English Entertainment
Laugh it off with Comedy Central’s new summer line up
MUMBAI: Taking forward the promise of unlimited laughter, Comedy Central, India’s leading 24-hour English Entertainment channel, brings to you nonstop laughter and madness. Gear up for a crazy summer as the channel announces the launch of new seasons of some beloved shows and a whole new show with About a Boy – Season 2, Brooklyn 99 – Season 2 and I Survived a Japanese Gameshow – Season 1 and 2. The new seasons are definitely going to give you a splash of high voltage drama filled with humour at its best. Keeping Comedy Central India’s ‘laugh it off’ spirit alive, the channel promises to up the laughter quotient during prime time, beginning this season.
Announcing the channel’s summer season line up, Ferzad Palia, Executive Vice President and Business Head, English Entertainment, Viacom18 said, “The success of Impractical Jokers has shown us India’s appetite for differentiated comedy content. Taking this proposition forward we are happy to entertain Indian audiences this summer with three new shows’ I Survived a Japanese Game Show’; which India will see for the first time, & also the new seasons of Brooklyn Nine Nine & About A Boy. Both these sitcoms are extremely popular in India & have been part of our highest rated shows of 2014”
About a Boy S2
About a Boy is a 2002 British-American comedy-drama film co-written and directed by brothers Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz. It is an adaptation of the 1998 novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. The film stars Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, and Rachel Weisz. The film at times uses double voice-over narration, when the audience hears both Will’s and Marcus’s thoughts.
Brooklyn 99 S2
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an American action comedy television series that airs on Fox. Recently won two Golden Globe Awards in 2014. Set in the fictional 99th Precinct of the New York City Police Department in Brooklyn, the single-camera series follows a precinct team of detectives and a newly appointed captain.
I Survived a Japanese Game Show S1 and S2
I Survived a Japanese Game Show (originally titled Big in Japan) is an American reality show that inspired shows like Wipeout and Takeshi’s Castle. The show followed a group of Americans, who leave the United States for Japan where they competed in a Japanese style game show. The winner takes home US $250,000. The series won both the Best Reality prize and the overall prize at the 2009 Rose d’Or ceremony.
These shows will be supported by a 360 degree promotion plan which includes an extensive online leg, PR activations, on-ground events and so much more.
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.
