Rising Star comes to ITV

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A new entertainment format where real-time voting by viewers is at the heart of finding the next big star, is coming to ITV.

Devised by Keshet International and commissioned for ITV by Director of Entertainment and Comedy Elaine Bedell, Rising Star is an innovative, interactive, musical talent format, where viewers at home vote in real-time during performances, via an app, which is fully integrated in the show.

Prior to any performance beginning, there is a period in which people at home can enter the vote' through a free app. Then when the performance starts, the voting starts - all live, all in real time.

The live audition rounds see the contestant walking out onto a stage to begin their live screen test. From their point of view, the screen they're performing in front of is blank, but as the performance starts pictures of the people voting at home start to flash up on the screen.

If the contestant achieves a 70% approval from the viewers' voters, and the judges the screen then rises, they walk out to see the judges and the studio audience, and they go through to the next round.

The four judges votes' influence the contestant's chances, but the decision is largely in the hands of the viewers, with their votes contributing the lion's share towards deciding whether the contestant hits the 70% approval they need to progress to the next round.

Rising Star had a record-breaking debut on Keshet's Channel 2 in Israel, capturing an impressive 49.4% audience share, making it the highest debut of a TV show during the country's September launch season in 15 years.

The UK series on ITV will be co-produced by ITV Studios and Keshet International UK. The sale to ITV was done by Keshet International.

ITV's Director of Entertainment and Comedy, Elaine Bedell said,

Its rare that you find a genuinely innovative new entertainment format - but Keshet have come up with one and Im very pleased that it will now be on ITV. The bold real- time voting element means that viewers' votes control every twist and turn of the live programme - and that makes for an incredibly dramatic, emotional and exciting show.

From Saturday Night Takeaway, to Splash!, Off Their Rockers and Catchphrase, to Through The Keyhole to Big Star's Little Star, and of course our big long running formats, Britain's Got Talent, The X Factor and I'm A Celebrity - ITV Entertainment has had a strong year in 2013, and having an innovative, in-demand new format joining our mix of shows is fantastic news for us.

Keshet Internationals Managing Director, Alon Shtruzman said,

ITVs track record in launching globally successful music and talent shows makes it the natural UK home for the groundbreaking Rising Star. The UKs leading commercial network joins a large cast of leading broadcasters to come on board, and we look forward to working with its brilliant team to bring this interactive live experience to British audiences."

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About ITV Studios

ITV Studios UK is the largest and most successful commercial production company in the UK, creating over 3,500 hours of original programming each year.

Building on a heritage of over 50 years of quality programme-making, ITV Studios UK produces across a wide range of genres, from drama and entertainment to factual and lifestyle, for channels including ITV, the BBC, Channel 4, Sky, Discovery, National Geographic Channel, History and Channel 5.

It is based in London, Manchester's MediaCityUK and Leeds.

About Keshet International

Keshet International is Keshet Media Groups global distribution and production arm. Headed by Managing Director Alon Shtruzman, it includes Keshets local production outposts (Keshet UK, Keshet Australia, Keshet Canada and Keshet DCP in the US) as well as its global distribution arm.

KIs catalogue consists of over 60 tried and tested properties that appeal to audiences worldwide, spanning all genres.

Highlights include hit drama Prisoners of War, the original Israeli version of prime time Emmy winner Homeland; hit interactive talent show Rising Star; International Emmy nominated docu-reality format Dear Neighbors, Help our Daughter Find Love; talent show Master Class; cross platform format 50 Things You Have to Know; reality dating format Girlfri3nds; game show The Vault; and buddy comedy' Traffic Light, winner of the International Emmy Award.

About Keshet

Established in 1993, Keshet is the leading Israeli media company specializing in reaching coveted audiences through existing and emerging media platforms with top rated programs and innovative, groundbreaking content. At the forefront of the global media company's portfolio is free TV with Keshet Broadcasting, Israel's most successful television broadcast operator and a franchisee of Channel 2, Israel's major commercial channel. Keshet Broadcasting has consistently dominated ratings and market share, with daily TV reaching 70% of households and an average prime time share of 42%.

LINK:	http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/rising-star-comes-itv...
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