China’s Huace Film & TV has announced deeper strategic cooperation with UK’s biggest commercial TV station ITV. It comes after their latest co-produced show “Star on Ice” hit the Chinese market.  

Directed by acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou, the TV show features Chinese celebrities and Olympic champions. Starting out as complete beginners, they have to undergo a grueling training to become real “Star on Ice.” This ice-skating show was officially unveiled on October 21, 2015, during the China-UK Creative Industry Exhibition attended by the Chinese President Xi Jinping.  After a year of preparations, the program was finally launched and is being aired on several Chinese satellite TVs.  It has attracted strong ratings and critical acclaims since its launch and has won extensive praise from the audience.

Combining innovative design ideas from China and the UK, it excited the Chinese audience’s passion for winter sports ahead of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games.  “As it is the first time the winter Olympics is being hosted in China, there is very good opportunity to introduce some of the sports, some of the skills needed to compete in the winter Olympics to the wider Chinese population,” said Mike Beale, exec VP of global development and formats at ITV Studios. "We thought a figure skating competition was a very good way to introduce the audience to talent. And also the skills that the competing Chinese might need to take part in the winter Olympics."

The show represents one of the highlights of China-UK cultural cooperation of creative industries. Last December, China-UK TV Co-Production Treaty was signed, making the UK the second country in the world to have television treaties with China. The show “Star on Ice” is a good example of the cooperation of creative industries between China and UK, said Tian Jin, Vice Minister of State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

TV shows that introduce Chinese cultural elements while still being understood  by foreign audiences will play a great role in global markets. “The show is developed, filmed and produced by both Chinese and British production teams. It is a very good example of China-UK television co-production,” said Xiang Xiaowei, cultural counselor with the Chinese embassy in the UK. “I am sure that this is going to be a good start, setting a good example for all the stakeholders in the TV production area. And see how the collaboration really create a win-win situation for both sides and in long run."

China and UK has huge potential for cooperation in creative industries. Last year, a number of TV documentaries were also co-produced by China and UK, including “Confucius," "Chinese New Year” and “Born in China," while British TV dramas such as “Sherlock” and “Downton Abbey” were introduced to China. Chinese films like “The Mermaid” and “The Assassin”  were also welcomed by the British audience.