News Headline
Endemol Shine Group inks pan Balkan deal for ‘Big Brother’
MUMBAI: The newly launched global content creator, producer and distributor, Endemol Shine Group, has inked a new Pan Balkan deal for Big Brother. The reality juggernaut will return to five markets in the region including Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro, marking the format’s comeback where it last aired in 2011.
Endemol Shine Group has licensed the format to RTL Croatia, who will produce in house as well as airing the smash hit series. Meanwhile Serbian production company Emotion has also picked up the rights and will make the show for major broadcasters in Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro, details of which will be announced in due course.
The production will be filmed over 100 days at the regional hub in Serbia and will air simultaneously in each market, launching later this year. The series will feature housemates from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia all filmed together in the one Big Brother house.
“Big Brother remains one of the world’s biggest and longest-running entertainment hits and this deal is just the latest in a series of comebacks the format has made over the years. We’re thrilled to see the show returning to the Balkans for a pan regional series that will introduce a new, multi-national line up of housemates to fans in five markets,” said Endemol Shine Group CEO of Central and Eastern Europe and MENA regions Marina Williams.
The original reality format Big Brother launched in the Netherlands more than 15 years ago and changed the face of television. Twenty-five series aired in more than 70 countries across 2014. The format continues to be a hit in the USA, UK, Italy, Spain, Canada and Israel as well as in Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Africa and Asia.
Williams and her teams regionally oversee Endemol Shine Group’s newly combined catalogue of formats. The new company’s regional presence includes local production hubs in Poland, Middle East and North Africa, Russia and Turkey, with the Central and Eastern Europe format distribution team representing remaining territories.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
