Hammond's Blast Lab Gets Australian Deal

Leading UK distributor DCD Rights has secured a significant deal with ABC TV Australia for the entertaining and anarchic studio-based family game show Richard Hammond's Blast Lab.
The deal was announced at MIPCOM, as host Richard Hammond arrived in Cannes to meet buyers and press.
The deal sees the national public broadcaster acquiring 52 action-packed episodes for air in Australia in 2010.
This adds to recently announced acquisitions by TVB Hong Kong, TVNZ New Zealand and Universal DVD in the UK.
Produced by September Films in association with Hamster's Wheel Productions for CBBC, the first series of Richard Hammond's Blast Lab is currently screening on CBBC in the UK and 26 new episodes have just completed production, for broadcast in the UK from January 2010. DCD Rights will present all episodes to international broadcasters at MIPCOM, along with a spin-off stand-alone series, featuring the twenty most spectacular stunts.
Nicky Davies Williams, Chief Executive Officer at DCD Rights, commented: "We are very pleased to be able to announce this deal at MIPCOM, with Richard in attendance to meet with ABC TV and celebrate the show's upcoming broadcast. The series has proved a huge success in the UK, with Richard bringing his own inimitable enthusiasm to the subject of science.
"Blast Lab offers perfect entertaining and educating family content for international schedules and we look forward to introducing Richard to potential new broadcasters at the market."
Barbara Uecker, Head of Programming & Acquisitions, ABC TV Children's Department, added: "Richard Hammond's Blast Lab is a fantastic addition to our programme line-up. I'm looking forward very much to showing it to our Australian audience."
Filmed in front of a live studio audience, Richard Hammond's Blast Lab is set in the surreal world of Richard's secret laboratory, found under the watermill of his fictitious country mansion. In each episode, Richard leads two teams of three contestants through four rounds as they compete to win fantastic prizes. Richard is joined by a cast of characters including his 'Lab Rats', his loyal lab assistants; 'Mini Miss', his time warped science teacher and 'Ninja Nan', the formidable pensioner with a black belt in martial arts.
Contestants must answer science questions and perform experiments using ordinary household objects in games such as Vitamin C Rocket, Vacuum Cleaner Bazooka and Anti Gravity Grip and must also predict the outcome of jaw-dropping 'YouTube' style stunt moments - elaborate experiments with high production values that are shot on location.
In the final round, the teams battle to win prizes in a furiously wet and messy head-to-head game. The winning team walks away with an array of cool prizes, but the losing team must blow theirs up in an exploding bidet!
Richard Hammond's Blast Lab is available from DCD Rights Stand RSV.30 at MIPCOM.
(KMcA/BMcC)