MUMBAI: Discovery Networks International (DNI) has announced that Betty, the UK production house that it acquired last year, will produce new lifestyle series ?Taste Off? and ?Ultimate Shopper?.

These series, commissioned by DNI head of production & development Julian Bellamy, will air on TLC internationally and available in over 150 markets across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

DNI chief content officer, executive VP Luis Silberwasser said, ?Fashion and food are two of TLC?s most popular genres, and the commissioning of ?Taste Off? and ?Ultimate Shopper? ? inspired by Real Time Italy?s hit series ?Shopping Night??taps into the essence of what our female flagship channels are all about. We are excited for these series to be infused with betty?s creativity and unique perspective, and feel fortunate to have a solid built-in production partner for our world-class programming.?

Betty CEO Liz Warner said, "We are thrilled to have won these series so early on in our relationship with Discovery?our development slate is very much in tune with TLC and Julian?s commissioning compass. These series are totally in our blood?being a sassy and competitive take on fashion, and a food show with a great twist taking on the local experts. Both will feature great presenting talent we have found, which is one of our known strengths.?

Part-travelogue, part competitive culinary show, ?Taste Off? follows self-taught British chef, restaurateur and author Aaron Craze, as he takes on homegrown food heroes around the world to prove he can cook up beloved national dishes as tasty and authentic as the locals.

In each episode, Craze?known to international audiences for his popular show Rude Boy Food and for winning Jamie?s Chef?learns the local culinary dish before competing against the locally crowned master, from head chefs at a 5-star restaurant, to family foodies to roadside cooks.

Each episode culminates with a blind taste test where the discerning local audience will make the final call?can an outside chef outdo the experts on their own soil? In the series? final episode, Craze will visit Australia where all dishes will be cooked and judged against each other to become king.

Confirmed locales for ?Taste Off? include Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia and Australia, with other locations to be announced at a later date.

?Ultimate Shopper? is being positioned as being every girl?s fantasy ? unleashing slaves-to-fashion in their ultimate dream store. With DNI and Magnolia Productions? ?Shopping Night? as a muse, ?Ultimate Shopper? aims to give new meaning to the phrase ?dressed to kill.?

Each episode pits four fashionist as head-to-head in a series of three style-based challenges to be judged by our fabulous panel of experts: singer and modern pop culture icon Holly Valance, fashion expert Brix Smith Start and photographer Paul Hartnett, along with a special guest judge.

From crafting the perfect look for a first date to donning just the right duds for a second job interview, contestants?and their style?will be judged on their chic creativity and quick-thinking fashion sense. At the end of each episode, the final two contestants will face off ?and the last shopper standing will be rewarded with a dream wardrobe of all their chosen pieces.

MUMBAI: Discovery Networks International (DNI) has acquired a 20 per cent equity stake in Televista, a French pay-TV company specialising in the female lifestyle market.

Under this agreement, DNI becomes a strategic partner to Televista and will contribute to the development of its female lifestyle channels business. Under the new partnership, Discovery Networks will provide strategic counsel and access to its female lifestyle library of programming.

This equity investment supplements the content supply agreement already announced by the two companies in January 2012.

Through these transactions, Discovery becomes a key strategic partner of VIA, the female lifestyle DTT channel project filed by Televista on 10 January 2012.

Via is a female lifestyle channel, supported by a television company and French investment funds from Aplus Finance, Altice and Audacia. Local French programming made by Via will have the opportunity to be invested in Discovery?s network of female lifestyle channels outside France, reaching international audiences in multiple countries.

Building its female lifestyle portfolio TLC and Real Time across 170 markets, DNI has reached 135 million subscribers in just 20 months. In September 2010, Discovery launched Real Time in Italy as a ree-to-air channel in Italy. In less than 18 months, it has become the Number 8 commercial channel amongst women 20-49.

Televista CEO Gaspard de Chavagnac stated, "I am very pleased to welcome Discovery Networks International, the largest non fiction media company in the world to Televista. Discovery will bring both expertise and content we need to accelerate our development especially in Free DTT channels where Discovery is already present in Italy, Spain and Germany."

Televista applied for a female lifestyle DTT channel on 10 January 2012.

Discovery Networks Western Europe president, MD Dee Forbes said, "France is a very important market for us and we are delighted to be able to make this investment in Televista. We have a strong understanding of the female lifestyle market and are looking forward to partnering with Gaspard and his team. We have also launched a series of free to air channels across Western Europe over the last three years to complement our core paytv business. We are excited by Televista?s future French plans and the opportunity to bring our popular female lifestyle programming to viewers."