John Robins
Monday 23 June 2018
UKTV's award winning entertainment channel Dave is making its first programme with VICE Studios, Beat The Internet with John Robins (20x30'). Hosted by the 2017 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, Beat The Internet with John Robins pits members of the public against each other in a quest to predict how search engines respond to a series of questions - from images to wordplay, the results are both unpredictable and hilarious.
John Robins said: "For many years now I've been suspicious that the 'internet' is getting too big for its boots. Its war against our high streets, laws and HMRC goes completely unchecked, and that's not to mention the unknowable impact on future generations of the constant stream of top shelf material it provides, whose sheer volume and variety never ceases to astonish and horrify. I say it's time to fight back, to reclaim our streets, to enforce our laws, recoup our taxes, and place pornography back on actual shelves in the real world, where it can be controlled, policed, and placed under a copy of The Times before handing to a sympathetic newsagent. Ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to Beat The Internet."
Beat The Internet with John Robins is produced by Vice Studios, commissioned for UKTV by Iain Coyle, senior commissioning editor and ordered by Richard Watsham, director of commissioning and Steve North, genre general manager, comedy and entertainment. The show is executive produced for VICE Studios by Yonni Usiskin with Keith Cotton series editor and was devised by Dan Louw.
Iain Coyle said:
I'm really excited about this. Is it: a) a new genre for the channel b) a highly addictive, play-along game or c) a chance to work with one of the most exciting new comedy talents to emerge in the last few years? Answer: It's all three.
Luke Hales, Dave channel director said:
This is one of those concepts that immediately jumped out at us as fresh, exciting and with great potential to excite Dave viewers. We're also all huge fans of John and are delighted to welcome him to the channel.
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Yonni Usiskin, Creative Director and Executive Producer at VICE Studios, said:
We are delighted to be working with UKTV on our first studio game show, Beat The Internet with John Robins. Not only is this our first commission for UKTV but it also marks our move into unscripted formats and entertainment programming. Beat The Internet is unlike any other game show - it is born from the bizarre and highly intimate everyday relationship we all have with search engines and turns it into a game show that is hilarious, surprising and addictive viewing.
all3media are on board as the global rights holder for Beat The Internet with John Robins and will be launching the format and finished programme to international buyers later this year.
Beat The Internet with John Robins is another exciting new addition to the raft of UKTV Originals appearing on Dave this year. The channel has premiered Yianni: Supercar Customiser, Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier and The Horne Section Television Programme, alongside returning viewer favourites such as Taskmaster, Unspun with Matt Forde, Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit and the forthcoming new series of Zapped and Porters. The brand-new co-production with BBC, Expedition with Steve Backshall, airs in 2019.
Beat The Internet with John Robins is the latest slate addition for VICE Studios in the UK, whose recent portfolio includes Britain's Cocaine Epidemic (Channel 5); BBC2 documentary The Satanic Verses, based on The Salman Rushdie Affair; and most recently, the Studios' first feature film Time To Die, which was announced at last month's Cannes Film Festival. Beat The Internet with John Robins is part of VICE Studios' continued diversification of its programming slate that now spans documentary, feature films and entertainment programming and formats.
To receive a link to the online application form, please email UKCASTING@VICE.COM. T&C's apply.
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For more information, please contact: Ben Duncan or Ali Laurie