Starzplay Secures $25 Million in Debt Financing from UAE Firm Ruya Partners – Global Bulletin

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Red Ant Media and Content Catalyst Fund team to promote women creatives working in unscripted; Abacus Media Rights secures rights to “Four Hours at the Capitol”; La Biennale di Venezia opens the call for applicants to this year’s Venice Gap-Finance Market; Goldfinch picks two video game IPs to develop as film and TV projects; and Fremantle acquires “Good With Wood” in several key territories.International production, distribution and channel operation

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, the U.K. selects James Newman for Eurovision 2021, Ringside and Newen close scripted deals in the U.K., BBC commissions a young men’s mental health doc with Roman Kemp, and the New Voice Awards announces its 2021 short lists.BBC, BBC Studios and BMG have confirmed that Brit Award-winning and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter James Newman will represent the U.K.

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, BBC comedy “The Cleaner” sets cast; EFP’s ‘Producers on the Move’ program sets May dates; NBCUniversal’s reality streamer Hayu expands in Europe; Indian multiplex chain PVR announces release slate; and MTV International’s “Celebrity Bumps: Famous & Pregnant” to debut in March.Helena Bonham-Carter (“The Crown”) and Greg Davies (“The Inbetweeners”) lead the cast of “The Cleaner,” an adaptation of long-running German comedy series “Der Tatortreiniger”

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Vice Distribution announces its spring slate; Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson doc gets theatrical launch dates ahead of its Amazon Prime Video premiere; Channel 4 commissions COVID lockdown-inspired docu-series “Sex Odyssey” with Alice Levine; South African streamer Showmax commissions a local version of “Temptation Island” and Fremantle promotes several execs in EMEA.Following its launch in summer 2020, Vice Distribution has announced its first

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, “Celebrity Game Face” gets Middle East version; Sophia Loren to get Legend Award; UKTV announces diversity and inclusion writing programs; and Flora Campbell appointed as chair of the Royal Television Society Northern Ireland center.A Middle East version of NBCUniversal Formats’ hit comedy gameshow “Celebrity Game Face” is launching in a weekly primetime slot on Abu Dhabi TV and the ADtv app, the first international series adaptation of the

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Warner Bros. announces several local versions of Nippon TV’s “Mute It!”, “Ugly Betty” gets a Ukrainian makeover, Twickenham Film Studios plans a facelift of its own, Australia’s Stan hires Amanda Duthie and beIN Sports gets Ligue 2 soccer in France.Warner Bros. International Television Production has struck a deal with Japan’s Nippon TV to produce multiple local versions of Nippon TV’s studio-based comedy show “Mute it!”.

Naman Ramachandran Three-part Discovery Plus original documentary series “Prime Suspect: The Madeleine McCann Case,” examines the new German suspect Christian B for the first time, and his link to one of the world’s most well-known unsolved cases – Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.British girl Madeleine McCann disappeared from her parents’ holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007.

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, “The Terror” sets sail on BBC Two and iPlayer, “The Man Standing Next” tops South Korea’s Blue Dragon Awards, Banijay announces two European remakes of “Lego Masters,” Discovery Plus is now available on Samsung Smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV in the U.K.

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, Transilvania Film Festival sets summer edition; The Story Lab pacts with Japan’s Fuji TV for unscripted formats; Court TV launches on U.K. platform Freeview; and U.K.

Hilaria Baldwin returned to social media on Friday night following a six-week break after she was accused of faking her Spanish heritage.The wife of Alec Baldwin shared a sweet family photo of her and her husband alongside their five children and apologised for not being clearer about her family history.MORE: Salma Hayek breaks silence on Hilaria Baldwin 'Spanish' scandalIn the heartfelt message, Hilaria – who turned off the comments on her post – penned: "I’ve spent the last month listening,

Jamie Lang Amazon has launched a recruitment drive to fill 1,000 new full-time apprenticeship positions across the U.K. over the coming year.

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, streamer Now TV creates powder artwork for ‘ZeroZeroZero’ series launch; ViacomCBS U.K.

Starzplay, a leading streaming service in the Middle East and North Africa, has secured its first independent debt financing with a $25M injection from Abu Dhabi-based Ruya Partners.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterProducer Joel Silver paid $1.7 million to the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas to cover Ron Meyer’s gambling debt in July 2014, multiple sources confirmed to Variety.At the time, Meyer was the vice chairman of NBCUniversal and Silver — his close friend — had a distribution deal with the studio.

Hailey Baldwin is opening up about how she handles fame and the struggles that come along with it. Appearing on Tuesday’s episode of Women's Health UK's "Going for Goal," Baldwin revealed how hard she is on herself and how she goes about "[protecting] her own well-being." "I'm somebody that's a very big over-thinker," Baldwin stated.

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, Korea’s IU joins the cast of Kore-eda Hirokazu’s “Broker”; Bertelsmann sells Groupe M6; Red Arrow takes series “Blackout”; Shorts festival sets dates; and ITV commissions game show “Moneyball.”Lee Ji-eun, the popular Korean singer-actor better known as IU, has joined the cast of “Broker,” Japanese auteur Kore-eda Hirokazu’s debut Korean-language movie.

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Amazon Prime Video and IMDb TV announce new casting for Season 2 of “Alex Rider,” investment is approved for Bottle Yard Studios in the U.K., the BIFAs announce Tom Felton will host this year’s online ceremony, NENT Studios UK sells three formats in Vietnam and Cruchnyroll picks up “Tsukimichi – Moonlit Fantasy” for streaming outside of Asia.Eleventh Hour Films has announced expanded casting for Season 2 of its popular Amazon Prime Video and IMDb TV series

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Alex de la Iglesia is back on set with “El cuarto pasajero,” Laurine Garaude departs Reed Midem, Chinese video app Kuaishou stuns investors in Hong Kong, Tencent finalizes its Universal Music Group share increase, Mopar Studios hire Jessica Pope as creative director and Pluto TV launches six new networks in Latin America.Spanish genre master Álex de la Iglesia, hot off the heels of his hit HBO horror series “30 Coins,” is back on set to shoot road movie

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, Miguel judges BBC fashion show; representation plummets across U.K. TV; AMC launches channel in Spain; Synchronicity signs first-look deal with All3Media; WFTN produces Sydney Harbour show; ESPN Plus takes West Indies cricket rights; Patrick Irwin joins Ringside; and U.S.