacular across a number of special episodes.

Prepare to witness culinary magic unfold right before your eyes, Friday nights with Ready Steady Cook.

Ready Steady Cook is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay company) for Network 10. 

Ready Steady Cook. 

Premieres Friday, 8 March At 7.30pm On 10 And 10 Play. 

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