Format

Canada’s Sphere Media has entered into an exclusive creative partnership with acclaimed format developer and showrunner Moira Ross, tapping her to develop and produce both established and original IP with an initial focus on dating shows, social experiments and premium talent competitions.

Under the agreement, Ross will work closely with Sphere Media to build a new slate of large-scale studio formats, combining her internationally recognised expertise in global franchises with Sphere’s track record in creating, adapting and exploiting formats worldwide.

“I’ve had the privilege of working at the centre of several golden eras of global formats, and now this opportunity really excites me. I’m drawn to Sphere for its creative culture, collaborative approach and the possibility of producing in multiple languages. Producers everywhere are under intense pressure to deliver more with less – whilst pre-production budgets shrink and expectations keep rising. Canada feels uniquely positioned at this moment to be a global hub and partner with clear advantages in cultural alignment and budget competitiveness. I see huge potential to build exciting, ambitious, premium formats here where we can breathe life into fresh ideas and put every dollar on screen,” Ross said.

The partnership leverages Ross’s experience on major international franchises alongside Sphere Media’s production infrastructure and Canada’s competitive tax incentives, enabling premium studio formats to be delivered at a significantly more cost-effective level compared to many other global production hubs.

Sphere Media CEO Bruno Dubé added: “Moira’s creative leadership and deep experience in global formats make her an exceptional partner. This agreement will also allow us to unlock new creative and commercial opportunities with U.S. and UK partners while further strengthening Canada’s position as a hub for premium entertainment formats. In collaboration with Sphere’s highly talented roster of creators and producers - Kim Bondi, Marie-Pier Gaudreault and Renaud Chassé - we will create ambitious content for the global market.”

Global Formats

Ross has worked on some of the industry’s most successful global franchises on both sides of the Atlantic, including playing a key role in the relaunch of "Strictly Come Dancing" in the UK, informed by her earlier involvement with "Dancing With the Stars" in the US. Known for rebranding and refreshing major IP, she also launched the BAFTA-nominated UK version of "The Voice" and served as showrunner for five seasons.
Her recent credits include Apple TV+ series "K-Popped", the BAFTA-nominated "Hannah Waddingham’s Home for Christmas", as well as long-running global hits "The Masked Singer" (FOX) and "So You Think You Can Dance", alongside work across both the BAFTA Film and Television Awards.