MUMBAI: ?Really Cool Stuff? (working title) is the eighth original production to be announced by BBC Worldwide as part of the new commissioning strategy for its global branded channels, unveiled last September.

Blending science and factual entertainment, the fully funded format will premiere on BBC Knowledge (Asia, Africa, CEE, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Poland and the Nordics) and BBC HD (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America) next year. Dissecting the coolest things in the universe, the general knowledge show will be led by three British presenters alongside studio experiments and CGI and animations.
 
The 10 episode factual entertainment series from 360Production will tackle some of the world?s greatest mysteries from why cats have nine lives, to why we experience D?j? Vu and whether anyone could move fast enough to dodge a speeding bullet.

BBC Worldwide?s aim is to deliver 100 hours of original programming to its BBC branded channels by next year.

The company adds that this latest original production which blends science with factual entertainment, demonstrates VP of commissioning Tracy Forsyth?s commitment to work with independent producers and the BBC?s in-house production teams to create original and high quality television formats for the BBC?s international channel portfolio. Lucy Pilkington will act as BBC Knowledge executive producer, while BBC Worldwide will hold all commercial rights to the new series of ?Really Cool Stuff?, including global broadcast and distribution.

Created with an international BBC audience in mind, ?Really Cool Stuff? will take a magnifying glass to the world?s greatest and most intriguing natural wonders and examine quirky topics in bite size chunks. There will be a mix of presenter interaction, CGI, studio-based scientific experiments, demonstrations and expert input. Hosts Greg Foot (Physicist and adrenalin junkie), Fran Scott (biologist and practical experimenter) and Dominic Byrne (radio and TV broadcaster) will together debate, investigate and dissect a wide spectrum of topics including: "What is more deadly, a tornado or a hurricane?", "where do accents come from?" and "what is the loudest living thing in the ocean?"
 
Forsyth commented, "This high-energy, visually stimulating and incredibly informative series by 360Production, truly delivers a great mix of science and factual entertainment content in a fresh, digestible and returnable format. ?Really Cool Stuff? will answer some of those bizarre common-place questions you have always wondered about, no matter where you live in the world ? and this is one of the many reasons I believe the show will have wide-appeal with our international BBC audiences".

360Production creative director John Farren said, "Everyone at 360Production loves perplexing questions, funny answers, brilliant design and making things go bang. In this show, we get to do them all and can?t wait to share the results with audiences around the world."

MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC has secured the rights to provide exclusive live ball-by-ball radio commentary of the 2013/14 Ashes in Australia (21 November 2013 -7 January 2014), providing the final element to a year of cricket coverage on Test Match Special on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app.

There will also be programmes and presenters on Radio 5 live for the summer, including ?Andrew Flintoff?s Ashes Roadshows?.

The BBC?s cricket portfolio also includes live commentary of the New Zealand Test Matches and ODI?s, the ICC Champions Trophy and the pinnacle event of the summer - The Ashes. In addition, there is the recently announced ongoing ball-by-ball commentary of the entire county cricket season via BBC online and BBC Local Radio, plus live coverage of county matches on 5 live sports extra.

BBC Sport director Barbara Slater said, "We?re very pleased to have added the Ashes in Australia to our existing cricket rights portfolio, and there?s no one better to deliver it to audiences than the esteemed Test Match Special team. We?re looking forward to a fantastic summer and winter of cricket which we will be covering through TMS, Radio 5 live and our digital platforms."

MUMBAI: Animal planet is back with ?Deadly 60?, a series hosted by wildlife expert Steve Backshall.

Starting 1 May, the show will air at 9 pm every day.

The show is about Backshall exploring world?s 60 of the deadliest animals on his personal camera that could be lethal beauties to killer beasts.

Each animal is assigned with three killer facts and rated on the Deadly 60 scale as viewers are immersed in the quest for the world?s most lethal predators.

Steve travels across the six continents like across South Africa, Australia, India, Malaysia, Europe, United Kingdom, South America and North America for six months to find the "most deadliest" creature in the world.