Event Coverage
Star catches Endemol’s reality format ‘The Match’
CANNES: Star India has bought the rights of Endemol’s reality format The Match at the ongoing MIPTV.
Endemol and Star will produce The Cricket Match, a desi version of The Match, which aired in the UK on Sky One and revolved around soccer.
The Match entails a squad of interactively voted and chosen celebrities from all walks of life trained to combat a real life sports team. The two teams clash after a week of extensive training, and the winning team walks away with a cash prize that can be given away to a charity of their choice.
Ulrika Jonsson, Mark Durden-Smith and former England manager Graham Taylor hosted the week long-tournament ending in the Celebs versus Pros final on 10 October 2004 at St James’ Park Newcastle.
The Match comprises a 90-minute live launch programme, followed by six one-hour live prime time shows. The week’s event culminates with the big match telecast live. Throughout the week of the show, there is up to 18 hours a day of live streaming of all the action, injuries and squad gossip from the celebrity camp.
The Endemol produced The Match that aired on Sky One in the UK in October 2004, had 18 football-crazy celebrities entering Newcastle United’s state-of-the-art Football Academy, where they lived and trained under the watchful eye of former England manager Graham Taylor. Hosted by Ulrika Jonsson and Mark Durden-Smith, Sky One cameras captured every minute over seven days as the squad trained and disciplined in all aspects of fitness, focus and skill.
Interactive voting decided who made the squad for The Match held on 10 October – a live, interactive, charity game against a ‘Legends XI’, comprising some of the most famous names in footballing history, marshalled by Sir Bobby Robson, Newcastle United manager.
Every night, Graham Taylor nominated three celebrities who didn’t pull their weight to face an interactive public vote, the celebrity with the fewest votes being relegated from the team.
The team was finally selected from the remaining squad to play against the ‘Legends XI’, at Newcastle United’s stadium, St James’ Park. The live match event was produced by Sky Sports for Sky One using up-to-the-minute technology and unusual camera angles.
The winning team stands to receive a cash prize for the charity of its choice as well as playing for glory, pride and the prestigious The Match trophy.
Meanwhile, in another development, Endemol International has sold Big Brother back to its creator John de Mol. Talpa TV, the new broadcaster in the Netherlands owned by De Mol, will give the blockbuster format a 100-day run soon after it goes on air in August. Paul Romer, responsible for the format’s record-breaking debut series in the Netherlands in 1999, will be producer for this fifth series in Holland.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
