Fred Media takes The Circus to Hayu
December 8, 2021
Fred Media has concluded a series of regional deals with streaming service Hayu, which will see both seasons of its popular reality series The Circus (20 x 30) become available on the SVoD platform in the UK and Ireland, Benelux, Canada, and Australia.
A Stripe Studios production for NBCU NZ (Bravo TV), The Circus follows the 10-strong Weber family who live, work, and play together under the backdrop of a circus big top. The series provides a VIP backstage pass to a unique way of life, most notably of the Weber sisters Kiarnna and Kaleah – who are strong, smart, beautiful and fight like cats and dogs – and introduces a range of supporting characters including Martine, a Puerto Rican daredevil stunt rider and trapeze artist, and Australian clown Ozzy, who always steals the show. The series captures all the highs, lows, loves and drama of the Webers’ life in the circus – from death-defying performances to parties on multi-million-dollar super-yachts and appearances on primetime talk shows.
A major ratings-hit in New Zealand, The Circus has recently been recommissioned for a third 10 x 30 series. It will deliver later in 2022 and Fred Media will once again be distributing.
Fred Media is also pleased to confirm that Karen Connell has joined the team for the next 12 months as senior sales manager for UK & Western Europe, covering for Mem Bakar who is on maternity leave. Karen brings with her a wealth of international experience derived from former roles such as head of sales at TCB Media Rights and VP sales at Beyond Distribution, as well as positions at Viasat World and National Geographic Television International. Most recently, she was commercial manager at Rights Tacker. Karen is based in London.
Roger Vanderspikken, Fred Media’s general manager comments: “The Circus has really captured the imagination of viewers in New Zealand, so we are delighted to see it starting to fly internationally. It’s an absorbing and truly entertaining reality series so Hayu, with its focus on the best of reality TV, will provide a perfect home in these territories.
“We are thrilled to welcome Karen Connell to the team for what promises to be a very busy 2022 for Fred Media. I first met Karen almost a decade ago and always thought she would be a terrific addition to the team. We are lucky to have someone with the right mix of skills, experience and territory knowledge to cover this role and are especially pleased that as Karen is also based in the UK, she will be easily accessible to our growing client base in Western Europe.”