English Entertainment
GRB brings Disney docu to UK & Japan, slate of docus to Germany
MUMBAI: GRB Entertainment has announced the sale of several of its top-selling docs to broadcasters in the UK, Germany, and Japan.
Channel 5 in the UK and Fujisankei Communications Japan both acquired WALT: The Man Behind the Myth, the official biography of Walt Disney, sanctioned by The Walt Disney Family Foundation. Celebrate Disney’s life and career with exclusive footage and over 50 interviews with celebrities, directors, and animators. Presented by Diane Disney Miller, Walt’s daughter, and narrated by Dick Van Dyke, this film is filled with never-before-seen color home movies shot by Walt himself.
Docs de Cologne in Germany took four documentaries. Until Proven Innocent: The Hannah Overton Story is an investigative doc about the mysterious death of a four-year-old from Texas named Andrew Burd who died of salt poisoning. His foster mother, Hannah Overton, was charged with capital murder and sent to prison for life. But was this churchgoing young woman a vicious child killer? Or had the tragedy claimed its second victim?
Babies Behind Bars highlights the lives of female inmates at Washington Corrections Center in a remarkable program allowing them to raise their babies while they serve time. Follow Kristie Ebey, a newly incarcerated mother, as she fights to get into the program and Margaret Taggert who is just leaving the program with her toddler, facing the outside world for the first time as a single mother.
Confessions of a Superhero follows the lives of three mortal men and one woman who make their living working as superhero characters on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard. This deeply personal view into the daily routines of these characters reveals their hardships, and triumphs, as they pursue and achieve their own kind of fame.
A dog has been called man’s best friend for centuries, but with today’s modern technology, animals can stick around much longer than their standard life expectancy. I Cloned My Pet chronicles a group of dedicated pet lovers who lost their loyal canines, but go to extremes to bring them back to life, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to clone their pets, alienating family members, and risking other meaningful relationships along the way.
“GRB is fortunate to represent a large portfolio of top-notch docs in addition to our factual and scripted series. The Walt Disney doc features some of the most exclusive footage ever recorded on the iconic man — home movies that give a rare look at his private life. Our crime docs are sure to start conversations around the world and Confessions of a Superhero delves into the world of shattered Hollywood dreams,” said GRB SVP – international distribution Michael Lolato.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
