ITV Studios To Produce Gino’s Italian Escape For ITV

ITV Studios Global Entertainment signs book deal to tie-in with TV series 

 

ITV Studios Daytime has been commissioned by ITV to produce Gino’s Italian Escape (6 x 30’), a primetime series presented by This Morning’s resident chef Gino D’Acampo which combines lifestyle, travel and cookery. ITV Studios Global Entertainment has also brokered a deal with Hodder & Stoughton for a cookery book to accompany the series.

 

Gino’s Italian Escape sees the chef revealing the best-kept secrets of Southern Italy - where he grew up - a region renowned for its vibrant people, food and culture, all of which gave Gino the rich traditions that continue to inspire him today.

 

Gino travels across the area – from the beautiful Amalfi coast to bustling Rome and the relatively unexplored Puglia and Basilicata regions – meeting local characters and sourcing the best ingredients and finest wines, so he can celebrate a perfect Italian escape with family and friends. The series will air in September on ITV. 

 

Miles Jarvis, Executive Producer, ITV Studios, said:  “Gino is already a familiar face to many viewers, and Gino’s Italian Escape offers the audience the chance to join him on a trip home to experience the unique Southern Italian lifestyle that has been so key to his identity.” 

 

ITV Studios Global Entertainment has agreed a deal with Hodder & Stoughton for Gino D’Acampo to write a cookery book, which will be published in September to complement the series.

 

Shirley Patton, Head of Publishing, ITV Studios Global Entertainment, said: “I’m delighted to be working with Hodder to extend Gino’s Italian Escape into a cookery book, which will give viewers the opportunity to recreate some of his delicious Italian food in their own homes.”

 

Gino’s Italian Escape was commissioned by Katy Thorogood for ITV. The book deal was brokered by Shirley Patton with Hodder & Stoughton’s Lifestyle Editorial Director, Nicky Ross.

 

Gino’s Italian Escape is ITV Studios Daytime’s first factual series commission for ITV primetime and follows last year’s one-off documentary The Circus. ITV Studios Daytime also produced Frontline Police for Channel Five and the recently recommissioned Britain’s Darkest Taboos for Crime & Investigation Network.

 

ENDS

 

 

ITV Studios UK is the largest and most successful commercial production company in the UK, creating over 3,500 hours of original programming each year. Building on a heritage of over 50 years of quality programme-making, ITV Studios UK produces across a wide range of genres, from drama and entertainment to factual and lifestyle, for channels including ITV, the BBC, Channel 4, Sky, Discovery, National Geographic Channel, History and Channel 5. It is based in London, Manchester’s MediaCityUK and Leeds.

 

ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) is one of the world’s leading international TV distribution, home entertainment, publishing, merchandising and licensing businesses. ITVS GE’s consumer products division brings together home entertainment, promotions, licensing and publishing under one umbrella. Part of ITV PLC, which includes the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster, ITV Studios Global Entertainment has offices in London, Cologne, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Sydney.

ITV recommissions Endeavour for a second series

ITV’s critically acclaimed crime drama, Endeavour, will return for a second series following the phenomenal success of the first series starring Shaun Evans and Roger Allam.

 

As a prequel to the much-admired Inspector Morse, Endeavour debuted in 2012 with a feature length story to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Morse.  Consequently, this one off became the highest performing new drama title to air on ITV that year. 

 

With Shaun Evans (The Take, The last Weekend) in the lead role of young Morse, Roger Allam (The Thick of It, Parade’s End, Game of Thrones) as Detective Inspector Fred Thursday, and written by Russell Lewis, who wrote for Morse and devised Lewis, the drama instantly became a hit with viewers and critics who acknowledged the high production values and beautifully crafted stories inspired by the character created by acclaimed novelist Colin Dexter, whose first Morse story was published in 1975.  Colin continues his association with the drama acting as a consultant to Endeavour producers, Mammoth Screen.

 

The first full series of Endeavour screened earlier this year with each of the four episodes averaging 7.0m and a 25% share, making it one of the best performing drama series on ITV so far this year alongside Broadchurch and Mr Selfridge. Endeavour won the slot across the whole series, convincingly beating off competition from BBC1’s period drama The Village.

 

The new series will comprise 4 x 120 minute films with Russell Lewis returning to writing duties and serving as an Executive Producer alongside Mammoth Screen’s Michele Buck and Damien Timmer who have executive produced Endeavour since its inception.  Camille Gatin (Shadow Dancer) will produce the series and the directors will be appointed in the coming months.  The series will go into production in Oxford later this year.

 

"We’re truly delighted by the audience's reaction to the first quartet of Endeavour stories, and very grateful to ITV for the opportunity to further embellish the legend,” said Russell Lewis.  “As to where we'll be going next time out..? 1966. The year of Revolver. In the Bodleian. With Miss Scarlet. 'They think it's all over..?’  It's only just started, matey!” 

 

Added ITV’s Director of Drama Commissioning Steve November:

 

“The audience’s response to the classic crime partnership of Endeavour and Thursday has been incredible and we’re thrilled at the prospect of more Endeavour stories written by Russell Lewis and produced by Mammoth Screen.”

Google's UK boss faced MPs grilling over taxes in May

In May, MPs accused Google UK boss Matt Brittin of "calculated and unethical behaviour in deliberately manipulating the reality" of the tech giant's business for tax avoidance purposes.

In response, Mr Brittin denied the accusation and insisted: "We comply fully with the laws that are set down by politicians. Tax is not a matter of choice, tax is a matter of following the law."