Event Coverage
Warner Bros. unveils 12 new show formats at MIPTV
MUMBAI: Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) has unveiled 12 all-new primetime formats at MIPTV. These include Repeat After Me (ABC, U.S.), The Gift (BBC One, UK), Weight for Love (in development at NBC),Backyard Survival (RTL4, Netherlands) and Our First Home (TVOne, NZ).
The company will also be previewing its all-new event game show format 500 Questions (ABC, U.S.) from executive producer Mark Burnett and creator Mike Darnell at MIPTV.
Inspired by a highly successful signature segment from the Emmy-winning daytime talk program The Ellen DeGeneres Show and produced by Ellen’s A Very Good Production in association with Warner Horizon Television, Repeat After Me sees Wendi McLendon-Covey instruct superstar talent, via a remote earpiece, to interact with everyday people in high-energy, comedic hidden-camera situations. Guests include Harry Connick, Jr., Usher and Justin Bieber, whose sketch reached more than 800 million users on Twitter.
From the makers of worldwide success Who Do You Think You Are? comes The Gift for BBC One. This unique factual entertainment series follows the unexpected and heart-warming personal stories of ordinary people given the extraordinary opportunity to be reunited with someone who changed their life forever. The Gift premiered in February on BBC One and is the highest rated new factual format series at 9 pm on the network in 2014/15.
From 5×5 Media in association with Warner Horizon Television, Weight for Love sees the emotional and physical transformation of overweight couples who commit to separate for a long period of time in order to regain their health. The couples will be documented and united in an emotional reveal, as they begin to plan the next part of their new lives.
Coming soon to RTL4 (Netherlands) is Backyard Survival, from the creators of Adam Looking for Eve. The show challenges four famous faces to live and survive without shelter and food in the wilds of the nation’s countryside, revealing personal and touching stories of the stars as they attempt Backyard Survival.
From the producers of The Bachelor New Zealand is Our First Home for TV One (NZ). Currently outperforming all international formats in its primetime slot, the show is feel-good and competitive. Part observational documentary and part soap opera, parents sacrifice everything for their kids, as they buy a ‘do-up’ and work together to help them with their first step on the property ladder. Competing against the clock to win big – families will be pushed to the limit in TV’s most exciting new property renovation show.
The new format slate also includes the market debut of Adoption Stories (Nelonen, Finland), Bring Back Borstal (ITV, UK), Back in Time for Dinner (BBC Two, UK),Ellen’s Design Challenge (HGTV, U.S.), Push The Red Button (RTL4, Netherlands),Soundtrack of Love (YLE, Finland) and Wanted – A Very Personal Assistant (BBC Three, UK).
Warner Bros. International Television Production includes new productions worldwide for The Bachelor, produced in 30 territories including ABC (U.S.) and RTL (Germany); the recently launched Adam Looking for Eve, produced in seven countries including RTL (Germany) and Cuatro (Spain); and First Dates, the top rated format created for Channel 4 (UK) and recently commissioned by NBC for a primetime US version produced by Shed Media (part of the unscripted/alternative programming department at Warner Bros.).
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.
