Zig Zag Productions, CJ ENM, IMTV and BBC Studios partner on Dating Detectives
UK independent TV production company Zig Zag Productions and South Korea-based producer/channel operator CJ ENM, production house IMTV and BBC Studios, have announced a co-production/distribution deal for a new dating and crime procedural mash-up format. ‘Dating Detectives’ (Zig Zag Productions/IMTV) sees real-life detectives help single contestants looking for love uncover their ideal partner using real-life investigation techniques. The detectives will use forensics, interrogation and psychological profiling methods to test daters’ inherent goodness, ethics, kindness and generosity - all shown through hidden-camera filming. Based on the detectives’ findings, the potential dates will then get whittled down to one who will then be matched up with the contestant. Zig Zag Productions originated the format and has co-developed the project with IMTV, with both a Korean- and English-language broadcast pilot produced. IMTV produced the South Korean version for broadcast on CJ ENM’s general entertainment channel tvN and received pilot production funding from government-backed Korean cultural agency KOCCA. BBC Studios Distribution has co-funded development and holds worldwide distribution rights to the format in all territories except the UK and South Korea.
