Global TV producer Endemol is partnering with China’s Youku Tudou to launch the first-ever Chinese version of global reality hit Big Brother.
Big Brother China will be streamed for ten weeks starting in early 2015. The series will be produced by Endemol’s new Beijing-based outpost, Endemol Culture Media Co, in partnership with Youku Tudou.
Endemol’s CEO of Asian Operations, Arjen van Mierlo said: “We’re thrilled to announce this landmark deal with Youku Tudou, bringing a format that has changed the face of television to China for the first time. In a market that annually generates hundreds of billions of video views, partnering with the number one digital video platform will allow us to bring Big Brother to a young audience and deliver the most immersive, interactive and unique experience to fans across the nation.”
Youku Tudou CEO Victor Koo said: We are delighted to be joining forces with Endemol to finally bring this groundbreaking format to China. Fifteen years after its launch, Big Brother continues to be a worldwide hit that engages passionate young fans across multiple platforms. Youku Tudou has been advancing its multi-screen media and entertainment ecosystem to provide its users with higher quality original content. By partnering with Endemol, Youku Tudou can build on its achievements with this great fit into our business model.”
Endemol’s hits in China include five series of celebrity talent format Your Face Sounds Familiar for Hunan TV and The Brain For Jiangsu, which won the top award at China’s Golden Eagle TV awards.
Youku Tudou says it currently has more than 500 million active users across screens, annually generating over 200 billion views.