My Kitchen Rules goes to New Zealand

Television New Zealand has signed Seven to create and produce My Kitchen Rules for the New Zealand market.

The reality cooking show will be produced for TVNZ by Seven Productions New Zealand. The Kiwi version will be hosted by Manu Feildel and Pete Evans. The show, which is created, developed and produced by Seven Productions, has been the most-watched program on Australian television over the past five years.

The signing with TVNZ builds on Seven’s agreement to create and produce My Kitchen Rules for FOX in the United States and Channel 4 in the United Kingdom and joins Serbia, Russia, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, Norway and Lithuania with local versions of the Seven format. In addition, the Australian version of My Kitchen Rules is seen in more than 150 territories around the world. The format is licensed through EndemolShine Ltd.

Chief executive officer and managing director of Seven West Media Tim Worner said: “We are very excited with this latest development for My Kitchen Rules. We are also delighted about our expanding presence in international markets.  We are making significant progress with Seven Productions along with our two joint venture businesses – 7 Wonder and 7 Beyond – and our strategic investment in Slim Film + Television in securing significant commissions.  There is an increasing international demand for our ideas, and our owned and created content and concepts.”

Therese Hegarty, Seven’s director of content distribution and rights, said: “We are now creating more content than at any time in our history .  We are expanding our presence in international content production with the formation of new international production companies. The success of these new businesses in garnering key commissions over the past twelve months, and the expanding presence of Seven Productions underline a key part of our strategy for today and in the future: the expansion of our leadership in the production of content.”

Kiwis who fancy a shot at MKR NZ can apply for mkrnz.co.nz.