Turner expand production of Divina Comida in Latin America
In the wake of the hugely successful local adaptations of “Come Dine With Me” (Divina Comida) in Chile and Argentina, the company is looking to replicate the British format originally developed by ITV Studios in Uruguay, Colombia and Peru.
In accordance with the terms of a representation and production agreement with ITV STUDIOS, Turner Latin America –the leading multiplatform media company in the region, owned by WarnerMedia- has just announced that the company is working to expand production of the successful British format “Come Dine With Me” into Colombia, Peru and Uruguay.
The show has over 40 versions around the world, including hugely successful local adaptations in Argentina and Chile. Under the name of “La Divina Comida”, produced by Kuarzo, the show has been available in Chile for 5 seasons and over 100 episodes, with an average rating in excess of 2 million viewers per episode, which makes it Chilevision’s highest-rating show. Additionally, the show ranks No. 1 among home and business target audiences (HM 25-64 ABC), as well as among young viewers aged 18 – 24, men and women aged 25 – 34, and women aged 35 – 64.
The show has recently premiered in Argentina with great success. On the date of its premiere (January 13), the show reached 9.4 points of rating and 43.7% average share, at the very top of its time slot. Additionally, the premiere became a Trending Topic on social media in Argentina under the hashtag #DivinaComida. This trend continued throughout the week(*), when the show was No. 3 in terms of daily rankings, with an average rating of 9 – 10 points, and an audience share of up to 48.17%.
On the show, we can watch a different celebrity every week as they open the doors of their home and welcome several guests for dinner. By the end of week, whoever gets the highest score will be crowned as “The best host of the week”. “La Divina Comida is a food-centered reality show that gives audiences a chance to take a look at the lives of a number of celebrities, including actors, TV hosts, models, sportsmen, etc. I think what makes the show interesting is that we get to see these celebrities’ everyday lives, in a very honest way: we get to see where they live, we take a peak inside their kitchens, we learn about their grandparents’ recipes, or who taught them how to cook. The kitchen is the heart of every home, and as these celebrities prepare a meal for their guests, take the time to think what they may like, and make their best effort to be great hosts, audiences get the chance to see another side of them and feel closer to them. We show perfectly imperfect hosts, as we all are. Latino people love to share with friends, to entertain and cook for them, and I think viewers relate strongly to that. And there is another great condiment: spontaneous conversations among people who barely know one another and gradually become great friends”, stated Ricardo Pichetto, VP Content Production Turner Latin America.
With regards to the show’s success in both countries and the possibilities for further expansion, he said: “We have been producing the show in Chile since 2016 for our broadcast network Chilevisión. There are two versions of the show in Chile: one featuring anonymous people and another one featuring celebrities. We have produced five consecutive seasons already. We also produce the show for Telefe in Argentina, where it has exceeded all our expectations, not only in terms of ratings but also in terms of the social media buzz and interest from the press. We intend to export this format to other countries in the region, as we believe it can be adapted to every local idiosyncrasy. La Divina Comida has a warm, relaxed outlook that makes audiences feel they are also a guest at the table.”
The program in Argentina it goes by the name of “Divina Comida” and is broadcast on Telefe. “We at Telefe always try to connect with our audience on an emotional level. That is why we are very happy to bring them a global hit such as this”, said Guillermo Pendino, VP Brand Head Telefe. “Along with Turner, we have developed an adaptation of the show that is perfectly in line with the quality standards we want on our screen” stated.
In addition to Come Dine With Me, Turner holds the rights for a number of ITV formats for Latin America, including Hell´s Kitchen, The Chase, The Audience, Brightest Family, The Rich List, and the highly successful Pasapalabra, which can currently be seen on the screens of eltrece in Argentina, Chilevisión in Chile and Canal 10 in Uruguay.
* Source: Kantar Ibope – average data / Second episode – Tuesday, January 14: 9.02 pts rat.hh and 40.85% shr.hh./ Third episode – Wednesday, January 15: 10,01 pts rat.hh and 48.2% shr.hh./Fourth episode – Thursday, January 16: 9,01 pts rat.hh and 43.4% shr.hh.
ABOUT TURNER LATIN AMERICA
Turner Latin America, owned by WarnerMedia, is a global entertainment, sports and news company that creates premium content and provides exceptional experiences to viewers throughout the region when and where they choose to watch their favorite content. These efforts are fueled by data-driven information and industry-leading technology. Turner owns and operates some of the most valuable brands in the world, organized into five content groups: Kids (Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Tooncast), General Entertainment (TNT, TNT Series, Space, TCM, I.Sat, Warner Channel, TBS, HTV, MuchMusic, Glitz * and truTV), News (CNN International, CNN in Spanish, CNN Chile and HLN), and Sports (TNT Sports, Esporte Interativo Digital and CDF). In the free-to-view TV space, the company also owns the Chilevisión channel in Chile. Its brand portfolio is completed with its new movie banner Particular Crowd.