Fremantle Takes Singapore Dating Format ‘Wingman’ Global

Global entertainment giant Fremantle has taken a significant step in expanding Asian content to international markets by signing an exclusive deal with Singapore broadcaster Mediacorp. The agreement centers on the innovative dating format "Wingman," a television show built around a distinct premise where single individuals completely hand over their romantic decisions and matchmaking choices to their closest friends.

Fremantle is actively presenting the format to international buyers at the Mipcom market. Under the terms of the agreement, Fremantle will handle global sales, international licensing, and production of the show across most overseas territories on behalf of Mediacorp and Beach House Pictures, who jointly own the intellectual property and format rights. Mediacorp retains direct control of the format for its domestic audience in Singapore and select regional Asian markets.

The origins of "Wingman" trace back to a submission in Mediacorp's Creatives Assembly Unscripted Formats Pitch in 2023. Following this pitch, Mediacorp collaborated closely with Beach House Pictures to develop the concept into a full series, subsequently commissioning a first season produced by Beach House Pictures. That initial season has been made available to local audiences via Mediacorp's mewatch streaming platform as well as the Mediacorp Entertainment YouTube channel, where it built an enthusiastic following.

Angeline Poh, chief customer and corporate development officer at Mediacorp, noted that the show's transition from a local industry pitch to international representation demonstrates the potential of homegrown ideas when supported by strong global partnerships. She emphasized that such collaborations establish meaningful pathways for Singaporean creativity to reach entirely new international markets and diverse audiences around the world.

Beach House Pictures, which operates as a Fremantle company, co-owns the format alongside Mediacorp. Jocelyn Little, managing director at Beach House Pictures, highlighted the core question driving the series: what happens when the friends who know an individual best take complete charge of their love life? She described the resulting television product as a fresh, warm, and highly entertaining twist on conventional dating formats, with friendship serving as the primary engine driving the search for romantic connections.

For Fremantle, shopping "Wingman" through its extensive worldwide formats business opens the door for localized remakes produced in new territories across the globe. Industry observers view this distribution deal as part of a broader trend where distinctive regional unscripted concepts find international appeal, driven by major studios looking for fresh approaches to reality television and dating shows. As Fremantle introduces the series at Mipcom, television executives will be watching closely to see which international broadcasters step up to commission local adaptations of the Singaporean format.