
In today’s Global Bulletin YouTube Originals sets England soccer team manager Gareth Southgate documentary; Firebird options debut novel “Wahala”; Vice Distributions sells programming to streamer Pluto TV; and the BBC‘s women’s representation 50:50 Project proves successful.
“Raise Your Game with Gareth Southgate,” a feature documentary on England soccer team manager Gareth Southgate, will launch in June as part of YouTube’s Originals series, ahead of the Euro 2020 soccer championship.
Produced by the U.K.’s Zig Zag Productions, the documentary sees YouTube creators ChrisMD, SV2, Yung Filly and StuntPegg explore the life and career of Southgate and the future of English soccer. Each YouTube creator story will break off from Southgate’s interview to tell a tale of an inspirational young person in the U.K., linking back to one of his three core motivational beliefs of “Be Kind, Be Brave, and Follow Your Dreams,” demonstrating how his philosophies are being realized in the real world.
Related Stories

How Celebrity Reps Are Fighting the Flood of Unauthorized AI Content

'Secret Level' Director Tim Miller and Epic Games Execs Talk Hollywood's Relationship With Unreal Engine as Version 5.5 Launches
The film is directed by Jacob Proud and Greg Hardes of Burning Flag films, produced by Madeleine Sanderson of Curate Films and executive produced by Zig Zag’s Danny Fenton and Matt Graff. The series producer is Dan Riley.
Popular on Variety
RIGHTS
Firebird Pictures, the BBC Studios-backed drama production house co-founded by former BBC commissioning editor Elizabeth Kilgarriff (“Luther,” “The Serpent”) has won the option for Nikki May‘s debut novel “Wahala” in a competitive situation.
The novel follows three 30-something Anglo-Nigerian female friends living in London, whose lives change when a charismatic person appears in their lives, and leads to a tragic act.
TV rights were acquired by Firebird co-founder Craig Holleworth from ICM literary agent Josie Freedom on behalf of Hannah Ladds at the Madeleine Milburn literary, TV and film agency.

SALES
Vice Media Group‘s Vice Distribution has placed 215 hours of non-scripted programming on free streamer Pluto TV. Library titles including the first two seasons of “Dark Side of the Ring” and “Cyberwar,” the first season of “The Devil You Know,” “Black Market” and “I Was A Teenage Fellon,” as well as past series of “F*** That’s Delicious,” “Gaycation,” “Weediquette” and “Hate Thy Neighbour” will be programmed across multiple Pluto TV channels including Spike Pluto TV, Logo Pluto TV, Pluto TV Pro Wrestling, Food TV, Pluto TV Lives, Pluto TV Travel, Pluto TV True Crime. They’ll also be available on-demand. All titles originally aired on VICE TV.
WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION
Over 100 organizations in 26 countries have joined the BBC‘s 50:50 Project in a challenge to feature 50% women contributors in their own content, including Unilever, PWC, RTÉ, TVNZ, the Financial Times, ABC News (Australia), Edelman and Lansons. The results, published Thursday, reveal that 50% of the partners taking part in the challenge report they’ve reached the 50% women contributors mark in their content in March.
At the BBC, 670 teams across all content divisions — including news, entertainment, sport and science — to date have signed up to the 50:50 Project. Some 70% of BBC programs and services reporting data in March featured 50% women contributors, up 4% on last year.
BBC director general Tim Davie said: “The 50:50 Project continues to enrich BBC’s content with new voices, helping us to reflect the audiences we serve. With our external partners, we are now also seeing a real impact beyond the BBC on a global scale. I encourage any organizations interested in taking up the challenge to get involved.”

Read More About:
Jump to CommentsMore from Variety
Australia Proposing to Ban Children From Social Media, Joins Wave of Asian Government Crackdowns on Platforms
Cloud Adoption Key to Media Business Exploiting AI
Meta Announces Ban on Russian State Media, Citing Deceptive Influence Operations
Emmys Rebound Bolsters 2024 Awards Show Ratings
Most Popular
Luke Bryan Reacts to Beyoncé’s CMA Awards Snub: ‘If You’re Gonna Make Country Albums, Come Into Our World and Be Country With…
Donald Glover Cancels 2024 Childish Gambino Tour Dates After Hospitalization: ‘I Have Surgery Scheduled and Need Time Out to Heal’
‘Joker 2’ Ending: Was That a ‘Dark Knight’ Connection? Explaining What’s Next for Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker
‘Love Is Blind' Creator Reveals Why They Didn’t Follow Leo and Brittany After Pods, if They'll Be at Reunion (EXCLUSIVE)
Rosie O'Donnell on Becoming a 'Big Sister' to the Menendez Brothers, Believes They Could Be Released From Prison in the ‘Next 30 Days’
‘That ’90s Show’ Canceled After Two Seasons on Netflix, Kurtwood Smith Says: ‘We Will Shop the Show’
Coldplay’s Chris Martin Says Playing With Michael J. Fox at Glastonbury Was ‘So Trippy’: ‘Like Being 7 and Being in Heaven…
Why Critically Panned ‘Joker 2’ Could Still Be in the Awards Race for Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix
Dakota Fanning Got Asked ‘Super-Inappropriate Questions’ as a Child Actor Like ‘How Could You Have Any Friends?’ and Can ‘You Avoid Being a Tabloid…
Charli XCX Reveals Features for ‘Brat’ Remix Album Include Ariana Grande, Julian Casablancas, Tinashe and More
Must Read
- Film
COVER | Sebastian Stan Tells All: Becoming Donald Trump and Starring in 2024’s Most Controversial Movie
By Andrew Wallenstein 2 weeks
- TV
Menendez Family Slams Netflix’s ‘Monsters’ as ‘Grotesque’ and ‘Riddled With Mistruths’: ‘The Character Assassination of Erik and Lyke Is Repulsive…
- TV
‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Part 2 to Air on CBS After Paramount Network Debut
- TV
50 Cent Sets Diddy Abuse Allegations Docuseries at Netflix: ‘It’s a Complex Narrative Spanning Decades’ (EXCLUSIVE)
- Shopping
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Sets Digital and Blu-ray/DVD Release Dates
Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Variety Confidential
ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXN9jpugs2eXobyjrctonpqqlam1br%2FOrquhn5Gpsm6xzaCjmqaUYrqiusCgnKtlqaTCtcHBnmSoqpmctq%2Bty6xkampjaYZ2g5Zra2g%3D