GECs
Zoom’s ‘Kuoni Hot Spots’ & ‘Love Bites’ to air from 12 February
MUMBAI: With a view to expand their programming content, lifestyle and entertainment channel Zoom has announced two new shows Kuoni Hot Spots and Love Bites. Whilst KHS is a travel show, Love Bites is an interactive agony aunt kind of show on problems one faces when in love.
For the perfect Sunday viewing, Kuoni Hot Spots starts from 12 February and will air at 11:30 am. And, Love Bites will premiere on Valentines Day, 14 February at 7:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com Zoom programming head Aparnaa Pande said, “The formats that will be presented on both the shows were so far unexplored on Zoom. Our target audience is the metro-centric family and youth. We are confident that these new shows will further strengthen the position of the channel and will be appreciated by our viewers.”
Zoom has a marketing tie up with the title sponsor international travel group Kuoni for KHS. Conceptulized a month ago, Contiloe has produced the show. It’s a 13-episode series to start with.
The series takes viewers to locations where the stars holiday. A Femina Miss India 2005 contestant, Supreet Bedi is anchoring the show on TV for the first time. She takes viewers to some of the hottest destinations for a unique travel experience.
The first two episodes travel to Singapore. The series will also showcase the luxury liner Superstar Virgo and cover countries like Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur and Langakawi), Spain and Austria in the coming weeks.
Designed to be different from the usual travel shows, it includes information ranging from five top things to do, where to stay, to where to dine, and many other such interesting information for travellers.
Zoom anchor Pooja Bedi spoke on the initiative,” From being a window to lifestyle and entertainment in India, Zoom would also be a window to the world with the travel show.”
Samir & Gayatri on Love Bites
Love Bites to be hosted by Samir Kochhar and Gayatri will have viewers call in/SMS/e-mail their love problems to the show. Viewers can also call in with requests for songs. Seher Bedi has produced Love Bites.
“While Samir is funny, amusing and irreverent in the solutions that he has to offer, Gayatri is the sensible one. Depending on the viewers responses, the set and content will be constantly upgraded as the show goes on,” says Pande.
While Samir is an established face on television and has hosted the talk show on sex Dangerous on Zoom, Gayatri is a model and Love Bites will mark her debut on television.
“All the anchors, Supreet, Samir and Gayatri, represent the hot, young image that Zoom is associated with. The channel was receiving numerous e-mails from viewers to get Samir back. His personality fitted in perfectly to anchor Love Bites” says Pande.
Also, viewers can watch the winners of the last two categories of the Red Hot Countdown series. The top 10 Most Wanted Vamps and Villains and Most Beautiful Couples will air on 11 and 12 February at 7:30 pm respectively.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
